Water in winter

[Rosloa]

Hi everyone, this will possibly seem like a silly question but I would like to check....

The water taps at the tanks on our allotment are turned off currently, I assume they are dip tanks and we can use the water from them to fill up a watering can and water in a new fruit tree?

The water looks pretty green and stagnant, I'm not sure this will be good for the tree?

Can I just use this water? There is no rain forecast this week and tree needs watering in.

Thank you much,
Rowena

[veggiechicken]

Hi Rowena and welcome.
Only you can judge how stagnant the water is - does it smell? is it thick with slime?
If you've ever made liquid feed from comfrey leaves and water you'll know that the stuff we feed our plants isn't quite as pure as the water we would drink.
Personally, I'd use it on a tree but not on a seedling.

[burnie]

Welcome to the vine, with no frosts forecast I would think the water would be ok, the green will be algae, which shouldn't be a problem I would have thought.

[greenishfing]

Is there anyone else around at the allotments that you cold ask if anyone has had any problems with it?

[Can the Man]

Welcome Rowena, I agree with the others, as it’s a tree watering with algae water shouldn’t do any harm.

[Rosloa]

Thank you

Thank you all for your quick and helpful responses, I'll give it a go then if it's not too smelly when I go there today. There never seems to be anyone else there at the moment to ask and I really appreciate all your thoughts 👍

[mcdood]

Hi Rowena,
We have the same dip tank system on our site and in winter as they aren't being used they can start to look a bit grim. One thing I do every winter is empty the tank and try and clean it best I can, shovelling the debris that collects at the bottom and scraping algae off the sides. There will likely be a drain valve on it you can open with a spanner unless you empty it all on the tree.

[Bren In Pots]

Rowena if you're really worried is there a way you could take water from home for your tree.

[Snoop Puss]

This is an interesting thread. I just assumed algae would be good for plants as food...

[mcdood]

The only reason I clean my tank is because I use water from it to give my picked veg a quick wash during summer and autumn. I don't think the growing plants are that fussy.

[Forage420]

I made a post last autumn about stagnant water that on my allotment people have a tenancy to collect in those old water tanks of which I have one or two.
I went to a garden centre and asked if there was a way to clear the water using an aquatic plant and was recommended elodea but it didn't work.
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1674972

I use the stagnant looking water when I occasionally need to feed potted up plants (strawberries), with no issues so far.
In spring I am going to run a trial where I use this stagnant water, mains water and water collected in a container with a lid on young seedlings and record any problems.