Automatic Watering Systems

[MarkPelican]

I've realised there may be two weeks in the middle of summer when I will not be able to water my tomatoes. I've been looking at automatic watering systems like this one from T&M Automatic Irrigation System - Watering & Irrigation - Thompson & Morgan.

Has anybody used something like this and how reliable are they? I don't want to find that the tap has been running for two weeks, I think I would have a large water bill.

[Jungle Jane]

I've used a similar one made by hozelock for two week holidays,if you set it up a week or so before you go on holiday,you can check the timer works,check for any leaks & check all the plants get water by adjusting the sprayers,moving pots etc. If they're getting too much water you can adjust the timer & still be at home to check the timer works the following day. I had to adjust a sprinkler on mine,it got stuck & I wasn't there the next day to check it came on & went round properly,when I was on holiday I thought about it several times,I came home & it was stuck in a ridiculous position watering the grass,but my Brussels sprouts were fine,so it probably rained enough or maybe it did spin occasionally. You can set them up to come on for however many minutes you want & once or twice a day but I think I set it to come on every third day for 15 minutes but I can't remember? It's difficult judging the amount because it will probably rain a few days a week.

[MarkPelican]

The issue is that my tomatoes are in my polytunnel and whilst I have a dripper watering system set up off a water butt, if it doesn't rain there won't be any water on the plants (even if it does, the waterbutt doesn't necessarily get very full).

[Scarlet]

I've got a soaker hose in my GH, works ok but I have to turn the tap on. A friend has a timer on her tap, not sure what make. I'm on a metre so I water cautiously.

[Jungle Jane]

I just read the review for that t&m system & the customer said you have to set this one every day & its no good while your away. It's the only review though,I prefer seeing about 200 people's opinions before I buy.

[bario1]

The issue is that my tomatoes are in my polytunnel and whilst I have a dripper watering system set up off a water butt, if it doesn't rain there won't be any water on the plants (even if it does, the waterbutt doesn't necessarily get very full).

Can't you fill the water butt with a hose just before you go?

[Thelma Sanders]

Can't you fill the water butt with a hose just before you go?

That's all I do

[bario1]

Me too, I've got a 40 gallon cold water tank that harvests the rain from the polytunnel - if I'm going away and it's not full, I just top it up with a hose and it lasts about two weeks even without any rain.

[dilettante]

It's difficult judging the amount because it will probably rain a few days a week.

Someone needs to make one you can control with an app on your phone to account for rain

Or I suppose one that just measures the amount of rain and adjusts accordingly.

[MarkPelican]

Someone needs to make one you can control with an app on your phone to account for rain

Or I suppose one that just measures the amount of rain and adjusts accordingly.

What frightens me is that Hozelock already make such things, they just cost a lot.

[MarkPelican]

Me too, I've got a 40 gallon cold water tank that harvests the rain from the polytunnel - if I'm going away and it's not full, I just top it up with a hose and it lasts about two weeks even without any rain.

I suppose it depends how many plants you have. I plan to have about 50 and whilst they have been OK in the past, this time I'll be away for much longer than usual.

[Martin H]

Saw this one on Facepalm today. Very neat!