Beware the frost

[chris]

Went to all the hassle last night of putting my car away in the garage... and was bloomim WARM this morning when I woke up.

[Two_Sheds]

We got your cold then Chris ~ first day I've seen it frosty so far (not counting that odd day back in Oct)

[taff]

mine are barrel shaped so if they do freeze, they will split. I'm just waiting waiting waiting to be able to do things, so i can go empty, and dig and make beds and mow the lawn [yes, in December]. Mind you, by the time I can do things again, I'll be so wound up, they'll be done in not even half the time

[snohare]

dig and make beds and mow the lawn [yes, in December]

Cor ! I was at the lottie yesterday, had to break the soil with a mattock in order to dig up tatties. Half the top tatties were embedded in a two inch thick plate of frozen soil....and that's in Aberdeen, where it is generally much warmer than further inland/up the Dee.
I don't think what breaks the butts so much is the water freezing, so much as the loss of plasticisers. Old age aka cold/heat/exposure to chemicals leaches out plasticisers, proper water butts have different ones to the blue plastic barrels.
So age and where you site it probably decides whether or not the distortion caused by ice splits it.
My lawn is visited daily by a flock of sparrow, chaffinches and blackbirds, with the occasional mob of crows coming to steal the seed I throw down. It's hard not to think how nice it would be to have a couple of chickens instead...but the neighbours would never approve.

[VirginVegGrower]

Cor ! I was at the lottie yesterday, had to break the soil with a mattock in order to dig up tatties. Half the top tatties were embedded in a two inch thick plate of frozen soil....and that's in Aberdeen, where it is generally much warmer than further inland/up the Dee.
I don't think what breaks the butts so much is the water freezing, so much as the loss of plasticisers. Old age aka cold/heat/exposure to chemicals leaches out plasticisers, proper water butts have different ones to the blue plastic barrels.
So age and where you site it probably decides whether or not the distortion caused by ice splits it.
My lawn is visited daily by a flock of sparrow, chaffinches and blackbirds, with the occasional mob of crows coming to steal the seed I throw down. It's hard not to think how nice it would be to have a couple of chickens instead...but the neighbours would never approve.

So let me get this right...if your butt is old then it is more inclined to give up the fight...must get to Pilates and fast..!

[VirginVegGrower]

Why can't you have chickens Snohare? Hens or hens with roosters? The latter I could understand but just chickens would be OK, wouldn't they?

[veggiechicken]

Have some Black Rocks. The neighbours will think they're crows or blackbirds - or have guinea fowl instead of sparrows. Just another of my helpful suggestions!

[taff]

So let me get this right...if your butt is old then it is more inclined to give up the fight..

if your butt is old, it's less elastic, and will dribble.....
you need something absorbent to mop up the mess.............ewwww!!!!!

[veggiechicken]

You could attach a hose and drain it off discreetly.

[snohare]

It's a combination of neighbours and the Housing Association who are my landlord, really. I can see where they are coming from; I live, rather cuckoo-in-the-nest, in a cul-de-sac of bungalows intended to be housing for pensioners. The gardens are all tiny, mainly lawn maintained by a company we pay charges to, with an open plan style intended to leave open the wonderful views to the South.
I'd have to stick in catproof fencing, which would be just yards from their windows, and on one side, live a very garden-proud couple who maintain their patch and abhor mess. They worry about the songbirds crapping on their wheeliebin shelter...
My ability to leave materiels lying before/after visiting the lottie depends on their goodwill; we're on good terms, and in their shoes I would object if I asked permission !
But someday...

[snohare]

You could attach a hose and drain it off discreetly.

You could attach a hose and drain it off discreetly.

You can get good tubing from medical suppliers...

[morverngirl]

I need all the water I can get in Winter and plan to add 2 more Butts -We're still officially in a drought

[BUFFS]

In last year's heavy frosts many people suffered damaged water butts when the water in them froze and expanded causing the butt to split.
It is a good idea to drain your water butt at this time of year to prevent this. It also gets rid of old stale water and allows you to give it a clean out if debris has collected in it.
Just remember to close the tap again in early spring. It will only take a few days of rain to refill it

so the golden rule is "always look after your butt!!!!"

[BUFFS]

if your butt is old, it's less elastic, and will dribble.....
you need something absorbent to mop up the mess.............ewwww!!!!!

it comes with old age

[VirginVegGrower]

if your butt is old, it's less elastic, and will dribble.....
you need something absorbent to mop up the mess.............ewwww!!!!!

Well butt cracks do not sound pleasant...can't write this anymore without sniggering...must stop!