Water Butts - Your thoughts

[Bigmallly]

With all of the minerals already in the soil, I can't see a bit of tile residue causing any damage.

[planetologist]

If it's actually tile debris I agree with Bigmally; tiles are basically baked subsoil. I would keep your eyes open whether the sand might actually come in from elsewhere, such as nearby industry.

[Snow]

I have one, really handy. My tap water is very alkaline so rain water is best for some of my plants. The savings do add up if you get through several full loads a year. Mine only cost me 20-25 quid on offer local garden center with tap included, and stand. I've had it a couple of years now and never had a problem with it.

[Kristen]

I have lots of rain water storage. Its cost me a fortune, and never going to have a pay-back, but like Alison I think it dreadful to be putting potable water, cleaned up and made good enough to drink, onto the garden. Rain water better for most things (I use tap water on seedlings as its bug & disease free, compared to rainwater).

[buzzingtalk]

I love waterbutts, but I never pay for them

On my old plot I made waterbutts using blue barrels (ask around builders yards/industrial estates and you'll find some for free). all you need to do is drill a hole, i didn't even bother doing that, just took the lid off, stood it on level paving slabs and put some slabs in the bottom of it to stop it tipping.

On my new plot, I found an old bath, but it's not ceramic it's some weird plastic, which someone cut some holes for taps into. I can't be arsed to raise it up to use the taps, so will be making it watertight with pond liner and running the drain from the shed into it using an old hoover nozzle. Waterbutts don't have to cost you anything if you have an eye for a roadside bargain.

I grow a lot of blueberry bushes so I have to have rainwater - I'd never water my blues with tap water, it's really bad for them. I'm going to have to repot them after my allotment got flooded with mains water and they sat waterlogged in it for a few days. They are due an upgrade anyway but the flood has made it more urgent. I don't tend to use the butts for much else during a hot spell as I like to ensure there's enough water for the blues. My old allotment was allowed hosepipes but my new one we aren't, and I'll be damned if I can avoid carrying water around so will be looking for more baths/large containers to store water in.

[KevinM67]

As arpoet said, rainwater is far better for plants, but also if you have an allotment, waterbutts have 2 great uses.
1. Not having to wander back and forth to the nearest tap.

2. Most lotties turn off the water for a lot of the winter to avoid burst pipes.

This for me at our plot.

I've never really considered the financial aspect of it - it's better for the plants, saves time and energy and feels if you are doing 'something right' for the environment. For the cost - I would have just probably spent my cash on some meaningless nonsense anyway.

[SkyChild]

I'm saving up for a gorgeous old barrel to use as a water butt as hubby is EXCEPTIONALLY picky and won't let me have a cheap plastic bin one as they are "ugly". I wonder how quickly that will change when I explain that the barrel may well cost £100 or more!

[Kaiya]

I was lucky enough to inherit no fewer than 6 water butts with my new house (one is technically a repurposed bin). They are all full to the brim, so much so the fence is at risk as they need better footings and are leaning, but I can't empty them as that would be Wrong and a Waste, so I'm waiting until they empty during summer and I can give them better bases, and hoping they hold up til then. I think that means I have about a cubic metre of water stored. Now a cubic metre of tap water only costs me about £30, but it's physically a *lot* of water, and I'm chuffed that I can assist in water conservation with my many water butts, plus I can have absolutely no guilt from watering plants in the heat of summer.

I do run out into the garden every time my very silly cat jumps onto a butt as he can't swim (3 legs), and I am terrified the lids will give way. I think midges breeding in the water can also be a problem but goldfish living in the butt can help with that? (though you need a mesh lid if that's the case).

[Knight of Albion]

Whatever you collect water in, please make sure it is securely lidded. I have had experience of a drowned animal in one of my water butts and it was a horrible experience I'd hate anyone else to experience.

Great post, dear Wendy.

Very true. Open water butts are a death-trap for all manner of creatures, so please keep them covered.

[Penellype]

.
I think midges breeding in the water can also be a problem but goldfish living in the butt can help with that? (though you need a mesh lid if that's the case).

You shouldn't get midges if you have a lid on it. What would happen to the fish when you used all the water?

[Kristen]

I can't empty them as that would be Wrong and a Waste

Will they not refill fairly quickly at this time of year? I've just emptied all mine to clean out the leaves etc. that have collected in them over winter, they'll all be full the next time it rains ...

I have about a cubic metre of water stored. Now a cubic metre of tap water only costs me about £30

You sure? My metered water here is just over £1 / cu.m. It would cost me a fortune if I had to pay £30 a cubic meter - I reckon a bath is 1/2 a cubic metre - that would be £15 per bath

[beeterforit]

I keep 3 plastic dustbins with lids by the greenhouse which I top up from harvested rainwater from the collector butt from the roof
I top up just before forecasted rain and always have loads