Collecting Rain Water - Greenhouse

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Living in Scotland you shouldn't have too much trouble collecting water (even on the east). You can get very simple & cheap rainwater kits that would allow you to collect runoff from all directions into a barrel or butt. Something like THIS starts at under a tenner. Are you wanting the water for the plants in the greenhouse or for another project? You may want a better type of barrel/butt that is enclosed to stop mosquito larvae and other detritus getting in.
 

Zingmo

Eardstapa
Jan 4, 2010
1,295
117
S. Staffs
I botched an old plastic hose pipe fitting for mine. I cut the fitting across so I was left with just the hose tail and a flat disc or flange of plastic about a inch across. Then I drilled a hole near the end of the gutter large enough for the hosetail to fit through leaving the flange in the gutter. I stuck it down with a bit of sealant (I think I used Fernox LS-X as it was raining at the time) and once I had fixed an old bit of hose on with a jubilee clip, it was all quite solid.
Of course you have to block the ends of the gutter as there is usually no appreciable gradient. I raided the kids pencil cases and used a couple of rubbers cut to size and stuck in place with the sealant.

Z
 

Dogoak

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 24, 2009
2,285
286
Cairngorms
You should be able to get of a blue barrel round your area, try Gumtree, freecycle or Scotads. You'll need some hose as Zingmo has said, and a tap, again, beg, borrow, scrounge. Raise it off the ground with some breeze blocks so you can fill watering cans etc.
 
Yeh, there certainly is no shortage of water here at any time during the year. :)
I was planning to use it in the greenhouse and outsdide plant watering rather than relying on the tap.

As my greenhouse is quite old it doesn't have any gutters so I am not quite sure how to attach them to the frame.
 
Ok, I think I know the bits I need and the general setup but I am not 100% sure how it would attach to the greenhouse.

It is pretty similar style to this and quite old with no obvious way to attach anything to it. I am not a DIY person but I am tryingt to be. :) So I need simple steps if you know of any.

23146d1269525292-wine-making-kits-greenhousemarch10th.jpg


Well that is where you start :)

75mm size works well. This sort of stuff

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...enhouse+gu&_nkw=greenhouse+guttering&_sacat=0
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,447
3,652
50
Exeter
Whats the black length of hose hanging off of the far left corner?

Also , appreciate the Greenhouse is old but do you see any brand or marks on it to indicate what make it is? My missus works in this sector and may be able to match something up.
 
Thats not my greenhouse. It was one I found through google. But does seem to be a downpipe.

I am not sure if there are any markings I will have a look at the weekend.



Whats the black length of hose hanging off of the far left corner?

Also , appreciate the Greenhouse is old but do you see any brand or marks on it to indicate what make it is? My missus works in this sector and may be able to match something up.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,447
3,652
50
Exeter
Sorry , my bad , didn't read your post fully. PM me if you find any markings and I will get her to look into it.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Ok, I think I know the bits I need and the general setup but I am not 100% sure how it would attach to the greenhouse.

It is pretty similar style to this and quite old with no obvious way to attach anything to it.

Normally they attach with brackets at the join of the wall and pitched roof - but it varies by make. Can you get a macro photo of how yours joins the wall to the roof?
 
Bit of a delay in getting these photos. I had to replace 2 panes of glass on the greenhouse and I was rarely around in daylight hours (the joys of commuting).
I couldn't see any obvious way of attaching guttering other than there being a lip on the underside but it doesn't look like it would support anything.
 

Attachments

  • Greenhouse2.jpg
    Greenhouse2.jpg
    64.6 KB · Views: 16
  • Greenhouse1.jpg
    Greenhouse1.jpg
    48.1 KB · Views: 19

JAG009

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 20, 2010
2,407
1
Under your floor
Self tapping screws straight through the length of gutter into the aluminium up rights ,and try and get the gutter as tight under the over hang as you can

Ps you could put an angle bracket under the gutter to support the weight just self tap into the up rights
 

milius2

Maker
Jun 8, 2009
989
7
Lithuania
Hmmmmm.... lets look at this from another angle. How is your house gutter set up? Maybe you can collect that water ? And then run it down to somewhere close to your greenhouse. Just thinking, that you will not have that much water off this greenhouse roof as there is not many square feet of it....
 

crosslandkelly

A somewhat settled
Jun 9, 2009
26,265
2,212
67
North West London
You could screw the gutter brackets directly to the aluminium uprights using self tapping screws, it would mean marking and drilling pilot holes for the screws.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE