Watering the crops

[GreyCat]

So, after a few weeks of dry weather, the usual hosepipe bans commence. Although the first hosepipe ban in the Dwr Cymru area doesn't impact us, it did remind me to get my emergency extra folding water butts out and fill them, and to use a transfer barrel to move my main water butts 30 metres from where they were to where I now need them, and top them all off.

I am in the fortunate position of being able to fill water butts from the stream, and doing it now before flow decreases any further was worthwhile. I did fill a couple with the hose too, as my stream pump outlet hose needs lengthening. (We are on a water meter so prefer to use the stream- still would never use anything like as much as is permitted to abstract without a permit). The stream flow hasn't decreased much as yet, but the ground is finally drying up somewhat here so it probably will do over the next week or so.

My newly-planted trees would in any case still be permitted to be watered under the usual Dwr Cymru hosepipe ban regulations. Which makes holding enough water that bit easier.

So how much is enough?

I had a conversation with a friend in Sussex a few months ago, who was proudly telling me he'd got a water butt so he could water his lovely big garden if they had a hosepipe ban. It was one 250L butt. I took him through how many watering-cans full needed, how often, and so how long a 250L butt would last- max 10 days in his case. Whereas hosepipe bans typically last for weeks or months. By the time we finished going through this, he was talking in terms of a couple of IBCs, not one water butt.

With all my storage full, I can hold best part of 3000 litres (a good half of that is the temporary collapsible type of barrels, thankfully I bought half a dozen during the winter when they were cheap). The butts are located in various places, near to where I would use the water. That will give me at least 25 full waterings for my polytunnels (all food plants), my outdoor fruit & veg beds plus a couple of rasied beds where I have recently planted some ornamentals. In the peak of hot weather I am watering every other day, but that comes down to twice a week if it's not so hot. So, I can manage minimum 7 weeks from the day any hosepipe ban comes into effect, and probably more like 3 months- as we get further into autumn, the amount of watering needed will decrease.

So, how much water do you need to keep your fruit/veg beds alive, and how much do you store?

Over the winter I shall be getting some IBCs for the polytunnels and veg beds, and fixing them up with internal pumps. Fill them from the stream when it's in full flow. Then my decent barrels can be moved and connected to the downpipes for the ornamentals. The plans I have to change the polytunnel beds over the winter will also support automatic irrigation- which the IBCs will provide water for.

GC

 

[GeraldTheBonsai]

"collapsible type of barrel". Like the sound of that. Got a source?

 

[GreyCat]

I had a couple of 250L barrels from the centre aisle of Lidl in March.... £30 each. They are OK, not free of gremlins, but they are acceptable.

Another 4 were 300L barrels from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DP4ZZMCQ again several months ago and before the other ones appeared in Lidl. They were the most cost-effective option at the time and are somewhat sturdier than the Lidl ones- and without the gremlins.

The similar volume solid water butts are (a) much more money and (b) it is not exactly unusual for them to be damaged during delivery (DAMHIKT....). Again, you pays your money and takes your choice. Garden centres tend to be pricier than Amazon.

The collapsible ones do need to be on a smooth surface (not gravel) so they don't get damaged, but they seen quite acceptable.

IBCs: if you don't want to inherit a problem of contamination, you need cleaned ones, and the cost plus transport is not insignificant. It's a longer term option.

GC

 

[GeraldTheBonsai]

Thanks. I actually picked up two 200L water butts from out local tip - they have a recycling section. Paid £5 each. Both were damaged - cracks - but a bit of epoxy and good as new.

 

[slowworm]

There an old thread that might be useful here: https://bushcraftuk.com/community/threads/water-storage.161693/

I actually think our storage tank is closer to 2,000 litres and we now have 9 butts so that's another 2,000. However, as we're establishing quite a few plants and growing (too many) things in pots we can get through lots of water. Thankfully we get it pumped up from our spring.

What's become very apparent this year is the lack of organic matter in the soil to hold on to the water, so even regular watering can leave plants thirsty. And the peat free compost is like a sieve so any water and nutrients are just draining out of the pots.

 

[Woody girl]

Watering has been a nightmare for me this year. The soil just won't take the water, there are no worms to be seen. It's basically just hydrophobic dust. .my water barrels have been empty for the last six weeks, and I've lost some expensive plants.
I'm tired of lugging one watering can after another up the garden.
I'm thinking I need to build up soil matter, introduce some worms and mulch, but if I can't get the soil to hold on to water in the first place, no point in doing this. It just rolls off and only gets the top cm or so, even if I pour 3 or four cans in the same spot. It's heartbreaking. Lack of pollination has turned my runners into an ornamental leaf tower. I get the flowers, and a week later I just have a bare stalk. Planted lots of pots of wildflowers, dotted them around the garden, but they just fried despite copious watering each day, and no I didn't drown them!
Almost all my courgette plants died, I have only one that is producing nicely, but all my yellow ones are kaput.
It's often been almost 40° at the top of the garden.
Perhaps I need to find some drought tolerant veg. Don't know what though. The farmers are saying yields are very low this year, im not surprised. I barely had any peas, spinach and lettuce bolted overnight. Beets and onions are tiny. Potato yield was disappointing, just a mixing bowls worth after growing two Potato bags of different kinds.
I need some rain bad!

 

[HorseGuy]

I've been needing to water the dry soil around the metal stakes for our electric fences. The stakes stick deep into the soil to conduct electricity by forming a circuit through the ground when something touches the fence and the ground at the same time. But the ground at surface level has now become so compact and dry that it struggles to conduct anything at all. If I pour water on the ground around the stake it just runs off and doesn't absorb more than about half a centimeter deep.

One option which is guaranteed to work is to dig deep holes for the stakes and gradually replace the soil after thoroughly soaking it from the bottom upwards as it gets filled back in. Another easier but more time consuming method which I have found works reasonably well is to water the soil very gradually. A little bit and often every half an hour or so throughout the day enables moisture to gradually absorb a bit deeper each time more water is added. Better than if I just poured a whole bucket of water down all in one go but either method is a PITA.

 

[Toddy]

Swales and beds with deep edges of things like buried old willow hurdling. It all helps keep the soil in situ, let's it sit still long enough that water soaks in and not just over and away.
Old fashioned lazy beds, with deep layers of organic stuff, even if it's not broken down, it's there, it's slowly becoming part of the soil. And cover soil that's been soaked. Polythene might cut the light, but no water means the light's doing no good anyway. If you do it right, then water evaporated will hit the polythene and run back down into the soil. Trap what you have kind of thing.

Not easy, and I really feel for those of you enduring this. We're sodden wet again this morning, but it becomes a sauna when the sun does break through.

I hope it rains for those of you in need, I hope it does so soon.

M

 

[Woody girl]

My plant graveyard

 

[Woody girl]

My grass and honeysuckle are almost dead too!

 

[GreyCat]

Watering has been a nightmare for me this year. The soil just won't take the water, there are no worms to be seen. It's basically just hydrophobic dust. .my water barrels have been empty for the last six weeks, and I've lost some expensive plants.
I'm tired of lugging one watering can after another up the garden.
I'm thinking I need to build up soil matter, introduce some worms and mulch, but if I can't get the soil to hold on to water in the first place, no point in doing this. It just rolls off and only gets the top cm or so, even if I pour 3 or four cans in the same spot. It's heartbreaking. Lack of pollination has turned my runners into an ornamental leaf tower. I get the flowers, and a week later I just have a bare stalk. Planted lots of pots of wildflowers, dotted them around the garden, but they just fried despite copious watering each day, and no I didn't drown them!
Almost all my courgette plants died, I have only one that is producing nicely, but all my yellow ones are kaput.
It's often been almost 40° at the top of the garden.
Perhaps I need to find some drought tolerant veg. Don't know what though. The farmers are saying yields are very low this year, im not surprised. I barely had any peas, spinach and lettuce bolted overnight. Beets and onions are tiny. Potato yield was disappointing, just a mixing bowls worth after growing two Potato bags of different kinds.
I need some rain bad!

I really feel for you @Woody girl

Whilst runner beans don't like heat (a good year for runner beans is usually bad for French beans and vice versa), and peas don't like heat either, courgettes should be OK so long as they get enough water, feed, and some shade on hottest days. I have pattypan squash in a polytunnel and they are prolific..... but pattypan squash do seem to be more resilient than courgettes.

Anything in pots or recently planted out suffered badly this year, my last lot of old potted trees are gonners I think and i have had to water the fruit trees planted over the winter.

Building up the soil organic matter is critical with a clay soil, as is using top mulch. Means the soil can still be wetted and take in the moisture. Another tip is a "litho mulch-" using stones as a mulch around a new plant. I did that with a couple of shrubs I planted and its worked well, it reduces grass encroachment, keeps moisture in, and you can just move a rock aside to water then put it back.

But I don't think anything would have helped potatoes or leeks much this year. Squash, peppers, chilli's, tomatoes all been doing well. Not quite drought resistant- they need watering- but they like hot and sunny conditions. Maybe also think about some of the more primative spuds like Peruvian purple, or quinoa or sweetcorn bed for UK. The three sisters of French beans, corn and winter squash would perhaps have survived better this year? Tomatillos like heat too.

For greens- it will be time to plant pak choi and things like mizuna and Chinese mustard greens soon, might help recover his a bit later in he season?

GC

 

[Woody girl]

My sweetcorn is about 2 feet high and not moving..it's been a disaster this year. I've used net curtains for shading..all i had to hand butterflies still managed to get in on my broccoli. I've almost given up. Another 14 apples dropped overnight.
I just can't keep up with it all. So I've harvested everything I can and I'll just make a batch of harvest chutney. Even my onions are little more than twice the size I put them in at, and already want to be done. It's absolutely heartbreaking. We are predicted more heat 29°+ so I think I'll just cut my losses and hope I can get a few winter crops in when this is over, may be too late by then, so im just going to cut my losses and give up. I'm wearing myself out trying to keep things watered. I've only got two pumpkins, they started well, I had six, watered twice a day, kept them as cool as poss, but they got to golf ball size then went brown and withered.
It's heartbreaking.
I'm just gonna hit b and m and stock up on tinned peas potatoes carrots tomatoes and sweetcorn while it's cheap. Talking to my grocer, he reckons prices of fresh veg will go sky high over winter.
Dehydrator will be in use ASAP, I've successfully dried frozen mixed veg, peas sweetcorn in the past, and whatever else is on offer, just in case of power cuts and the freezer going down.
Also picking up multivitamins to keep my health over winter.
I'm done trying to keep the garden going this year. Just watering what is actually producing now. The rest is on its own.
Everything is wilting by midday, even after a nighttime and early morning drenching. The water is just pooling and running off away from the plants.
I realy need some good drenching rain.
Please!!!!!!!!!

 

[GreyCat]

Ah @Woody girl , it is so heartbreaking......

....but look. You have the sense to understand the issue, salvage what you can and have a Plan B to get some tins in. Not ideal but WAY better than waiting until fresh stuff runs low in the shops.

From what you describe I don't think it's just the heat, sounds like it's the soil too. I seem to recall that I dug a load of something like gypsum into a third of my allotment which when combined with organic matter (green mulch grow over winter then turned in) turned that patch of ground from something I could have made pots with (sticky in winter, baked solid and impervious in dry summers) into something which would hold some moisture.

It had become exhausted and compacted over time and was a thin clay soil on a slope facing south overlooking the Bristol Channel and in my first summer there (was dry) I couldn't get/keep moisture levels sensible. So maybe similar conditions.

GC

 

[Woody girl]

Yes, the soil has a problem. Trying to build up my raised beds, I bought some topsoil and stacked it about 3 inches thick. It worked ok in the past, but this year It's just dried out and gone to dust. No worms to be seen. Heavy organic mulching needed for sure, but that will be after (hopefully) some heavy rain later in the year.
For now, I've no choice but to accept defeat. Make plan b, and just keep on keeping on.
Added another sprouting jars today, got 5 now, plus a sprouting tower, so I'll still have fresh greens. Plenty of alfalfa seeds, dried lentils and chickpeas. So all is not lost yet! Plus I can grow pea shoots in plastic tubs, picked up some new ones last week for that purpose, as I'd got rid of most of mine and gone to glass storage.
Also upped my water preps with a lifesaver cube, after learning Gatwick area was out of water for a while due to power cuts meaning the water purification plant was out of action. Can happen anywhere, any time. Got it discounted too, They are expensive!
Found another wool blanket in the charity shop today, ( number 5, ) so I'll be warm even if my heating goes out. Knitting a wool vest at present. Always staying ahead. It's hard work! Scrounged some wood to make a roof for the coal bunker...just need to make it now.
But water is the most important prep as this summer has shown.
Need to get some full fat milk powder, and sardines, and im fully prepared for winter.

 

[HorseGuy]

Farmers everywhere are complaining about having very small crops this year due to the drought. Food prices look like they will go through the roof soon.

 

[Woody girl]

Not only small in number, but size aswell.
My shallots that I've just harvested this morning, are little bigger that the ones I planted. Onions are tiny, runner beans are fewest I've ever grown on a tipi. French beans havnt been too bad, had a useful amount for everyday meals, but I've only got a sandwich bags worth in the freezer
Most people seem unaware of what's going to happen this winter.
Bread is going to shoot up, as yields of wheat are the lowest recorded...as will straw for animal bedding.
Not too far off ... a loaf of bread for a days wages....we are getting there!

 

[HorseGuy]

...as will straw for animal bedding.

I never considered straw which we don't use but a couple of our horses do eat some hay. I'm not sure how much that will be effected by the drought as it's just dried grass but it wouldn't surprise me if it goes up too.

 

[Woody girl]

I had ever considered straw which we don't use but a couple of our horses do eat some hay. I'm not sure how much that will be effected by the drought as it's just dried grass but it wouldn't surprise me if it goes up too.

Get it now..if you can. Prices will get higher as winter and demand grow. Big farmers will take it all if cattle have to be fed due to a bad winter and deep snow conditions, which is perfectly possible due to the el ninio.
I always work smart by working a season or so ahead..supermarkets are selling compost and grow bags pots and plants off cheap at the moment. I got some so that im not paying premium prices come the spring.
Also, due to lack of grass this summer, milk yields are down, so dairy will become more expensive too. Even possible shortages.

 

[HorseGuy]

Get it now..if you can. Prices will get higher as winter and demand grow. Big farmers will take it all if cattle have to be fed due to a bad winter and deep snow conditions, which is perfectly possible due to the el ninio.

We've been personal close friends with the farmer and his wife for many years. He will keep enough hay back see us right (together with his other longstanding reliable customers) to make sure our horses don't go short. However we will have to pay whatever price the current market sets at the time. Paying anything less would be unfair to the farmer and put him out of pocket at a time when things are particularly tough for them too.

 

[Woody girl]

We've been personal close friends with the farmer and his wife for many years. He will keep enough hay back see us right (together with his other longstanding reliable customers) to make sure our horses don't go short. However we will have to pay whatever price the current market sets at the time. Paying anything less would be unfair to the farmer and put him out of pocket at a time when things are particularly tough for them too.

I understand your reasoning, it's a narrow tightrope tho, support for farmers, but increased prices.how long can that be sustained?
A friend of mine has sheep. None are going to the ram this year as the grass situation means feed costs are bleeding them dry having to get feed in to replace the grass. 3 have ended up in the freezer!