Hot Stone

[joglynne]

BW as well as the condensation route have you made sure that you have as many water butts as possible. We harvest roof water into 3 butts and have added an extra butt to harvest the water from our bathroom with an overflow top pipes from the clean water butts which act as a seep hoses to water the garden borders and patio planters.

[Caff]

Originally Posted by Taf

An old trick I was taught in the RAF:

Dig a hole about a foot deep, part fill with foliage then place a cup in the centre. Cover the hole with plastic sheeting, place a small stone near the centre above the cup. Water from the foliage will evaporate, condense on the plastic and run down to the cup.

This can also be used on a sandy beach where you dig to the water table, so foliage isn't needed.

Polycarb-glazed greenhouses often get a lot of condensation inside as the plants transpire (?), but I've yet to figure out a way to collect it for reycling to the plants.

I was going to say that but I wasn't sure how many twigs are available - and like you say - "cup". Enough to survive on but not gallons.

How's about you use the water from the water butt and fit a length of hosepipe to the tap, plug the free end, (leave the valve only slightly open) , bury it to the area you want to irrigate and pierce the area where you need the supply first.

[Barewolf]

I dont have a water butt as yet, but if we have a drought then wont the water butt dry up also?

[Caff]

Originally Posted by Barewolf

I dont have a water butt as yet, but if we have a drought then wont the water butt dry up also?

Well - if it don't rain then it don't, and it seems to me that in a polytunnel you have to wonder where the condensation will come from: it's going to be the foliage and soil that's in there so it kind of defeats the object. You can get water butt covers which would help.

[joglynne]

Originally Posted by Barewolf

I dont have a water butt as yet, but if we have a drought then wont the water butt dry up also?

Yup they do run dry but we do get several weeks of water out of them when everyone else is complaining about a hose pipe ban and of course the butt that is filled from the Shower/bath/ basin in the bathroom keeps getting filled.

If you have the room you can daisy chain the butts and we currently have 2 extra butts waiting to be linked on to the garage butt. We have buried the butt next to the conservatory so that it it less of an eye sore and we are considering adding another next to it. The run off into the borders when it rains ensures that the ground that is shielded from a decent drenching when it rains gets a good watering and with the ground being damp we don't need to water as soon as the dry spells hit.

[Caff]

Originally Posted by joglynne

Yup they do run dry but we do get several weeks of water out of them when everyone else is complaining about a hose pipe ban and of course the butt that is filled from the Shower/bath/ basin in the bathroom keeps getting filled.

If you have the room you can daisy chain the butts and we currently have 2 extra butts waiting to be linked on to the garage butt. We have buried the butt next to the conservatory so that it it less of an eye sore and we are considering adding another next to it. The run off into the borders when it rains ensures that the ground that is shielded from a decent drenching when it rains gets a good watering and with the ground being damp we don't need to water as soon as the dry spells hit.

Brilliant idea.

And now this thread has appeared we will have the wettest summer ever...