Watering a garden

[bobb]

My parents, now they are retired, spend more time on holiday than at home. So it's down to me to water their garden. The thing is - my mother writes a huge list of techniques. She'll list which watering can (I think there are three at the moment) to use on which plants. You know - red one with the nozzle thing or the green one without one. etc etc etc. She'll give days that they need to be watered (assuming no rain) etc...

I can't be arsed with all that, so I just plug the hose in and get all postal on the garden! Water everywhere. Get that water down, bitch! I just sit in the garden with a can of Stella, a snout on the go and a hose pipe in hand.

Works every time because my mother, on return always says "Oh you've done a good job on the garden - thanks love"

I just fuck about with a hose pipe when I can remember to do it and don't have a "meeting" in a pub with some mates.

Are you really anal about watering techniques? And have you ever had stuff die when you haven't used that special red watering can?

[longers]

That sounds pretty much like how I used to water my mum and dads garden when they went on holiday.
They only had one technique: "make sure it gets done".

I'm being good and not using my hosepipe to water the hanging baskets and few pots I've got in my yard. Mainly because there's been plenty of rain rather than needing to respect the ban. I do use it to wash out the cat litter tray though.

[bobb]

That sounds pretty much like how I used to water my mum and dads garden when they went on holiday.
They only had one technique: "make sure it gets done".

I'm being good and not using my hosepipe to water the hanging baskets and few pots I've got in my yard. Mainly because there's been plenty of rain rather than needing to respect the ban. I do use it to wash out the cat litter tray though.

There is no hosepipe ban here in Essex, so I don't feel bad about that. I think the cat just finds the place that will annoy the neighbours most to shit 

[Mike J]

My parents have some sort of irrigation systems that's on a timer for theirs so I don't even to have to water them 

[Wobbly John]

Are you really anal about watering techniques? And have you ever had stuff die when you haven't used that special red watering can?

My special red watering can is for weedkiller - hopefully stuff does die when I use it. 

[hellymedic]

Are you really anal about watering techniques? And have you ever had stuff die when you haven't used that special red watering can?

My special red watering can is for weedkiller - hopefully stuff does die when I use it.  

I thought it was convention to use the RED watering can for weedkiller but I'm not much of a gardener so what do I know?
I believe weedkiller causes plants to die and paraquat is not too good for humans either.

I also think there may be merit watering late in the day when the sun does not vapourise all the water and watering low so that the moisture permeates the soil rather than sticking to the leaves.

[longers]

I also think there may be merit watering late in the day when the sun does not vapourise all the water and watering low so that the moisture permeates the soil rather than sticking to the leaves.

These were techniques I'd forgotten I'd been told so perhaps it was more complicated than just doing it.
 Not doing it when the sun was on them was also to help stop them getting a bit burnt as the droplets focus the rays and while concentrating mainly on the bases, giving the foliage a quick rinse over.

[Julian]

The red watering can is for weedkiller and fox deterrent potions.

The green watering can is for tomato feed.

Everything else gets totally blasted with the hose. 

[citoyen]

We have our tomatoes in an autopot system. It's great - no water is wasted and you only need to top up the barrel every couple of weeks.

I would like to get some kind of automated irrigation system set up for the raised beds too but that's a long-term project.

d.

[spindrift]

mulch mulch mulch mulch.

Compost will do, or horse poo, or chicken poo if rotted down, or cocoa shells, or bark, even grass cuttings under established shrubs.

A good four inches will do, suppresses weeds and saves water.

Even gravel works, but I don't like gravel, or those slate chips, they're too ornate and fussy and that way leads to gnomeland or stupid Easter Island statues. 

[bobb]

I never knew the red cans were for weed killer. I did notice last night that it does say as much on the side of the can though.

Not a problem - as the garden got hosed right up without the use of watering cans  

[Oaky]

Hmm.. my only watering can (inherited from previous house owners, IIRC) is red.  I wonder if it was previously a weedkilling can?  Nothing has died through being watered with it though.  Plenty of stuff died when it wasn't watered with that can. 

... and don't have a "meeting" in a pub ...

I didn't realise we were keeping you from your garden watering duties