Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Lids for water butts

tobitttobitt Posts: 8
in The potting shed
In the recent GW program a presenter suggested not covering water collection vessels. What are the reasons for and against. I cover my tubs etc and realise that means I miss out on some (a small amount) of collected water. Are there other reasons
«13

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Open-topped butts are much quicker to use as you can just dip your can in (as long as it's the right shape) but any permanently open tank is unsafe for children and wildlife as well as attracting mosquitos. I've always got some netting fixed to the inside of the tank for animals to crawl up and a couple of lumps of polystyrene floating in there for insects to grab onto. I've been experimenting with having a couple of bakery bread trays covering a couple of them as I can sit plants on top for watering and any over spill gets recovered.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    That only works for taller people!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    tobitt That alleged piece of advice seems a tad strange to me, insofar as an open butt would be prone to, as some one else has said, all manner of insect larvae etc. and possibly algae if the sunlight is strong enough.  Both of ours are fully covered, with the result that our ultra-fussy dog prefers water to drink from them rather than the tap.  If the contents are solely destined for the garden, will it be important either way?
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    I don’t remember her saying it but a gardener who was ultra careful with water was on last week. She had buckets, butts and pipes everywhere - it was not a garden look that would suit me.
    Rutland, England
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I turned the lid of my water butt upside down so it was concave side up. I drilled a hole in the middle so rain falling on it ended up in the butt, but too small to attract insects in there.
    Devon.
  • tobitttobitt Posts: 8
    Thank you everyone. 
    Just had a thought Monty has cattle troughs that always seem to be open.
    It would seems 'do what suits you best'
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I keep lids on mine but in any case they're too high for me to dip a large watering can in and lift it out full (short-ar*e with dodgy shoulders). Now and again I might take the lid off to dip a small can in. They're just high enough to get the large can under the taps.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Mine have lids but they still get full of insects, obviously they are minute enough to pop in the tiniest gap.  I didnt think water butts were a "good look" for the garden, there was a huge big ugly bright green beast on the corner of our conservatory, very visible from the kitchen window.  I thouight we would have a "posh" one either wooden or wood look alike, till I saw the prices.  That one is now in my veggi plot.  I have 2 dark green ones right under the kitchen window, 2 metal planters on the window sill outside, so not so bad
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    One on each of the sheds as well
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    If you don't filter the water coming off the roof then insects will get washed down from the gutters. If there's any small pools of water holding in the gutters too then mozzie larvae can be laid up there and washed down too.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Sign In or Register to comment.