I've just been reading the article by Alan Titchmarsh in the May GW. I know, it's my own fault and I'm not forced to read his stuff. He was talking about 'technology' in the garden and said that we could manage just as easily without things such as drip irrigation systems and automatic greenhouse ventilation. I totally disagree. It's OK for him as I suspect he has under gardeners who do the menial tasks. Either that or he never leaves home for more than 24 hours during the summer. I no longer have neighbours who could come in and do the watering or open and close the greenhouse when we are away, which is more frequent since we both retired. I also have no family to do it. If I tried to leave pots and baskets unwatered to 2 weeks I would come back to lots of dead plants.
I agree. I don't have a greenhouse but drip irrigation on a timer is a (plant) lifesaver if you need to travel during the growing season. I set mine up in 2007 for the containers when I had to be away for a month in June/July for work. It uses less water than doing the job by hand with a can or hose as well as saving time and my back, and last year when we had the hosepipe ban I asked Yorkshire Water if I could still use it and they said yes!
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I have a large polytunnel used for sheltering plants in winter and growing toms and chillies in sumer plus seedlings and cuttings in between. i've had far fewer problems with tomatoes since I introduced a seep hose - steady crops and no blossom end rot.
I also have a seep hose for my dahlia bed, soft fruit bed and whichevr one I sue for squashes. It's far more efficient and controllable than using a hand held spry gun or a sprinkler.
No handy neighbours who have the time or the nouse to look after them for me so irrigation is essential for me and I can put a timer on it if needs be.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Mine originally came from B&Q (own brand kit with pipes, drippers, connectors, and a valve thingy that goes between a section of regular hose and the narrow pipes) with a Hozelock timer. I don't know whether the same kit is still available but I've replaced drippers over the years with cheap ones from Amazon, and I now use a cheaper timer after I forgot to bring the original one in soon enough one year and it got frozen and died.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I have Hoselock system, started as a kit, but added to over time. Unfortunately Hoselock is not the quality it once was, many garden centres don't stock it now, I asked at two different ones they both said the same, too many complaints about faults and replacements or refunds demanded. Gardena is not cheap, but it's what I would buy if I was starting again.
I did see a topic a few weeks ago, I think it was on this forum, from somebody who had found comparatively cheap controllers and pipework. They were going to report back once they'd tried it out.
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I also have a seep hose for my dahlia bed, soft fruit bed and whichevr one I sue for squashes. It's far more efficient and controllable than using a hand held spry gun or a sprinkler.
No handy neighbours who have the time or the nouse to look after them for me so irrigation is essential for me and I can put a timer on it if needs be.
I'm thinking of getting one of these for my outdoor pots.
It would be great to have a recommendation as these are dozens of systems on the market.
Many thanks,
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime