Watering: best from a can or a hosepipe?

[Barry]

We are currently debating at our allotment whether to allow people to use hosepipes to water their plots. Currently, the rule is that hosepipes can be allowed to fill up water butts, but that water must then be delivered using a watering can. The logic is that it is too expensive to water directly using a hosepipe and that the water is blasted at the soil and therefore doesn’t necessarily reach the base of the plants, in other words it's a waste of money.
One plot holder believes that using a hosepipe actually delivers better results.
Any comments ladies and gentlemen?

[Parsons Jack]

Hi Barry,

We have a similar rule on our site. The problem if you allow hosepipe use, is a few people will set up sprinkler systems and leave them on all night. This means that the increased water charge has to be shared by everybody!
Not really fair is it.
Personally, I prefer to use a watering can, as all the walking up and down filling it up at least makes it feel as if you are doing something
You can also direct the water just where you want it, rather then aimlessly spraying a hose over the plot

[Kleftiwallah]

I can forsee fistycuffs at the tap, where one person wants to use his hose but so does another and they are equally wanting to get it done and get away home. I can see the sprinkler system mentioned by P'Jack being turned off as soon as his/her back is turned.
I would ban hose use from the stand pipe :shock: .

I have made a water bodger from a 2 foot cube s/s box. It's a struggle to move when full but easier in the long run than relays with a small watering can. Pictures upon request. Cheers, Tony.

[Stephen]

Lucky us in Berkhamsted. Between the 42 plots we have 3 have tanks, each with a tap.
So we can use hosepipes or watering cans. I have not seen sprinklers (but I suppose that someone could start last thing at night and return first thing in the morning). Lots of people use cans rather than hoses (there is a once-a-year charge for hose pipe use). I use both.
Wate pressure is pretty poor, but my plot is above the water supply.
I do also fill my water butt and use that to water using leaky hose (so it is self-limiting).
There is a regulation that all sheds have guttering and a butt.

[glallotments]

I prefer to use a can as that way I know exactly how much water I have given to each area or plant but sometimes with lots to water this can mean that it takes ages and ages to water everything that needs it so sometimes we do use a hosepipe as it is allowed on our site.

We tend then to hold the close down by roots etc and don't have it set to blast power!

If a few people are using hosepipes the pressure drops so we couldn't blast if we wanted to - if lots of people try filling cans at once the pressure drops anyway so we have to be tolerant.

We did have one guy who used to set off a sprinkler system in his greenhouse and go off and leave it but someone else just turned it off!

Sometimes sprinklers are used but only when the person using it is present - it's a way of watering and doing something else at the same time and usually when few people are about so that it doesn't affect the water pressure

[Bren]

Cans are best as others have said water right at the roots.
We are allowed hand held hoses, the water has just been turned on last Friday till the end of October . Sprinklers are banned since last year, I have 2 chaps close by me who have 4/5 plots each and used to have sprinklers on a couple of plots while working on the others sometimes leaving them on all night . They hava a moan about it as neither of them save any rain water. They sell their produce and expect to get 2/3 crops off each every year.
Bren

[peter]

If you're on council plots then those chaps should be slung out.

Allotments are not for commercial use.

[glallotments]

We have people who just keep hens on their plots and sell the eggs - it's a council run plot but they let the plots when the site was very underpopulated and they'd let anyone use their plot for anything. It's difficult to impose rules retrospectively. We have one guy who has two plots for his hens and another who has two plots on which he has a pigeon loft and a huge 'lawn'!

[Bren]

Peter its private allotments so any thing goes except fires.
Those chaps are Asians so grow stuff like coniander, onions and other Asian veg. they keep their plots clean.
We have plenty of empty plots. Aston Villa have taken over 5 for school children, I haven't seen the children yet.

[Catherine]

We can use hosepipes on our allotment but we lose pressure every time anyone lower than us, (we are on a hill) switches on the taps, we lose our pressure. We have an old black dustbin (the ones before the wheelie bins) next to the polytunnel which we fill with water and use this for watering the polytunnel. It works well for us.

[Polly]

Hi all I am absolutely amazed. Here in Gods own county of West Yorks there is a waiting list for allotments. I have been waiting over a year for one and it could be up to 5 more before I get one!!!! I struggle with my clay soil and my myriad pots to grow produce and some lucky blighters have more than one plot.Am I downhearted you bet I am but am I detered NO WAY Thanks for all your wonderful advice I soak it all up

[pdblak]

Polly, same here in East Yorks.

On my home plot I use a watering can where I can and a hosepipe where I need to. I use a sprinkler if it's convenient

That might all change if/when I get an allotment