Page 37 - ALG Issue 1 2020

Make every drop count
Are you into drainpipes? No, not the trousers that were so popular in your youth, down spouts I mean. We have been warned by the water companies here in the south east that the aquifers are very low and unless we get monsoon-like rain this winter we will have hosepipe bans next year. So, it is going to be critical to make every drop of water count, especially if you are lugging it around in watering cans.
Cut the drainpipes with a mini hacksaw into 3- 31⁄2-foot lengths i.e. 6 inches taller than is a comfortable height for you to pour water in from a watering can. Water will spread sideways in soil for about 8 inches so everything you plant, plant a drainpipe every 16 inches or so. For example, when planting potatoes, I put one drainpipe in every two potatoes, sinking them 6 inches into the ground so they are firmly upright. For large plants like courgettes, tomatoes, sprouts I put one in close
to the root. Why so tall? Well, as the plant grows you can still see the top of
the pipe so know exactly where to pour the water. It all goes down to the roots and not a drop is wasted on surface evaporation. It also saves time as you don’t have to stand there and wait for the water to soak into the soil before you can empty your can. Less water on the surface equals less weed seed germination too.
One aspect I find amazingly beneficial is that snails seem to find these pipes very attractive. You can either pop a plant pot on top to trap them in there or pull up the pipe, knock the snails out and dispose of them and replant the pipe
to collect more. No more going on a snail hunt, they obligingly come to you! If a plant is being attacked by snails, e.g. dwarf beans, just plant a pipe and within two days you will have caught the culprit. I’ve been amazed at how many snails I have been able to remove from my plot this way.
Drainpipes/soil pipes come in different dimensions, so if you buy different
The pipes can be used among flowers & shrubs
diameters you can save storage space by dropping the narrower ones inside the wider ones. I’ve got three sizes.
If we don’t get a hosepipe ban it still makes watering more economical and efficient and will save money if you are on a meter.
The pipes can be used among flowers and shrubs provided they grow tall enough to hide the pipe.
Susan Jeffery
Allotment
& LEISURE GARDENER
The membership magazine for the National Allotment Society Issue 2 • 2019
Lantra l Aaron Hickman
On the Kings plot l NAS holiday Let's talk allotments l Pollinators
Allotment
& LEISURE GARDENER
The membership magazine for the National Allotment Society Issue 4 • 2019
Mulching l Growing to show Chillis l Competition winners
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Allotment and Leisure Gardener 37