Water Bowser wanted to Rent

[Rich]

Hello,

I've got some hedges which I planted in the winter which will be

crying out for water shortly. Can anyone rent me a towable bowser?

Preferably near the Surrey Hills, but would be prepared to go a bit

further. It would probably be for just a day at a time, but it

could turn into a regular thing looking at recent weather and

expectations for rainfall in the next few months.

Thanks hopefully!

Rich

[Meadowcopse]

Sorry I live in Cheshire so not much help, but a road legal 1200 litre single skin bowser for water, off Ebay was a sound investment this time last year, especially with a substantial traditional orchard recently planted http://t.co/FMKMd9Ti

I have no mains water on my plot, but a brook near-by with hardly any flow, although legal to abstract (within limits), I was reluctant to do so as it is almost still water and I believe phytophoria can be a problem (some suspicion with declining alders locally).

At the moment I use rain-water or tap water (no meter) from home for the short journey with the bowser for manual watering.

Good luck with trying to acquire one local to yourself...

[Rich]

I think you made a wise investment, I can see water becoming an increasingly big issue, we've been putting up water butts on every spare roof, then hoping for rain till the hosepipe ban comes in!

Can't see it getting any better with this new 'deregulated' planning policy. There's not enough water for us at the moment.....well there is but we just waste it all....

[Stephen1]

Hello Meadowcopse

Although many kinds of phytophthora have a wide host range, the specific phytophthora that causes the problem with alders (phytophthora alni) is restricted to alders. Using water from your brook would pose no risk of transfering disease from the nearby declining alders to your orchard, as the particular phytophthora involved has no ability to infect trees other than alders.

How do you manage the grass in your orchard? Have you consider Shrophire Sheep? This breed won't strip the bark from your trees.

[treebloke]

I use an IBC container on an old trailer

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBC-container-water-storage-/160767226269?pt=UK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item256e79319d

[Rich]

Yeah I've just plumbed one of these in to one of the downpipes, it's been in about 6 weeks and is only about 20% full :-( I can't move it now as it won't fit through the gate and I've just finished fencing the garden!