Some time ago I had a leaking metal water butt so fixed it with what seemed like the crude expedient of putting a couple of shovels of concrete in the bottom. Hey, it worked!
So when two more butts sprang leaks it seemed like the time to repeat the trick, but with mixed results this time. The metal butt has been completely repaired but the plastic one, which in truth is a discarded Sheffield Council wheelie bin, still leaks. I think the problem is that as the water fills the bin the plastic distorts and lets water out round the edge of the concrete plug. I may have to put a liner in it.
But for the moment I have six lovely, FULL, water butts and one empty one, and of the seven I only bought one in a shop. Now that's allotmenting!
But for the 3rd year running it's been me who has had to excavate the winter's silt from around the tap and hose connection so it is usable. The tap & hose connection are in a box set slightly below ground so it fills with silt in winter and has to be dug out. It's a grubby, dirty, uncomfortable job and some of the other plotholders on this site need to step up to their responsibilities a bit, methinks.
On plant-related matters, lest you think all I ever do is repair water butts & dig out silted up taps, the cherry is starting to flower, plum ditto, blackthorn has finished, lovage is rampant, asparagus is just starting to show and the grapes are on the point of bud-burst. Needless to say the weeds are "active" too!!
Horrible stuff. I'm not convinced I got it all so may need to go back and do it again, conscious that even then I probably won't get it all! The stuff at the end of the bed is sorrel, and it seems indestructible - probably because it bears more than a passing resemblance to dock.
