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Watering Ideas Needed
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Posted by sivyaleah Z6 NJ (My Page) on Sun, Mar 8, 09 at 15:58
| I just moved from a home, to an apartment. Luckily, I have a very large deck in my new place and will be able to move many of my containers and planters from the deck of my home here, plus there were several left behind from the previous tenant. Lucky me!
However, there is one looming problem. No waterhook-up on the deck.
The thought of dragging buckets of water from inside the house to the deck on a daily basis, is making me ill. I'll have to walk from the bathroom (closet room with water) through my bedroom to the deck. I'll do it if I must, because the garden is that important to me, but surely there must be a better option?
I'm wondering if there are garden hoses which are able to be attached to household sinks/bathtubs? Perhaps in a 25' length? I wouldn't mind hooking that up once a day as it would be much easier to deal with than walking back and forth into the apartment several times with heavy waterings cans (let alone will take me much quicker).
Water collection could be an option, however, I'm concerned about the weight of it on the deck, since I'm not the person who was responsible for building it and I have no idea of the weight bearing capacity of the deck. I know a container of water weighs an awful lot.
Thanks for any suggestions you may have. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Watering Ideas Needed
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| A couple of threads on this topic to check out: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/balcony/msg070017554910.html http://archive.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/history/topic/72934-1.html And here's an adapter for faucet to hose: http://www.amazon.com/Claber-Indoor-Faucet-Connector-8583/dp/B000BPFYG4/ref=pd_sim_hi_1 http://www.amazon.com/Plastair-SpringJet-50-Foot-Coiled-PUJ250B93OT/dp/B0000647GK/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_c And if these aren't quite right for your particular faucet or situation I feel pretty confident that the correct adapter and hose exists to make hooking it up easy. Afterall, you're not the first one to express this need. A visit with a knowledgable hardware store salesman will probably make it easier. Also might want to check out this and other 'balcony garden' blogs and chat with those who share your situation. There are some listed in my post near the top of the page. And try doing a search. Have fun with your 'sky garden'! Sometimes the limitations of such a small space can bring out a lot of creativity. The Japanese are experts at that. |
RE: Watering Ideas Needed
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| Thank you so much for your help! Unbelievably great advice on all accounts. By coincidence, I was doing a search on google yesterday morning and found out that I can get connectors for garden hoses, I was thrilled. Will be a bit of an annoyance hooking that up daily but much better than lugging the cans of water by far. Can't wait to read up on everything you provided :) |
RE: Watering Ideas Needed
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| If your new deck/balcony is sturdy, I suggest the following: get yourself a hose that connects to the nearest indoor faucet AND get yourself a large plastic gargage can (with a lid). The first time you hook up the hose to water the flowers, take the time to also fill up the garbage can with water. (Keep the lid on it to discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs). Then, the next time you need to water, you can simply dip your watering can in the big garbage can of water. You can hide the can behind a large plant, and when you get a heavy rain, you can leave the lid off to get some free water. This cuts the "dragging the hose through the house" in half! The garbage can will also be a good place to mix water-soluable fertilizer. Make sure you mulch your containers with a couple of inches of shredded bark....which will reduce the loss of water through evaporation from the surface....which will reduce your watering needs. |
RE: Watering Ideas Needed
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| I use one of those coiled hoses in a 30' length (and store it in a cheap plastic window box under my utility tub. Because it goes on my utility tub faucet I already have the right 'connection'. I pull this thing through the living room to the balcony, and so far, no drips! A 40' lenght would be a tad better, it's a tight stretch at the far end, but it works. Oh, I just have to be careful there are no 'breakables' in the hose's path, but as long as I clear off the coffee table first, I'm good! |
RE: Watering Ideas Needed
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| I have a cheap and customizable version of Aqua Globes. When you are done with a Gatorade bottle (the lid needs to be able to screw on tightly) just drill a small hole about 1/16" or larger if you need it to be. just fill the bottle up and put the lid on tightly set it upside down on the soil you may want to bury it a little in the soil to reduce water loss. You can use different bottle sizes and they don't drain too quickly so they don't drown your plants. Water soluble fertilizer can be put into these bottles(I recommend fish emulsion) and they water your plants as needed. If barometric pressure is unusually high you'll notice the bottles will drain faster. This past summer I kept potted bananas as well as other plants watered and healthy this way through 100 degree weather and have continued this method growing some tender tropical plants inside. I haven't even had problems with pots that don't drain. One thing I have found the less you spend caring for your plants the better they seem to do. |
RE: Watering Ideas Needed
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| I didn't read the posts in detail, so forgive me if this has been suggested...you already found the hose hookup, so that's one part of the solution. The second part, if it were me (and I'm in your same position), is to change to all self watering planters. They are wonderful. We're on the fifth floor, top of the building, and it can be hot as blazes up there. Yet my plants never are dry. Only when it's really hot to I even need to water everyday. In cooler weather or when my veggies are small, I can go a week between watering. |
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