Can this little pump (Bosch GardenPump 18) solve my big allotment water challenge?

[@carolclarke2932]

Very good idea, thank you Steve.

[@torchandbucket4214]

I bust my back and was worried about water management on my plot as we rely on a bath, watering cans and muscle power. This gadget is a game changer! I have a big plot but can move water around it in my big blue barrels with ease.

[@SteveRichards]

That's great news, thanks for the feedback, hope the back sorts itself out! : All the best - Steve

[@GARDENER42]

I bought one of these a couple of months back & have yet to use it. Pleased to see it should live up to my hopes.

[@poornimarai6130]

What an amazing setup ! Thank you Steve. I was shopping around and hey presto I came across your video. It has really reassured me to go ahead and plan my watering setup for this years gardening in my allotment!

[@SteveRichards]

It's very useful Poornima : All the best - Steve

[@poornimarai6130]

Thank you. 👍🏽

[@stephanieryall8685]

I will definitely need one of these when i get my plot up and running. We have no running water so am going to set up several barrels on both the greenhouse and shed. Using this pump will be so much easier than lugging watering cans around, especially as I have a bad back.

[@SteveRichards]

It's great for that,it's rated at 10 litres a minute using a 25 metre hose : All the best - Steve

[@winsumwright2321]

Mine arrived on Tuesday it’s brilliant, had two other makes before and was very dissatisfied, wish I seen this before, brilliant on the allotment

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks so much for the feedback! : all the best - Steve

[@digenisakritas6228]

A great pump with only cable and hose are much too short. The hose can be replaced with a longer one but the cable cannot. It would have made sense if at least one extension was offered for sale.

[@SteveRichards]

I suppose that depends on th way you want to use it. In my case the cable is easily long enough : All the best - Steve

[@ukpaul9221]

Enjoyed the vid. thanks. I've just got a mega-pile of free guttering locally together with fittings and will soon be into water harvest with a vengeance and so your latest was extra topical. Somewhere buried in my garage is a boat submersible bilge pump and so I'll be trying your methodology this spring. Fantastic harvest - brilliant. Cheers - Paul

[@SteveRichards]

Hopefully you will get there before the drought comes ;-) : All the best - Steve

[@kathrynhobbs8874]

2yrs on Steve, do you still use the pump? Did I miss a follow up video? Thanks for all your videos, I learn something with each one I see

[@SteveRichards]

I do Kathryn, I use it to pump water into my IBC tanks over winter and out again in spring and to distribute water around the allotment in spring too, before we have tap water. It's very useful : All the best - Steve

[@MikeDevereux-my6fv]

Great video steve, Wish I had seen it two years aggo, Last year was terrible dry so I aquired Six IBC's and the bosch pump + spare batery they are fantastic. Problem solved for this year.

[@SteveRichards]

Great, I've almost got my 6 cubic metres full, looks like I will get to March at 100%

[@whatigrownlallotment7498]

Hello Steve Interesting tool, good to know that the company is going to make some improvements. On my allotments there is no water supply at all. So the only way to get water is by collecting rainwater. Rain enough these days 😉 take care Joyce 🍀👩🏻‍🌾💚

[@SteveRichards]

We've had plenty of rain too, but capturing and storing it is still a challenge for me Joyce : All the best - Steve

[@chrisclonpriest8547]

Bosch products have good built quality in my experience. This looks like a very useful piece of kit with impressive flow rate; will look into it straight away!

[@SteveRichards]

It's great Chris, Bosch are about to bring out a twin pack. They are sending me one soon, one for home and one for the allotment, very useful for a lazy gardener like me who can't be bothered to move it between locations every week : All the best - Steve

[@chrisclonpriest8547]

@@SteveRichards mmmm, your videos belie your being a lazy gardener Steve!

[@SteveRichards]

I'm an 80/20 gardener, I do the 20% of work that delivers 80% of the benefit. I average about 12 hours a week on the allotments : All the best - Steve

[@DigwellGreenfingers]

Looks like it will do the job Steve!

[@SteveRichards]

I've just been looking at our sunlight level data for St Annes Steve and I think it might work, as our peak sunlight is May and June, April is about the same as August . So by planting now and protecting them in April, I'm basically shifting their growth from July and August to May and June : All the best - Steve

[@Rog_Ramjet]

Hi there I came across your site when looking for a submersible pump on an allotment. I went ahead and bought one but you have not given a review on the length of time that a battery lasts. I used the 4.0mah battery fully charged and it lasted just over one hour.

[@SteveRichards]

I think I mentioned how much water it moved on a full charge, around 300 litres, ie a full large water butt. I thought that was more useful than the time : all the best - Steve

[@PetalsonthePavingSlabs]

that talk from Bosch sounds interesting, we dont have anything like that on our site. The stuff in your polytunnel is looking good, you're miles in front of me!

[@SteveRichards]

Bosch just came to my plot, although we have had some talks on our site. A couple of the plot holders have RHS gardening qualifications and one guy is very into wood chip gardening, so they've given talks and Charles Dowding gave a talk at Lytham allotments, just down the road : All the best - Steve

[@markshaw5835]

That will help u to store more water and move it around alot quicker

[@SteveRichards]

It will Mark and luckily I emptied all of my collection tanks before this weeks rain! : All the best - Steve

[@markshaw5835]

@@SteveRichards that's good then. It will help alot

[@Ruskinfarm]

Great video! Just made my first ever gardening video!

[@SteveRichards]

Great to see you using the roof space in your greenhouse for growing : All the best - Steve

[@Ruskinfarm]

@@SteveRichards Thank you! I learning from your video!

[@paulatownsend284]

Hi Steve, I was really impressed with this pump as like you I have tanks in inconvenient places and it would make so much easier. I went ahead and ordered on on Amazon but I got the one without the battery as I already have two 18v Bosch batteries, sadly I can’t use it as when you buy without batteries the pump doesn’t come with the housing for the battery and it seems impossible to buy the housing separately. So I’m not sure why they sell it without the battery as it is useless. All very confusing 😔

[@SteveRichards]

I think their logic was that if you want to have two pumps, left in place you can move the battery housing between them, that's actually what I do. I have one pump always in place in my IBC tank and a second, which I keep mobile.

[@paulatownsend284]

Thanks for getting back to me Steve. I see what you mean, it would be very handy to have two I just wasn’t expecting to spend so much at the moment, it’s a shame they don’t make that clear.

[@SteveRichards]

Yes, I was lucky that they gave me them to review

[@mariner7853]

Great piece of kit but my pump has a metallic rattle when its dry. Is this OK or have I got a pond snail living inside ?

[@SteveRichards]

It’s ok, it’s a valve

[@mariner7853]

Thanks Steve, age does terrible things to one's short term memory !! ;)

[@yokevandermeer5833]

Thanks Steve for doing this video, it looks a decent sort of equipment and we really could do with that once we have our new polytunnel up and running for our School in Allotment Gardening! Will subscribe to your side to get some more tips in time to come!! We must keep storing our precious rain water!!

[@SteveRichards]

Rain water is definitely precious right now! No rain to speak of for over two months! : All the best - Steve

[@yokevandermeer5833]

We had a bit fortunately some weeks ago but this is the time when we need it most!!

[@nooie99]

Just ordered a Bosch pump kit with hose etc. It has a timer on it. So i can rig up irrigation to it if i want i believe . 3 options. It says

[@SteveRichards]

Mine doesn’t have a timer, it has a timed shut off, ie I can set it running manually and it will switch off after 15 or 30 mins.

[@nooie99]

@@SteveRichards i think this is the same i read it quickly. And ordered the kit !! I tried to order through you link but you didnt have the full kit. Sorry steve did try!

[@SteveRichards]

I don’t have an affiliate link, so not to worry!

[@mikerowlands6751]

Hi Steve Tooled Up sell them for £81.95, However they are out of Stock. Great channel thanks for sharing your experience. Mike

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks Mike, I think that price excludes the charger and battery, but it's perfect if you already use Bosch power tools www.tooled-up.com/bosch-gardenpump-18-18v-cordless-submersible-water-pump/prod/504703 : All the best - Steve

[@samatronn]

You talked about the pump timer.. did they ever make this in the end? I can't find one online

[@SteveRichards]

I don't think so, the person who kept me informed has moved on now, so I don't have any inside info : all the best - Steve

[@gregwmanning]

Gday Steve, Great idea battery powered pump. It has got me thinking what does a small portable genset and mains pump would cost, I'm sure it would perform better but more issues with fuel noise weight etc. Regards Greg

[@SteveRichards]

That's the beauty of this pump, very small, light and convenient. Performance seems pretty good to me too, but that's because I rarely need to move more than 600 litres at a time : All the best - Steve

[@stevenstewart9762]

with all the ibc tanks i have and blue barrels i can store about 11,000 ltrs of water , its a life saver on the plot

[@SteveRichards]

steven stewart wow, that’s a lot of water, that would cost us a fortune though. We harvest £40/m2 so 11 IBC tanks would cost me well over £500 of harvest and blue barrels would be more like £1000 a year. I’m comfortable with 5,000 litres, although the last 2,000 meant giving up two compost bins that used to make me £160 of compost so it was a tough choice! I’m planning to grow carrots in containers on top of some of them to mitigate some of my losses. all the best - Steve

[@stevenstewart9762]

Steve's Seaside Allotment I have 4 attached together for rain of the large shed roof and 4 on the poly tunnel. I built the same as tony on uk here we grow and 3 around the plot which I use a bulge pump to fill them

[@SteveRichards]

I got the idea from Tony Steve, but I don't have the amount of space he has : All the best - Steve

[@swash333]

I think I need one of those!

[@SteveRichards]

They are pretty cool. I think allotment committees might consider getting them to rent out to people : All the best - Steve

[@davidcurry4433]

Steve, can you use a Hozelock gun with this pump, i.e., open and close the trigger whilst you're at the top of an allotment, or does it require an open flow nozzle / pipe

[@SteveRichards]

If you turn off the trigger it will switch the pump off, but it won’t switch on again when you pull the tigger

[@davidcurry4433]

@SteveRichards Thanks, that's easily solved. i hope by not closing the trigger fully, 👍👍👍

[@SteveRichards]

I can probably test that for you if you want

[@davidcurry4433]

@SteveRichards That would be great, I've got 3 IBC tanks, Last summers heatwave emptied them all, the pump would save me water as opposed to watering cans

[@SteveRichards]

Yes, 3 tanks don’t last very long. I have 6 and that only gets me into June, if we have a drought in spring. I will try it out this weekend. Personally I will a dip tank from an IBC and then just dip my watering can, it’s a little quicker than using a hose and it’s easier to tell how much water I’ve given each bed : all the best - Steve

[@stiofainmacdaibhead7957]

Hi Steve, 9.50 what about the contamination of the water from the significant rust on the roof which obviously filters down into your food chain.

[@SteveRichards]

Stiofain MacDaibhead hi Stiofain, iron is naturally present in many natural ground water supplies and so far as I know isn’t considered a risk to health of plants or animals. Iron in the form of iron oxide (rust) isn’t soluble in water, so far as I know, so it’s even less of an issue. The only issue I’m aware of is that in high concentrations the water can take on a brown colour and rusty taste, so that needs to be managed in drinking water supplies, but that’s probably hundreds to times the level in my water. What’s the source of your concern? : all the best - Steve

[@lambsquartersfarm]

Did I understand you correctly that the battery life is only good to cover emptying a single rain barrel?

[@SteveRichards]

Yes, 300 litres per battery charge, I have two betteries, so that's 600 which is more than enough for a single day for me : All the best - Steve

[@PocoPancho]

Hi Steve, just purchased one of these pumps and upon opening i notice a rattling noise coming from inside the main pump casing when i gently tip it upside down/around. This is before use or plugging anything in. It kind of sounds like a screw is loose moving around in there. Some say its a ball bearing, or an auto stop function, some say theirs made no noise when moved. Bosch said the pump has some moving parts inside but anything excessive( how could one tell?) it needs to be returned. Could this be a 'valve' that you answer in one of your comments further down.

[@SteveRichards]

Yes, mine rattles, I think it’s the valve

[@johnr8676]

Hi Steve, I may have missed the obvious, but via the opening on the top can the Bosch pump be dropped straight into the IBC to pump water straight from the tank? Is the pump small enough to do so? Thanks

[@SteveRichards]

It is small enough, that’s what I do

[@VagabondAnne]

This looks great, Steve. From what I can tell, I don't think they have this yet in the US, probably due to supply issues in China (I really hope this corona virus peters out ASAP, such a tragedy over there and everywhere now! Take your Vitamin C and cod liver oil, everyone!) Here in California, we usually get torrents of rain for 3 months and then nothing for 9, although at the moment a few torrents would be a nice change, my cabbages are bolting. During the summer months, when I cannot grow roots or greens anyway except in the densest shade, I use laundry water for most crops. We wash laundry in cold water with homemade castile soap (no chemicals, hopefully offsetting the fluoride they insist on adding), so the laundry water goes to the tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc., all fruiting plants that don't get water on their edible parts anyway. A pump system like this one would be fantastic for pushing that water just slightly uphill to the north corner where all my heat-loving peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, okra, and winter squash hang out. If you get a chance, tell your friends at Bosch that California is waiting for them!

[@SteveRichards]

I'm sure they will be reading these comments Anne : All the best - Steve

[@rjk69]

Better advice would be to wash your hands Anne rather than taking supplements. There is absolutely no medical suggestion that Vitamin C or cod liver oil would make any difference.

[@ADCMN14]

hi, thank you for the information. would it work on a well that is 1.5 Mts below ground level? thanks again

[@SteveRichards]

Don't know for sure, but I would think so, I use it in my IBC tanks, they are 1M : All the best - Steve

[@badWithComputer]

Do you do any water cleaning or sterilisation of your stored water? I'm worried about legionella in my tanks.

[@SteveRichards]

I'm not overly concerned myself. In spring I always water by hand with a watering can, which is fairly safe and by the time the water could have been heated to 20c in summer we've always run out of water in out water butts. I also always fill my watering can from a dip tank, rather than a tap, further reducing the possibility of inhaling water droplets. Any water that we save from our wet autumn, for use in winter is stored below 20c. I only use the pump in this video to move water from one storage tank to another : All the best - Steve

[@danielledammer7220]

Hi Steve. I also have a question. In my garden we pump up groundwater. I pump it into an old bathtub. Any idea if that pump can be used for this kind of water? And don’t you get any algae in your water? As I don’t think those are good for the pump. Thanks for your answer!

[@SteveRichards]

Hi Danielle, my water containers are opaque, I don't think algae will grow without light. The pump and inlet are in the same unit, which means that it would work provided your ground water well isn't too deep, the cable from the pump to the battery pack is 6ft long, so I'm guessing that's the depth it's meant to operate at. The pump has a filter, but it would probably block quickly with algae : All the best - Steve

[@danielledammer7220]

Steve's Seaside Allotment Hi Steve. Thank you for your answers. I am in doubt then. The pump does not have to go into the well. I pump up the water by hand into an old bathtub. Normally I would be taking water out of this bathtub and water my garden with a watering can ( think that’s how you call it?) for 300m2 that’s quit a lot of work. So I want to put the Bosch gardenpump into the (filled with groundwater) bathtub and then water my garden with a hose. Then refilling the tub with groundwater. A have a cover on the bathtub but still I find algae growing..:-(. I might consider a different water container then, as you have no algae problems. Thanks again for your help!:-)

[@SteveRichards]

Sounds like you need a black IBC container or similar www.google.com/search?q=black+IBC+tank&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ALeKk01Pf19Ge6nqk545Oavq5nh3TQgFQQ:1593095506490&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwt4eel53qAhUNi1wKHeJbDqIQ_AUoAnoECA0QBA&biw=1366&bih=654 The pump will work with a 25m long hose : All the best - Steve

[@tonydean7400]

Hi Steve. Not sure if you will see this, but here goes....I came across this video yesterday, not sure how I missed it originally because I do follow your great videos. It is just what I have been looking for, ordered it and took delivery today. The pump unit seems to have something loose inside and it is rattling around the unit. In the current climate I cannot get a quick answer from Bosch. I wonder if it is some sort of float that cuts off the pump when the water level is too low. Does your pump have something loose inside? Many thanks, Tony

[@SteveRichards]

Hi Tony, I just braved the weather to check my pump and it does indeed have something loose inside, it sounds a lot like a ball bearing and as you suggest it's probably some sort of float/valve, so for now you can rest easy : All the best - Steve

[@tonydean7400]

@@SteveRichards Hi Steve, that is really good of you. Thank you so much. I really didn't expect you to go outside and check it out right away, especially in bad weather, but that is so kind!! I have learned so much from your videos and have even built my raised beds with hinged lids, just as you showed us. Keep up the great work and have a wonderful growing season. Thanks. Tony :-)

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks for the lovely feedback Tony, it was no trouble! : All the best - Steve

[@richardsydenham4105]

If water is such a problem on your alotment ! I don't know how your laws and regulations but have you ever thort of drilling a well ?

[@SteveRichards]

I've considered it, but being close to the sea and on sand the ground water level soon retreats in summer, so it would have to go quite deep and then there's all the safety issues, better to just leave the tap water on : All the best - Steve

[@flowerpower4343]

Would this pump move water uphill at a steep five metres ?

[@SteveRichards]

I doubt it, that's quite a head of water, it might manage a trickle. It does 25 metres on ground level and keeps up a good flow rate, maybe ask Bosch : All the best - Steve

[@normanhartridge6890]

Hi Steve What an impressive piece of kit to help us on our allotments, really need one of these , good helpful video.

[@LaHortetadeBussy]

Thanks men for video

[@rod199]

Hi Steve, I have tried to find this pump on line, but no success, please will you provide the link or the Bosch item number, so I can look it up. Many thanks.

[@SteveRichards]

See the comments below for product link, as I said in the video they are not available at the moment, so I can't provide a link to buy : All the best - Steve

[@Dormousey]

Steve says under the video he has no recommendations of where to buy it right now. Shame on Bosch, their loss!

[@markkinkle7038]

Anyone know how I can get one of these in the states (e.g. United States)?

[@ottoboswinkel7207]

Batavia has a similar water pump. Works very well. € 80,00 / 90.00. Look at: batavia water pump 12 v.

[@SteveRichards]

It looks good too Otto, thanks for the link! : All the best - Steve

[@hqprivat]

Hello Steve, Nice video. Do you know if there is a timer for this pump? I am thinking to use it with a drip watering system. All the best from Denmark 😀

[@SteveRichards]

Not right now, they are working on that for the next version : All the best - Steve

[@GardeningWithJohn]

Interesting stuff Steve. On a different note, I've been meaning to ask which side of your Polytunnel is north or south facing? I'm guessing south will be where the Tom's and Peppers will go. All the best.

[@SteveRichards]

Hi John, the tomatoes grow tall and block out the light, so they go on the north side, the seedlings go on the tresle table and the peppers go under it, on the south side. The centre path suns roughly east/west : All the best - Steve

[@jeremysfishingtales1410]

How can I get the battery unit. I ordered 1 and it came without it. I tried e mailing Bosch but no replies. Stuck with pump without power source. They don't have anyone in the states

[@SteveRichards]

no idea, send me you email and address [e-mail]

[@jeremysfishingtales1410]

Just sent you an e mail. Thank you!

[@SteveRichards]

I've contacted Bosch for you and they are looking into the options. It's not easy though, as the battery pack used by the pump is not widely available in the US. Let's see what they come up with : All the best - Steve

[@jeremysfishingtales1410]

Thank you ! Really appreciate your help.

[@babyblue7798]

is this only abailable in Europe?

[@SteveRichards]

I'm not sure, google will probably answer that for you : All the best - Steve

[@claudygabriel4873]

Hi Steve Where can you buy the pump?

[@SteveRichards]

It's not available until April, check the description and comments for details : All the best - Steve

[@claudygabriel4873]

Thank you

[@velvirek]

If only it has timer so it could start pumping every 24 hours and not only when you manually start it. It would be perfect.

[@SteveRichards]

Yes, I’ve given them this feedback : all the best - Steve