Polytunnel Guttering - a big step towards solving the water shortage?

[@martynorris1714]

Don’t worry we ate enough turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy, broccoli, yeast rolls and finally pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Delicious! But I couldn’t eat like that everyday. Love your videos Steve. Especially like how creative Debbie’s plot is set up. You can tell you all work hard on your plots.

[@SteveRichards]

We do, but it's not work ;-)

[@carolparrish194]

It amazes me what a person can come up with when they put their mind to it. Good job.

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks Carol

[@jukeseyable]

@@SteveRichards loving the channel fella, where did u get the bulge pump from. thx

[@McSnicker55]

Watched this video when it first posted. Finally have a comment :) We have a whole lot of untapped free water sources! House, shed, garage, porches and the greenhouse... During the hot weather our water bill triples because of garden use. For the last month or so we've been checking out what our local ordinances will allow and this spring will be adding water catchment systems. We've learned much from your videos and those of OFF GRID with DOUG & STACY. Thanks Steve!

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks for the feedback Sue, we've just started collection from our house roof and garage too! we are moving our potatoes from the allotment to the back garden (in tubs) this year, so we need the extra water! : All the best - Steve

[@50shadesofgreen]

good day to you Steve !! great explanation on how you save water from the polytunnel

[@jasons-jungle]

Looks a nice and workable solution. You've even given yourself a shelf for cups of tea.

[@SteveRichards]

I'm not a fan of tea, but I'm sure I will figure out something useful to use the shelf for, the end near the water butts is perfect for storing the bricks when I take the lids off though : All the best - Steve

[@chrisclonpriest8547]

Very helpful overview of different methods for water collection

[@terrykingsallotmentgardening]

Its surprising how much condensation you can collect over the winter as well, it all mounts up. 🌱Happy Gardening Steve, Terry.

[@SteveRichards]

Never thought of that Terry, which is surprising as it took us ages to dry off the condensation yesterday before we fitted the tape! : All the best - Steve

[@barbarabrowne957]

Thanks for this idea, Steve. I've gone ahead and build it and it is working beautifully. Such a good idea I have posted it, along with a link to. your youtube channel. Living in Ireland there should be no shortage of water this way. Cheers!

[@SteveRichards]

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

[@SteveDavies01]

Great work Steve, and the economics may not add up, but I think that rainwater trumps tap water very often. If water restrictions are imposed in future, this investment will make a lot more sense. Keep it up, your output is really interesting.

[@SteveRichards]

Yeah, great for potatoes and blueberries, so I shall have to plant more of those :-) : All the best - Steve

[@normancoutts]

Good stuff. Very helpful detail on the new guttering and dip tanks. Thanks. :-).

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks Norman

[@mikehurdiss226]

Great Steve, Looks like you've covered just about all the bases. I need to put together a similar kind of set up. It costs what it costs! Terrys approach is even more highly engineered. Irrigation is a subject that offers us all an opportunity to be creative. In order to put creativity into action we sometimes need to invest not just our creative talents but money and other resources. The problem with most people is that they tend to under rather than over think. Paying scant regard to the efficiency and asthetic of a solution is often the sign of an idle mind and a lack of imagination! If you ask me we're lucky to have someone with a background in design tackling the problems that we face on our plots. Top job that man!😁👍

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks Mike, by the time you finally get your own polytunnel all these little retrofits will be well thought through! : All the best - Steve

[@MuddyBootz]

Hello Steve, A first class job on the tunnel collection system 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. I had the same thoughts about linking barrels at the top, but recently our council has rationalised the refuse bins and a number of wheelie bins have been up for grabs my thinking now is to link these together at the bottom and connect this to timed drip system. This will give me access to the full volume of water in the bins, rather than just one bin and should help keep the pressure balanced. Cheers....Nigel 😄👍🏻

[@SteveRichards]

That's a nice idea Nigel, I wish it was practical for me, but laying all that drip would be very convoluted. I might do it for the tunnel, but my first step is just to plant more stuff into the ground, rather than pots. Last year I found that watering the tomatoes and peppers in the ground was very quick and easy and I could water once a day and happily miss a day with no ill effects : All the best - Steve

[@SteveRichards]

I saw a nice little solar powered drip solution in Dobbies today, that would also have enough power to shift water between my barrels. A bit expensive though, so this year I will try lower tech solutions.

[@MuddyBootz]

@@SteveRichards The first year of having my IBC tank, I used a battery operated timer. This was connected to a ring main inside the greenhouse and the drippers came off that . I was away 4 weeks on holiday and it watered well. I guess it would have lasted 6-7 weeks

[@SteveRichards]

I do dream about something like that, but then I'm reminded that I have plenty of friends on the site who are happy to water the polytunnel for a punnet of strawberries when I'm away. I can't imagine leaving my plot for 4 weeks though, I get homesick after 4 days! I must go check out your back catalogue, you've done some great projects before I started watching.

[@jembo1959]

Well done your way ahead in conserving water, your ideas are super. Cheers.Thanks for sharing your video.

[@SteveRichards]

I've just installed a couple of IBCs and filled them in the last month, we've had so much rain! : All the best - Steve

[@SPL9100]

Great idea but our local council have now ruled that we can only have 2 water butt's per 10 rod plot. However we are to start discussion's about plot holders taking over and self managing the whole site. We have 37 10 rod plots with only about 3 vacant plots. Rules for the sake of rules.

[@SteveRichards]

Seems a bit crazy to impose a limit on something positive! Best of look with becoming self managed! : All the best - Steve

[@lockie561]

hi you have done a good job with polytunnel guttering it is a good idea keep up the good work

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks for the feedback Andrew

[@martynorris1714]

Happy Thanksgiving from Kentucky, USA.

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks, no special Thanks Giving meal for us, but then again we celebrate every day with amazing allotment food, have a great day yourself : All the best - Steve

[@johne1880]

Brilliant solution. I copied it exactly and it works perfectly!

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks for the feedback John, still working well for me too : All the best - Steve

[@bernadette6211]

Fantastic design

[@SteveRichards]

Still going strong! : All the best - Steve

[@jeffhaskins6889]

Interested in where to get your hand pump?

[@SteveRichards]

I got it off eBay, it's just a bilge pump, simillar to this one Manual Hand Bilge Pump - TOOGOO(R) High Quality 720GPH (2724 lph) Aluminium Manual Hand Bilge Pump With 2 Position Handle Suitable for Pumping Bilge Water, Saltwater, Waste Or Diesel Transfer-Black Unknown Link: amzn.eu/d/bOCnacr

[@ceili]

Hey Steve, me again. Can you remember brand of sticky tape you used? Apologies for all the questions, my poly tunnel is waterlogged right now with all the rain we're getting and your gutter design is the perfect remedy!

[@SteveRichards]

ceili Maveek 10 m (50 mm) Foam Tape Double Sided Sponge Tape Waterproof Mounting Adhesive Tape Roll Cars Trims, Black www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076H2KZHN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GigtEbYSWK26Q and Nutley's Professional Grade... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BGBCDSO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[@ceili]

@@SteveRichards great, thanks again Steve.

[@chrisclonpriest8547]

Steve, I wonder if you can remember what make of double sided tape you used. I have found Velcro’s fix pro tape which is both water and UV resistant so I wonder if it was that, tho’ it is pricey. Many thanks, Chris.

[@SteveRichards]

Hi Chris, this is what we used www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B076H2KZHN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 seems good so far : All the best - Steve

[@chrisclonpriest8547]

Many thanks Steve

[@ronyerke9250]

5x more capture capacity, nice. 👍 Do you have 5x storage capacity, or do you not need that much yet?

[@SteveRichards]

No Ron, we only doubled the storage capacity, because we were never able to fill the storage capacity we already had, without supplementing with tap water, we just don't get much rain here! Hopefully now we will easily fill it and if we do I can easily add more storage, no point spending more until I need to.

[@johnbateman9290]

Hi Steve can l ask where you get your green dip tanks from.

[@SteveRichards]

Hi John, from B&Q : All the best - Steve

[@johnbateman9290]

@@SteveRichards Thank you Steve for the quick reply

[@karenbromley4317]

Could you collect the water in an IBC tank then have it overflow into one of the dip tanks?

[@SteveRichards]

I collect the bottom of my dip tanks to the bottom tap of my IBC tanks, that will fill the dip tank

[@05pittsd]

Hi Steve, just put up my polytunnel, love the idea of the gutter on the posts. How's that gone for you? Any improvements you'd recommend on your design in the video? Thanks

[@SteveRichards]

It's worked very well so far Daniel, the only thing is that the screws holding the gutter down have rusted, even though they are stainless steel, so I wouldn't cover them with polytunnel repair tape. That way they would dry out between rain : All the best - Steve

[@PracticalModernHomestead]

Great idea. New sub here.

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks, I hope you enjoy the videos, do let me know if there's anything you would like to see : All the best - Steve

[@CEOAMARU]

Link to hand pump please.....

[@SteveRichards]

I got it off eBay, it's just a bilge pump, simillar to this one Manual Hand Bilge Pump - Link: amzn.eu/d/bOCnacr

[@karenbromley4317]

We have no water supply on our allotments would you recommend not having a polytunnel?

[@SteveRichards]

Definitely be cautious, there’s no way you can capture enough water for beds with bare soil or compost unless you have some way to fill and IBC tank or two over winter. If you really want one though you could put a thick 2-3 inches of mulch down, I really like strulch and grow in tomato halos, that’s what I do in my low tunnels : all the best - Steve

[@SteveRichards]

Dip tanks are the right height for collecting water off a tunnel, IBC tanks are probably too high

[@Daniel-wb4lr]

Thanks steve

[@charliekassel9658]

I'm having trouble sourcing a collection tank like these. Can you tell me where you got them from please?

[@charliekassel9658]

The ones at kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJuoiZt_h5WYlac

[@SteveRichards]

They are from B&Q diy.com, I'd give you a link to them, but the queue on the website is more than 1 hour long! They're not the best quality, one sprang a leak by B&Q replaced it no questions asked, but they are incredibly functional : All the best - Steve

[@darrylclarke5664]

tunnel guttering is over-enginered....you dont need it, the plastic V profile self adhesive if fitted correctly will catch more water than you can store...10L a minute sounds great but in a rainy uk autumn/winter where you gonna store an hours worth of water x days worth of water...Just think you over think things and too willing too spend £,sss.

[@SteveRichards]

You make a good point Darryl, but I have considered it. I've seen the plastic V sections, I have them on my cold-frame lids. Unfortunately it's just not true for us that they will capture enough water. I've seen other videos where they've filled water butts using these fitted to a single 5' section of a polytunnel overnight, but we NEVER get that sort of rainfall here. Even collecting from the whole 20' of the tunnel we can't fill our water butts except in the depths of winter and they are soon depleted in spring. Our rainfall is so low that we need to catch every drop along the full length of the tunnel and this is the best solution we've seen for that, the challenge is the bowing of the taught poly between the hoops. It is however true that I am prepared to spend money, I've invested 5% of the value of my harvests this year in saving water for next year, that seems like a prudent investment to me. We eat what we grow, so when it comes to securing my food supply I'm happy to spend a few pounds and I like a fun project too.

[@alexcole4970]

Once again proving that every situation provides a variable that no one person can assume they know about.