Guest Matt Beighton Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hi guys, first time posting here. I have built a small bog garden (pic below) and due to a lack of rainwater recently my newly installed butt remains bare. As a resort I have set up my bog using distilled/de-ionized water from BnQ and rainwater taken from my grandparent's butt. My main concern is that the butt water has been there for weeks, maybe months, and so will the old water be bad for the plants? I know rainwater is supposed to be best, but is there an expiration date so to speak for it! Any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Hewitt Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 It really depends on how well the water has been protected from falling leaves and other detritus. For the most part it should be safe for a long time, as far as plants are concerned. Rotting vegetaton can add nutients to standing water which encourages bacteria. This should not be too bad for plants, but not good for humans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Matt Beighton Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 It really depends on how well the water has been protected from falling leaves and other detritus. For the most part it should be safe for a long time, as far as plants are concerned. Rotting vegetaton can add nutients to standing water which encourages bacteria. This should not be too bad for plants, but not good for humans. Thanks for the advice. It was mostly clear of any debris, I filtered it through some fabric to remove any smaller particulates. Fingers crossed the plants don't keel over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Your bog looks wet enough for a few days yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantrid Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 check the use by date on the underside of the butt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Matt Beighton Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Your bog looks wet enough for a few days yet? Hopefully it should be, but that was done using the old rainwater and de-ionised water. Not forecast any rain here for another week, though knowing England that means we will get a load tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Matt Beighton Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 check the use by date on the underside of the butt Sorry to double post (not sure if that is frowned upon here) but... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyTopTraps Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 This is something I have wondered about as I collect water off a gutter from the garage roof and sometimes it comes through with a greenish colour (particularly when there has been a lack of rain. I discard this water when I get a chance to get clear water but I am sure there will be nutrients in the greenish water. I still use it as my guess is that it is better than tap water or drying it out. Anybody know whether this is a good idea? Cheers, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 I store my rainwater for 3 or 4 months some years due to lack of rain and would happily use old water.what you don't want is a butt which is half full of leaves which makes it smell like rotten eggs, still I would rather use that than tap water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarnivorousLove Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 As gardenofeden said rainwater can be stored for months. An good idea is to have the water stored in closed, non transparent containers to avoid algae grow and to fall something in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) Is the algae so bad? I have a large plastic trug thing outside that I'd been mixing peat and perlite in last year. A load of old pots thrown in there too. It's fool of water but slightly (and I mean barely) green with algae. Is this OK to use? The amount of rain we've had has been unreal so it's regularly topped up. Edited June 8, 2012 by Richard Bunn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyTopTraps Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 I realised last night whilst stealing rainwater from a neighbour's broken guttering, that through laziness I have been storing some of my rainwater out of the cupboard that I usually use. I am pretty sure that the small amount of sunlight the bottles were getting will have been the the reason for the green tinge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyTopTraps Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 'Just coming' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petesredtraps Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Just take the lid of the water butt and look inside,the water should be nice and clear. If it stinks it's stagnant don't use it, if it doesn't stink it's fine. It's common sense not to allow leaf debris etc, to get into a water butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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