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Saturday, 14 May 2011

A deep thirst?

Thinking ahead here... It is entirely possible, given the strange weather conditions we have had recently, that we will have a hot dry Summer. In the hope that we will, I have installed an irrigation system for my Marrow plant, which I know will be thirsty even at the best of times. The plant is growing in a big bottomless tub filled with home-made compost:


I have inserted a couple of 30cm lengths of 25mm-diameter plastic pipe, so that I can deliver water directly to the roots of the plant. To put this into place I used the handle of a rake to make a hole and then put the pipe in afterwards, thus ensuring that the pipe is unobstructed.


So it's simply a matter of pouring water down the pipes (always assuming I can locate them once the Marrow leaves reach their full size...)
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10 comments:

  1. Anonymous14 May 2011 at 17:33

    Great idea!

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  2. Jo14 May 2011 at 18:10

    That's a great idea, Mark. Fingers crossed for that hot summer, eh?

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  3. Pas de blabla... Juste des photos14 May 2011 at 20:59

    In Greece for 2011 we have to much rain. And that it is not so good for my garden, and I can't do nothing.
    I love your idea.

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  4. David P. Offutt - The Gastronomic Gardener14 May 2011 at 22:20

    Clever!

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  5. Rainy Day Gardener15 May 2011 at 05:20

    Mark, you seem to come up with very clever ideas! However, I forget what a 'marrow' plant is. Is it like a squash?

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  6. Mo15 May 2011 at 07:25

    It's a great idea :)

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  7. Anonymous15 May 2011 at 08:16

    I use plastic water bottles. Just cut the bottoms off, insert close to your plant with the cut end showing so the neck end is deep in the ground and just pour water in as usual. Cheap, effective and easy. The pipe idea is good as well though Mark!

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  8. Kelli15 May 2011 at 10:10

    Very clever Mark! I like the open container idea to get to the soil as well. Jenni's post - interesting how the French and UK(ers) call zuchini, courgette. And extra big courgette/zuchini become marrows - think i've got that right. Another veg name difference, Americans say eggplant but in the UK we call it aubergine. Hmmm. Wonder which names they use in Australia.

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  9. Sue Garrett15 May 2011 at 11:18

    Wishful thinking - a good summer - hope so we are due one.

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  10. Janet/Plantaliscious15 May 2011 at 15:10

    Neat. I am saving fizzy drink bottles to use for my courgettes and squash plants - cut the bottom off, remove the top and bury alongside the plant. Otherwise the foliage makes watering VERY hard. A hot summer would be a mixed blessing now that I have an allotment...

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