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Water butt on shed

BigladBiglad Posts: 3,031
in Tools and techniques
Is it worth fitting a water butt to my shed? The surface area is approx. 7ft x5ft but we do get quite a bit of rain here ;)
East Lancs

Posts

  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,385
    I’ve got two water buts on my shed at the allotment and it was worth doing. Stopped me having to make so many trips to the tap!
    East Yorkshire
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 920
    Definitely. We had a water butt against a small storage shed on our allotment, about the same size as yours maybe a bit smaller and it’s surprising what you can collect.

    We have 3 large (330 litre) water butts on our greenhouse and could easily fill more - am trying to persuade OH we can squeeze one more in.  It’s probably about 2.5 -3 times the roof area you have but as you can see it would still be worthwhile.
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,183
    If it would be useful to have a source of water there (ie you have stuff that needs watering near the shed and no tap) and you have the room I say yes.

    Make sure you pinch one of the missus's pop socks to put over the end of the pipe feeding into the butt. If it's a felted shed roof you'll probably get quite a few 'bits' coming off it and you'll find a 'filter' (ie pop sock) useful.

    Personally, I find dipping butts (usually an old dustbin) more useful than traditional water butts - much quicker for filling a watering can.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,031
    Thanks @Mr. Vine Eye ,@Butterfly66 and @Topbird

    Great tip re/ the sock as there would be occasional moss balls getting in there (amongst other things!). Ordering some blueberry bushes is what has prompted action. We do have an outside tap but I'd prefer to use what nature gives us anyway.

    Also, the shed roof overhangs the makeshift 'pond'/bog that is an almost constant feature during the rainy season. I wonder if taking away the shed roof run-off might make a difference to that area.
    East Lancs
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,626
    Agree the dipping kind are very useful but I haven't seen any here.

    If you get the kind that has tap or hose pipe fittings make sure you stand it up on a support so you can use the lowest fitting and not have a reservoir of water you can never reach.  OH got that wrong with the our first ones and wasn't happy when I made him raise them afterwards.

    We have two new ones to fit this year on other down pipes and they'll be done right.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 Posts: 1,813
    Got a shed and a big water butt although I dont tend to use it as I enjoy the 30 yard walk to the sites metal troughs...........each to their own.
    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,031
    Just to let you all know that I followed your sage advice even if it only took me 5 months ;) 

    It's working but I want to tighten up the connection between downpipe and diverter thingymabob. Now to plant some stuff to hide it!


    East Lancs
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Looking good. Has anyone fitted a butt to a plastic shed? I’ve currently got a watering can at either side at the front catching the drips from the water diverted thingy. 
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