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Not tap water Rain water

• Message 1. 

  Posted by FatBeanpod (U14081687) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010

  Hi Everybody
  I have quite alot of water butts around my plot full of rain water from my sheds and greenhouse some of which I havent used I should say the water as been in those for nearly a year and as started to go green I have been told that I should not use this on my veg as it will not do them the world of good as anyone had this experience if so what should I do it seems a shame to waste it,
  Many Thanks Fatbeanpod,

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by DunDiggin (U7739784) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010

  It's going green due to the growth of algae, which grow in stagnant water - ie water which has lost it's oxygen.
  If the water is still more or less clear it's okay to use it - if it's very cloudy or dark in colour then either tip it away or add hydrogen peroxide to it - the organic method is to add a bundle of parley straw which releases said chemical as it decays. This re-oxygenates the water and kills the algae.
  Note algae will also bloom in high concentrations of nitrates but you're unlikely to have this problem if your water butts are only filled by rain water.
  You could also just dump a large amount of comfrey(leaves, stems, roots) into it and turn it into a liquid feed. Mind you it reeks a bit for a few weeks whilst it rots down. You can also do the same with nettles.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by bookertoo (U3655866) on Thursday, 6th May 2010

  but I really do reccommend that you do not do this with the water butt that is just outside your window!! Uggg....... as DunDiggin said it really does reek most 'orrid.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by farmerSteve (U2644680) on Thursday, 6th May 2010

  water is water and anything in it is nutrients
  but if you are using it on Salad veg I would avoid the leaves if you are eating them soon

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• Message 5

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  Posted by Jack Coope (U14450631) on Thursday, 6th May 2010

  Hi we use this water by running a hose under the groun with holes in in and lettingbthe water seap out through a small valve, the water does not come in contact with any leaves and you can keep topping the tank up. we have this year swaped to 1000 ltr containers we collected 5000 lts over the winter to give us a start, we have also built a roof over the tanks to collect rain it works great( Ps is putting a roof on stick onld foam to the top it absorbes more of the rain , what would be splashed of normaly.
  
  Heage Scouts

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