Another hand-watering method

Hand-watering onions

Another fine temporary measure this spring (and another of the many things the trusty Kubota compact tractor can do) is our new spot-watering method. Michelle waters in a last, experimentally late tray of onions with a slightly modified, inexpensive ($5) plastic watering can that holds about 2 gallons (8 l), and has big holes for fast, high-volume output. These cans we usually plunge into a rain barrel (or snow barrel) for filling, and to speed that up, I cut a squarish opening in the top (I always forget to cut the opening to the back, so water doesn’t escape from the top when pouring when full). The trick here is that the water comes from the Kubota’s bucket, maybe 30-40 gallons (110-150 l) of it, depending on how carefully the drive.  You fill up, then head over to exactly where you want, like a movable rain barrel! The whole thing is quick and  easy, good for watering in new seedings and transplants, until I hook up the field-long irrigation pipe. Quite the luxury, in a way, but the tractor’s already there, and we gotta keep things moving along! :)

Hauling water with the front-end loader

9 thoughts on “Another hand-watering method”

  1. Hey Mike,

    Sorry I haven’t been over here to comment much lately.  My blog aggregator has been out of control.  Just now getting back on my feet.

    This looks like a cool way to surface water.  I would assume you get some summer rain that augments this type of watering in?

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  2. Just curious…do you pay all the people who help you, do you give them free produce, or are you just very charismatic? I am in my first year of market gardening (OVERWHELMING but fun).

    Also do you use a transplanter of any kind?

    Love your blog, read it every chance I get!

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  3. Substitute CNH 29 hp tractor and a 5 gal bucket and that’s how I watered newly planted trees before we put a water line out to the front. It’s actually a very pleasant way to water. Good luck with the late onions!

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  4. Awesome!  I don’t know why I haven’t thought of doing that before.  We have a 25gal tow-behind sprayer, but this is far easier to setup.  What Kubota scut are you using?

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  5. I don’t irrigate on a 15 hectare market garden!!!! the beds are rolled. Roll your beds, it keeps the moisture in and the capilaries working. This save so much time and money.

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