Watering hanging baskets

[faraday]

I have always watered my three hanging baskets with a watering can standing on a pair of steps. This year I decided to water from a standing position. Without a convenient hose I rigged up a 2-litre squash bottle attached to one side of a piece of aluminium U-tubing; this worked well, but I wondered if there was a proprietary device to do the job. I found the RainStick on the internet, the only device that wasn't designed to be attached to a hose. It is a tube with a plunger that can be filled from a bucket otr directly from a tap. It only holds a litre, so that means two goes per basket. It's great.

Perhaps those gardeners in areas where there is a hosepipe ban would find it useful.

[Thunderbird+]

Hi faraday,
Good idea, I tried similar experiments like you'v done a few years back, then I saw a stand at a garden show that had these small blue plastic taps for sale, which could be inserted into a bottle (needs to be square) plastic tubing can be conected to the spout and the drip calibrated for fine tuning by a gradual turn of the tap.
Unfortunately I cant for the life of me remember the name of them, maybe someone else can help. Good Luck.

[faraday]

Hi Thunderbird+

I have seen advertisements for the bottle attachments that you mention in the past, but I thought I could better myself. However, the RainStick has the advantages of reaching pretty high, being 32 inches long, and with the plunger it can be emptied in seconds.

[Thunderbird+]

Hi faraday,
The RainStick sounds interesting! I'll check it out, thanks.
Have you tried water retaining granuals in your baskets etc 'Swellgel' is one, a little go's a long way and they do help in dry weather.
Thank You. T bird.

[faraday]

Hi Thunderbird+

I always use water retaining granules im baskets and containers. You will find more than one supplier of the Canadian designed RainStick on the internet, with some prices higher than others. I paid �14.98 for mine.