wintering water butts

[ethandron]

we have two water butts (400 litres each), connected to each other. we got them during early summer so this is the first winter we've had them.
question is - do we drain them down over winter? leave them as they are? if this winter proves as severe as last, will they freeze solid if we don't drain them? is the volume of water too great to freeze during a british winter?
what do others do?? thanks.

[jamesnan]

We left our water butt last year, it was about 3/4 full and even though it did freeze, we had no long term problems

[GRUMPY]

I just leave mine and usuallt just the top couple of cm freezes.
and also the tap freezes too

[carlton23]

I keep mine covered with a lid and old blanket on top which prevents the water freezing and stops algea forming.

[ethandron]

thanks for your responses, will probably leave it full.

[Jemisa]

We had water butts, never again. They were a breeding ground for gnats Midges. there were thousands of the little bu66ers. The whole family suffered covered in bites, couldn't go out in the garden. no BBQs friends and neighbours complained.

I just don't know how you can keep butts without this problem.

jem

[ethandron]

perhaps you've just been unlucky jem, we've not had any midge/gnat problem at all. both the butts have tight fitting lids, perhaps that helps.
i'd recommend them to anyone, they've saved us a fortune in water bills this year as we had a meter fitted in february. we've completely renovated the garden, including making copious amounts of mortar to two hundred coping stones, not to mention lots of new plants, all of which have needed lots of water.
and as much as anything, we feel we're doing our bit for water conservation.

[agardner09]

We have a smallholding with animals to look after. We have two large and eight small plastic butts (totalling about 3500 litres). The only time they are drained, other than when we use all the water in a dry spell, is when they are cleaned. I would encourage anyone with butts to do this, probably only once a year. You might be surprised at just how much sediment runs off the roof and collects in the bottom of the butt. As to midges etc I would agree that as long as they are covered you shouldn't have any trouble.

[boxtops]

We have had a butt in front and back garden for the last 4 years, never empty them - the lids (as said) are a godsend, stop all sorts of junk falling in, and certainly we have never had any problem with midges or mozzies in them. Now leave some water in a bucket - yes, midges abound!

[danchip]

you should have a lid on a water butt anyway to stop cats falling in

[woofgang]

my waterbutts, I have 5, are all tightly lidded and I don't get mozzie problems but in my birdbaths and wildlife ponds, I use these.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000AH849?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

They are excellent, work 100% and the dogs still drink the water without any effect.