Water butts

My wife and I have moved house, with a garden with several water butts which I’ve never used before. They’re the standard butts you see for sale. What puzzles me is how do you use them? Though the butts are placed on stands the taps are too low for putting a standard watering can beneath them. The tops are moveable but too small to allow a watering can to be immersed. And the taps are too small for any hosepipe to be fitted, if indeed the water pressure was sufficient to make a hosepipe of any use. Any advice welcome.

 

Sounds like you need to raise them up on blocks or bricks.

My water buts are those second hand plastic barrels with the top cut off.
I just dip the watering can in the top, can't be bothered fiddling around with taps.

 

I raise them up on blocks or bricks, because I've had the same problem with getting a watering can underneath.
I have a couple of those big blue containers without a tap(I like big butts and I cannot lie), but I cut the lid right off. This allows access for a standard can but also allows the gnats and mozzies to breed which then follow me around the garden.
Ah, I miss those summer evenings spent watering the containers and baskets, with all the lumps and bumps from being bitten

 

A circle of mozzie netting held in place with a ring of wire (I said 'wire' ) is easily removed for dipping purposes and stops insect breeding and suicidal mice....

 

I have made timber lids for all of mine.

If you dont keep the light out the water goes green.

 

Not being clever like you, pete, I have to improvise! In fact, the netting gives a completely hermetic barrier. IIRC, a couple of drops of permanganate of potash is supposed to disinfect stagnant water too, without harming plants?
But back to the OP! Are you going to join the tanks up together, Stephen? That way, you only need a tap on one of them. I found taps locally with a standard 15mm 'click' fitting, which takes a hose attachment. That allows gravity-fed watering by hosepipe on the flat or downhill as long as the IBCs are reasonably full.

 

I spray the top of the water in the butt with a very small amount of WD 40, it seals the top so the Mozzie's can't breathe and get out.

 

Oooo sadistic!

 

It stops the water squeaking as well!

 

When I see mosquito larvae hanging below the water I add a couple of drops of biodegradable washing up liquid. This reduces the surface tension so they fall to the bottom of the tank.

 

What is biodegradable washing up liquid?
I assume it would also help as a wetting agent on dried out peat based composts.

 

@pete It's one of the environmentally friendly ones with no phosphates and surfactants that are less resistant to degrading in the environment.
Yes it should work as a wetting agent for dried out composts.
A small amount of olive oil or any cooking oil can be used instead of WD40 to deal with mosquito larvae.