Watering with Sunshine

Once the spring rains stop, it's time to start watering.

Even though my floating vegetable garden is surrounded by water, none of it gets into the beds without human assistance.


Our good friend John has saved me from lots of bending, scooping, and pouring by installing a solar-powered water pump and hose.

A dedicated 15-watt solar panel charges a 12-volt deep cycle battery in a storage box below.




A boat style bilge pump submerged in the lake is powered by the battery to draw water up and send it through a regular garden hose with a spray nozzle.

A handy switch on the panel's support post allows me to easily turn the pump on and off as needed.

During the summer when there's lots of sunshine, the battery last long enough for me to give everything a good watering.

In very hot weather, I water my garden every other day. Giving it a good soaking encourages the roots to grow deep, so surface drying doesn't cause wilting.

Thanks John. Because of you, I can water with sunshine. - Margy