Disabled parents, the hosepipe ban and their garden.

[Spooll]

DP are still living in a big house with a big garden, mostly because they've spent 50 years creating the garden and they're not ready to leave it. They manage it by spending all their days doing a little bit at a time. The ornamental parts are 'managing' without water during the drought, the lawn is long gone, but the (large allotment sized) veg patch needs water, which they usually do with a hose.

But, we have a hosepipe ban. As blue badge holders they are entitled to use the hosepipe but feel uncomfortable doing so while the neighbours can't, so mum is balancing a half full watering can, she can barely lift, on her walker and doing a little bit at a time.....

So my questions are, would anyone really be so churlish as to judge this little old lady using a hosepipe, and if I go and do it for them, am I allowed to use the hose? I.e. is the household or the hose operator who is 'entitled'?

Are they harvesting the veg from the allotments?

Just tell them to grow up and use the hosepipe

She should just get on with it watering with the hosepipe.

We've been using ours for a number of purposes all of which fall within the exemptions because not to do so would cause too many logistics issues. We aren't disabled.

Of course

am I allowed to use the hose?

No.

I have a blue badge. If I'm the only one around to do it, I used the hosepipe because I can't physically get full watering cans to where needs it.

But nearly every day it's another of the family members who waters the vegetables and they use watering cans.

So my questions are, would anyone really be so churlish as to judge this little old lady using a hosepipe, and if I go and do it for them, am I allowed to use the hose?

In my experience there are often plenty of churls ready to carp about someone else doing the thing they cant. But sod 'em.
Let your parents water their vegetable garden so they can harvest the produce properly.
I personally wouldnt blink an eye at any watering done in this garden. Its keeping both the garden and gardeners alive by the sound of it.

There's your answer - food crops (and livestock care) are exempt!

I would be horrified if I saw our frail elderly neighbours trying to water with a watering can instead of just using a hose. I believe that the exemption is for the disabled person, not the household, so if you came to do the watering for them, you should use the watering can, assuming you aren’t disabled yourself. It would be worth looking into installing an irrigation system for them. It would use far less water and I think is allowed with a hose pipe ban (don’t quote me on that), and if they are worried about what the neighbours will say, it’s much less obvious than a hosepipe.

Ours is a blue badge household and we are also on the WaterSure scheme but the badge belongs to my little boy so I don't use the hose as it's not a reasonable adjustment that I need. Your parents can use a hose if they physically can't use the watering can safely but you shouldn't as you don't need a reasonable adjustment.

The blue badge exemption varies by area, you often have to be on the priority register too, and been on it before 30 April here

I believe some irrigation systems are exempt from the ban? Which may be an easier long term method as they struggle with mobility.

As another poster has alluded to, drip irrigation is what your parents need and, as it's water efficient it is not affected by hosepipe bans.

A local community garden installed it a few years ago and it has transformed their workload and reduced their overall water usage. Get them to invest.

You’re allowed to use hosepipes on food plants and trees under 3 years. So they’re only making it hard for themselves as they’re both entitled to use a hose due to disability and on allotment food crops.

So if they want to make life hard by literally not listening to the actual rules then that’s on them.

Tell them to just use the hose. No ones going to report a disabled elderly couple for watering their food. Can you just tell them the ban is over?

We have an exemption and are watering our plants but not the lawn. So far nobody has commented.

Do they want you to though? Surely they would still feel awkward about the neighbours. This sounds a bit like my mum. She struggles to walk and is trying to water veg patch with a heavy watering can. Plot twist: they don't even have a hosepipe ban. She is doing it in solidarity with the next town over which does.

There was an article yesterday in the Daily Mail about a huge increase in neck and back injuries from using watering cans, particularly among the elderly:

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16073885/amp/Number-injuries-people-trying-save-parched-gardens-soars-result-hosepipe-ban.html

I am disabled and have been using my hosepipe in this context as have those of my neighbours who are disabled in my little lane.

If anybody complains it reflects on them not us.

Please encourage your parents to use their hose.

Perhaps you could point out the benefits to insects from their flowers?

We have a local beekeeper (who is not disabled and therefore not using his hosepipe) who says he is so pleased we have flowers his bees can visit.

If possible with their garden layout I would definitely use leaky hoses and a tap timer. This is relatively low cost and easy to set up- I bought two hoses and a timer from Amazon and set up in half an hour. This would be exempt as they are watering food crops. You can turn help them with watering any patches that need more help. They may find the whole process of fine tuning the system satisfying and can get the pleasure from the garden without the physical strain.

Just tell them to use the hosepipe if they’re disabled! Why do they care about their neighbours? The neighbours presumably aren’t disabled and can use a watering can.

They’re entitled to use it, so they should use it. Would I judge them? Depends whether they’re wearing their “I’m entitled” sandwich board and ringing their bell.