thanks everyone
1st off, mrs SB is grand and little ickle baby SB is just braw too. Not keen on sleeping for any length of time - day or night. Ho hum
looks like it is doable - think i'm gonna build a "trough" out of some scaffold boards i have , that should allow me to get enough muck in to hold water, but prevent them escaping. I have a leaky hose pipe thing, i can put that in the trough as well and give it a wee blast each morning to keep them watered.
will see how it does.
after 2 summers growing nothing and 2 months clearing the garden and rebuilding the raised beds, i'm about ready to go again.