Rain barrels are a sustainable way to provide water for a garden.
A garden rain barrel or cistern is a reservoir that can capture and hold rainwater to reuse as irrigation for plants. Most gardeners turn on the hose to water their plants. However, a simple rain barrel can be an economical and sustainable solution in your garden. There are many types of containers you can use to make a cistern. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Instructions
1. Purchase a rain barrel from a local hardware or agriculture store; there are many custom varieties of rain barrels on the market. Or you can buy a plastic drum that was originally used for livestock feed; buy one that held organic material if you plan to use the harvested rainwater for growing edible plants. The barrel or drum should hold 55 gallons.
2. Separate a downspout from your home at a level that allows the water to flow into the top of the barrel. A thousand square feet of roof area creates 600 gallons of rainwater from about 1 inch of rain, so an afternoon of rain in the summer can create enough water to irrigate a small garden. You can use multiple cisterns to provide water for an entire property.
3. Inspect the area around the rain barrel to make sure that if the barrel overflows in a heavy rain, it will not damage or flood any structures. Providing a gravel bed below the rain barrel can prevent erosion, and ensuring positive drainage away from a structure helps keep water out of undesirable locations.
4. Drill a hole in the bottom of the rain barrel, and attach a simple spout in the opening; you can buy a spout attachment in the plumbing section of any hardware store. Creating a drain at the bottom ensures pressure to a garden hose, and it lets you drain the barrel if the water is not needed or becomes tainted.
5. Avoid using the water collected in a rain barrel for cooking or drinking. Because it is unfiltered, the water collected is referred to as "gray water" or "nonpotable." Use the water to water your garden or wash your car.
6. Cover the rain barrel in hot weather, because standing water can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects that can cause a host of diseases.
Tags: rain barrel, provide water, water collected, your garden