A 15-gallon plastic barrel comes in handy for a variety of purposes. If you want to conserve water, it will collect rainfall dripping from your roof. If you want to improve your garden as well as lighten the load on your local garbage dump, you can use it to collect compost. It will hold animal feed as easily as serving as a trash barrel for things you aren't recycling or putting into your compost. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Place the barrel beneath your home's rainspout to collect water when it rains. Cover the barrel with a screen to keep out leaves, insects and debris. Use this for irrigating your garden, which helps conserve water and reduces storm water runoff.
2. Set up a barrel in your garage, workshop or home to use as an impromptu garbage container. Periodically wash it out with mild soap and water. Instead of throwing away kitchen scraps, such as vegetable peelings, collect them in a barrel to turn into compost to use in your garden.
3. Fill the barrel with garden soil and use it to grow your own fresh herbs, vegetables or fruits. Home-grown tomatoes can be much more flavorful than ones you buy in a store. Snip off some fresh oregano or peppermint from your barrel herb garden and use it immediately in the kitchen.
4. Pour food for your dog, cat, horse or other animal into a clean barrel made from food-grade plastic. Cover it with a lid to keep it fresh. Store a supply of emergency food for your family in such a barrel, making sure to use or replace it before expiration dates.
5. Store biodiesel fuel in a 15-gallon plastic barrel. This will weigh about 120 pounds when full of fuel, which most adults can handle without needing special equipment like a forklift. It will fit into the trunk of a vehicle.
Tags: your garden, 15-gallon plastic, 15-gallon plastic barrel, barrel with, conserve water