Stagnant water in a rain barrel easily gets slimy.
Rain barrels are a good way to collect rainwater for garden plants--good for the plants and for savings on your water bill. These barrels can develop unpleasant slime quickly, however. While the slime alone won’t hurt your garden plants when you use the water, it can make your barrel look and smell unpleasant. There are simple and safe solutions to this problem. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Empty your rain barrel at least monthly, as recommended by ci.austin.tx.us or, preferably, use the water within one to two weeks after collection, as suggested by bewatersmart.org. This prevents algae growth, a leading contributor to slime.
2. Add a capful of regular chlorine (laundry) bleach to a full rain barrel to prevent algae and microbes that cause slime. This chlorine dilution is safe for your plants as long as you wait a few days before using the water.
3. Clean out your rain barrel at least twice a season to remove organic matter such as leaf particles that could rot and contribute to slime. To do this, simply dump out the water and scrub out the barrel with biodegradable soap. Rinse with water from your garden hose.
4. Keep a lid on your rain barrel to block sunlight and keep out debris. Sunlight, which promotes algae growth, and natural debris will speed the growth of slime.
Tags: rain barrel, your rain, your rain barrel, algae growth, barrel least