More time on your hands
Recycling Rain
It's free, there's a lot of it, and it's nature's way of quenching thirst. Why would you use anything else to water your plants? In our continual quest to reduce our global footprint, my wife and I are always looking for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Thus, it was only a matter of time until we decided to do just that with something we don't pay for, we don't think a lot about, and that is usually associated with cats and dogs: the rain. As beginner gardeners, we made sure to water what we planted, making certain that our flowers and shrubs would grow and blossom. After a while, we noticed that we were using more clean water to do so, increasing our water usage and our monthly water bill. After some quick research, we found that a rain barrel would supply more than enough water for our landscaping needs. We decided to act. During our investigation, we found out that even though the earth is 2/3 water, only 3/10 of one percent is suitable for domestic use - and here we were dumping it on our plants. Flowers and trees like rain; why not give them more of it? The first step was to get the big barrel. Some city governments appreciate folks who are lessening the city's overall water use, and you can call and get a free barrel delivered to your house. Nashville had already distributed its barrels for the year, so we turned to eBay, where we found a supplier selling used barrels that had been cleaned and were now suitable for collecting rainwater. Ours was once used to haul pickles across the ocean. As soon as it was FedEx’d to our doorstep, we were ready to go. The barrel came complete with a how-to guide, and it was easier than I imagined to set up. A spigot attaches near the base, an overflow attachment is near the top to connect a hose, and the top has holes to collect water. A mesh screen keeps the mosquitoes away, but we also recommend getting repellent pellets to drop in the water for added protection. To collect the water, you need to place the barrel directly in the path of a downspout on a gutter. We sawed ours in half, added a flexible run-off attachment, and aimed it at the top of our barrel. We were now ready for rain – 80 gallons of it. Although that seems like a lot, an inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof can produce 6,000 gallons of rainwater. That’s why you have an overflow hose. So, it rained, our barrel filled with water, and we were ready to stop using treated water on our hydrangeas and marigolds. And because we’ve got LOTS of water and the barrel fills again with each downpour, we can give our pretty flowers a little extra water for those hot summer days and not spend any money or use any precious resources.
CommentsSam commented, on September 28, 2006 at 3:05 p.m.: 
Thanks for sharing, Robert. I've heard similar stories from immigrants and other who have lived abroad who are shocked at the great amount of nearly everything that Americans waste. Hopefully we can help people stop that. Ashley commented, on September 29, 2006 at 11:46 a.m.: Thanks for the info on rain barrels! Although you can't get a free one anymore, there is a way to get a rain barrel at a discount. The Harpeth River Watershed Association sells them at 50% off the $80 cost with any membership. The cost of membership is $40, so that evens out to $80. But you get a rain barrel AND support a great cause! The website is www.harpethriver.org. One thing I am wondering is whether or not rain barrels can be used as an adjunct water source for underground irrigation systems. With all the landscape watering being done, both residentially and commercially, it would be nice if irrigation systems could somehow be hooked up to rain barrels or other rain catching systems. sue commented, on October 7, 2006 at 8:44 p.m.: Wonderful article. I'm in the process of rigging up a rain barrel to catch the run off from a new chicken coop. With luck and some planning.........I'm hoping the water can be funneled into the waterer inside the coop. Barrels are offered here annually, from the master gardeners sale of native plants. I think $80 was the price, and they have hose hook ups, the screens on top.......the works. Thanks for the reminder of how much water we all waste here in the states...... Contrary1 Curtis commented, on January 10, 2007 at 10:33 a.m.: Nashville Drum and Barrel has 55 gallon plastic drums (food grade) for $8 a piece. They are located in Fairview, TN (about 25 miles from Nashville). These barrels do not have any bells and whistles, just a top with two holes...so get your toolbox out. Post a commentYou must be a registered user to post comments. |
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Robert commented, on September 28, 2006 at 1:28 p.m.:
Great Idea. My family and I lived in Uganda a few years back and had three 5000 gal. tanks. We filtered the water for drinking and used it for baths and everything else. Coming back to the States was a shock when we noticed how much fresh water was wasted. We still use very little compared to the average.
Thanks for sharing the idea.