Do you melt in the rain? How about your garden? Instead of watching your garden soil run away in the rain, collect your rainwater using a rain barrel. Rain barrels and water harvesting are a water to save on home water use during the summer drought. There are many styles of water cisterns that suit different gardens. As we move into spring, installing a rain barrel is a great way to summer proof your garden!
Rain barrels come in many different styles, from simple wooden barrels to water storage tanks, to rain harvesting that doubles as a planter. Every style of rain barrel helps homeowners reduce home water use. To ensure the safety of children and pets, always check to ensure that any style of rain barrel has secure openings.
But first, why bother using a rain barrel? If your garden suffers from summer drought, you can save water with a rain barrel! Yard and garden irrigation can account for nearly half of the water used in a home. In the rainy season, excess water pours into the street, leading to storm sewers that overflow. Downspout disconnection and rainwater harvesting allows gardeners to use this water for irrigation.
Rain barrels also green your garden. Rain barrels are an addition to any green building and an effective way to store water for the dry season. Instead of using treated water in the garden, harvest rainwater to irrigate the garden. Rain barrels attach to a downspout or a rain chain. Commercial cisterns provide a sealed water source with a tap that is just as easy to use as a garden hose.
A visit to a local garden or outdoor center or a green building supply store will help the home gardener decide what style of rain barrel is appropriate. We’ll discuss rain barrel styles tomorrow.
Image Credit: [michaelaw]