who has rain barrels?

[mirime]

We, or should I say my husband, made up a coupla rain barrels. He found a bunch of 55 gallon plastic containers being thrown out by the college (we live in a college town) and since we're big dumpster divers, he carted home about 6 of them. We rinsed them out, and made three of them (so far) underneath our downspouts.

I love them! With all the rain we get here, I rarely have to use the garden hose to water my small beds of plants.

We used directions like this one:
http://www.naturalrainwater.com/make_rainbarrel.htm

 

[Beekissed]

Mirime, on the TEG someone has a most excellent system set up for their rain barrels also. I would like to try this in a smaller way. We used to use rainwater when I was growing up for bathing and such. We lived on a off-grid homestead.

I've got the materials to create just one system and would like to, eventually, use it for watering dogs and stock, as well as the garden.

Post a pic of your system?

 

[the simple life]

What a conincidence, I am picking up my town discounted rain barrels today. I put my order in through the town a couple of months ago for a few rain barrels. They called this morning to say I could get them this afternoon. We already had ALOT of rain this spring, would have been nice to have them then. But hopefully this will save me money on my garden watering until I hook up the old well.

 

[the simple life]

SewingDiva has pictures of her set up over at the easygarden site. Its quite the efficient system she has.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have a huge rain barrel, use it to sater plants, garden, etc (although my garden didn't need watering--it got flooded from all the rain we got.)

 

[ncnative]

Hey, send some of that rain down our way!! We are again at an 8 inch deficit in Western NC.

We have been collecting 55 gallon plastic drums and the dh has a plan to make them into a rain collection system.

Will have to go to the easy garden site to check out the ya'll are talking about.

I already love this site!!

Cyndi

 

[ticks]

What do you do with that water?

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hey, send some of that rain down our way!! We are again at an 8 inch deficit in Western NC.

We have been collecting 55 gallon plastic drums and the dh has a plan to make them into a rain collection system.

Will have to go to the easy garden site to check out the ya'll are talking about.

I already love this site!!

Cyndi

the rains been gone for a couple of weeks now, but the farmer we got our hay from, said 27 out of 30 days it rained. It was a wet June!!!!! Now its just plain hot, humid, and miserable (which is why I am on the computer and not outside!!)

 

[mirime]

Mirime, on the TEG someone has a most excellent system set up for their rain barrels also. I would like to try this in a smaller way. We used to use rainwater when I was growing up for bathing and such. We lived on a off-grid homestead.

I've got the materials to create just one system and would like to, eventually, use it for watering dogs and stock, as well as the garden.

Post a pic of your system?

Thanks for the notice about the TEG rain barrel system - I'll have to search for it.

Oh darn, I was gonna take a photo yesterday - now it's overcast (not raining though)...I'll try to get one taken soon!

 

[the simple life]

Hi ticks, you can only really use the rain water to water your gardens with. Some people prefer to put mosquito repelling tablets or bricks in the rain barrels too, since water is a breeding ground for them. The rain barrels come with screens anyway that is suppose to be sufficient to keep them out, not not sure if they actually are though. I also have heard of people putting goldfish in their rain barrels too, they eat the mosquito eggs and the fish waste is suppose to be good for the garden. Just what I heard, not sure if that is a scientifically proven method.