who has rain barrels?

[miss_thenorth]

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.

My uncle puts goldfish in his rainbarrels. He says it works.

 

[ticks]

Cool. I like goldfish. But when you collect rain water doesn't it just rain and water your plants any way? Could you give it to poultry?

 

[the simple life]

You save the barrels of rainwater until you need to water again. They are 55 gallon drums so they hold a decent amount and you wait until there hasn't been any rain to water with it. I am not sure if you can give it to the chickens, I would think it would be okay if it was fresh rainwater but if its been sitting around it can get stagnant, you also have to make sure you aren't treating it with any mosquito tablets.
We had a hard rain here for less than an hour today and the barrels were filled halfway, its really surprising how much they collect in so little time.It help save on the water bills.

 

[Tutter]

You might also want to see, Sewing Diva's system on TEG. I think she was originally showing their raised planters.

 

[ticks]

You save the barrels of rainwater until you need to water again. They are 55 gallon drums so they hold a decent amount and you wait until there hasn't been any rain to water with it. I am not sure if you can give it to the chickens, I would think it would be okay if it was fresh rainwater but if its been sitting around it can get stagnant, you also have to make sure you aren't treating it with any mosquito tablets.
We had a hard rain here for less than an hour today and the barrels were filled halfway, its really surprising how much they collect in so little time.It help save on the water bills.

Oh yea forgot about storing it.

 

[J&KV]

I got my hands on a 300 gallon tank and just a regular 35 gallon garbage can and placed them under my downspouts. I use the water stored in the 300 gal. for the vegetable garden.

 

[Better Half]

Here's a photo of one of mine. They were olive barrels I bought from a guy in a vacant lot.

When we moved in the gutters went into an underground pipe that leads into the sewer. The barrel's overflow still goes into that pipe. The barrel has it's original lid with a hole cut to fit the downspout.

I think it was Monday's front page of the P-I that ran a story on how rain barrels are illegeal in this state since the state owns the water that falls from the sky. The state won't bother people with just a few barrels but anymore than that can get you in trouble.

 

[mirime]

I think it was Monday's front page of the P-I that ran a story on how rain barrels are illegeal in this state since the state owns the water that falls from the sky. The state won't bother people with just a few barrels but anymore than that can get you in trouble.

what the heck!? That to me is outrageous! sigh!

 

[the simple life]

Really, thats one of the craziest things I have ever heard.
The state owns rainwater, do they charge for air too.
In our state most towns are running subsidize rain barrel programs.Thats how I got mine. They want you to use them to alleviate the water usage around here.
Well, at least you are able to use the one you have.

 

[enjoy the ride]

Actually I thought that sounded ridiculous too until I read the article- there is a fear in places with next to no summer water, that people would collect so much water that did fall, rivers and creeks would not get enough water to let fish, etc survive.
I can see that happening- here it is not unusual for there to be no rain (not little rain- no rain) from June through September or October.
However the reverse of that situation it that it is non-stop rain from November/December through April/May.
Seems like the state could compromise by allowing collection and storing during most of the year, and put a stop to collection in the really dry months. Hard to enforce I would think though.
Sort of like burn permitting here- you can do some burning for most of the year but it's not allowed when the vegetation has become so dry that fires can easily start and are hard to stop.