USEING WATER BARRELS !?!?

[savalot]

What a great way of to care for my out door needs. Last summer was my first year I't made a little more work for me. But free !!! I also hear that rain water is much better for your plants than tap.
This year I'm going to make some changes to the way my set up is , so it is much less work for me . And I even have some new ideas.I have a camp shower , and I loved taking showers out side.I bath and water my pets as well . Hand wash some of my cloths , and as always line dry. It just feels so good to be able to save money and do something good as well.
DO YOU CATCH AND USE RAIN WATER ??? WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR ???
YOUR INPUT COUNTS !!!

 

[tortoise]

My son (6 years old) uses the rain water for his rabbit, rinsing out the compost bucket before bringing it inside, and for his plant-watering chores. We use tap water for most of the garden watering. We have 2 55-gallon barrels for rain water. There isn't enough water pressure to hose it out to the garden.

 

[savalot]

I hear that.. but I'm going to put mine higher up and try the gravity thing

 

[k15n1]

Yes, I've heard the same thing about rain water. I guess well water has a lot of minerals and salts, depending where you are, and that isn't what plants generally want.

I have used 55-gal barrels in the past but found that they were relatively expensive and difficult to plumb together. Also, we moved recently to an acerage with a nice house on it. I've got to keep the place up, so rows of barrels is out of the question.

I laid the ground work for a cistern last fall. I dug a trench for some unperferated plastic drain pipe. It dead-ends downhill from the house and I'm planning on making a 4x4x4' plastic-lined concrete-block cistern. That's 500 gal, if I get the thing built

 

[the_whingnut]

When we can (can't living in Military housing) we use old pickle and olive barrels in tandem using the rain gutters on the house with a filter screen. then use it so water the garden on a drip hose under the mulch, water for the wife's Spiders, and as much as we can. however to keep from having to irrigate from the city water we use heavy mulch layers around our plants and hugulkulture in our planters to keep moisture in. (plus less work)

 

[savalot]

Well I only have 1 acre to deal with so it is a lot easier for me to manage.

 

[the_whingnut]

Craigslist usually has the orange olive barrels for about $25ish each. here is a quick example from instructibles.com http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-harvesting-Rain-Barrel-DIY/?ALLSTEPS

 

[the_whingnut]

or you can buy one premade from Home Depot http://www.homedepot.com/p/RESCUE-5...er-Kit-2234-1/203350614?N=c7pb#specifications

i think building your own will be more rewarding and a learning experience.

 

[savalot]

Awsome whingnut thanks for the info.. I really like it when people get together and help each other out.

 

[Corn Woman]

I love my rain barrel and have 2 more 55 gal olive barrels to convert to rain barrels. I use the water for my lawn and vegetable seedlings. I paid $12 each, delivered. The one in the front of the house was purchased online because I liked the urn shape and it looked "nicer" so the neighbors have nothing to complain about. (They would complain when the sun comes up in the morning and sets at night).