WATERING THE GARDEN

(Page 9 of 9)

July/August 1985
 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

My rainwater recovery system has worked like a charm. I just siphon water from the reservoir to my plot with a garden hose whenever I want to irrigate some vegetables beyond what's provided by their roof-supplied hoses. The only accessory I've added to the simple setup is guppies: I stocked the reservoir with them because they have a ravenous appetite for mosquito larvae. (I keep a screen over my siphon hose to keep the fish in the cold frame, and I overwinter them in our family's ten gallon aquarium.)

RELATED CONTENT

My suburban D.C. area averaged about three and a half inches of rain a month during the past growing season. So according to my calculations, the rooftop water catcher provided me with about 21,000 gallons of free irrigation water last year. That means I saved about $55 in water costs. And my garden has never looked better or produced more.

Maybe you, too, should consider resurrecting an idea whose time has come again. Long live the rain barrel!

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Cliff 2/11/2008 1:33:51 PM

    I've got a 110 gallon tandem do-it-yourself system from
    www.rainreserve.com for a reasonable price. I too found used food
    grade barrels and installed mine using the installation
    instructions in the kit in just 30 minutes. Their "eco-friendly"
    (i.e. parts made from recycled plastic) closed system eliminates
    mosquitoes without using chemicals and come winter, I just
    disconnected the barrel and the entire downspout is intact
    maintaining the integrity of my homes water management system.
    These guys have thought of it all. The other cool thing is that the
    proceeds go to support a great organization!

  • Sue 2/10/2008 9:32:59 AM

    I made my rain barrel from a kit I purchased at
    www.Aquabarrel.com. The design is very well thought out and the
    finished product really works. I would not use a plastic trash can
    b/c they may contain chemicals that leach into the stored water
    (anti-bacterial lining?). I found a used food grade barrel on
    Craigslist for $20. I didn't have to get guppies b/c the the design
    from www.aquabarrel.com is a fairly well closed system - besides my
    cats would probably figure out how to scarf them down once we
    brought them inside ;-) On the topic of running 4" landscape pipe
    to the bushes. I got tired of looking at all the ugly black pipe
    snaking around the house - plus I had erosion at the end of the
    tube. Once again I found the solution to the problem at
    www.aquabarrel.com - It's called the DrainBox. Pretty clever idea
    for a way to terminate buried 4" landscape pipe and minimize the
    erosion at the end of the pipe.

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.