Thursday, May 14, 2009

Rain Barrels



This is our array of rain barrels. They are 35 gallon food grade plastic barrels and have been plumbed together so one catches water and the other four serve to hold overflow.

Curtis designed it so I am able to open each barrel individually. Our reasoning was that I could start to water an area, and if I forget and leave the hose running, it will be limited to just one barrel (or however many I choose). This also gives us a very clear idea of how much water each area of the garden receives when we water.

The gutters that feed to the barrels are about 30 feet long, but I have been amazed at how quickly these barrels fill when it rains. With even a moderate rainfall, the barrels can fill in just a few minutes.

The barrels are raised off the ground to allow for enough water pressure to use a soaker hose.

No comments:

Post a Comment