4th of July With Rain Barrels

The e-mail cover letter:  I saw the first monarch butterfly on milkweed yesterday. Happy 4th of July!

Yes, it is supposed to rain during the evening of the 4th of July and into Wednesday. As the farmers know, and I know with my gardens, it is a fine thing to have rain.

I have used rain barrels for my water for twenty-plus years, but there comes a time when there is not enough. So I fill the rain barrel with water that comes from the tap just to get warm water — water needs to be room temperature. Ice-cold water is not advisable as it may shock the roots.

Rain Barrels

Water caught from our house’s rain gutters into barrels is relatively clean and chemical-free. Years ago, our ancestors harvested rain water for household use by collecting it into large stone cisterns or holding areas in their basements. Water was then pumped for use by a hand pump, although it typically wasn’t used for drinking water.

Today, the practice of rain-harvesting has pretty much been forgotten, and in its place is a modern infrastructure to transport water to urban and suburban locations. But rain barrels still have their place. You can make a rain barrel or buy one. Ready-made rain barrels are available at local hardware stores, garden centers, and on the Internet. You can find a “how-to” article on the Internet and try to construct one on your own.

Typically, rainwater that goes into our community storm-sewer systems goes directly to our lakes and rivers. By using rain barrels, we help protect the environment by reducing storm-water runoff that would otherwise cause erosion and carry pollutants into our lakes and streams. Along with providing a free source of water for watering your garden and other plants, for washing cars, cleaning windows, or for bathing water for the birds — it’s a win-win situation.

Home-water management is easy and fun to do using rain barrels.

   Send article as PDF