

[Photo by Becky Striepe]

So your garden’s all planted, and your rows are marked. Maybe you’ve got some upside-down tomatoes going, and your compost bin is chugging right along. You’ve probably got quite a few thirsty plants to take care of!

Rainwater collection is controversial in certain parts of the U.S.. If rainwater harvesting is allowed in your area, though, it’s a great way to water your garden without drawing from the municipal water supply!

Store bought rain barrels can run you upwards of $100. Instead of dropping a ton of cash at the garden center, though, you can make your very own! Some restaurants will even give you their used 55 gallon food grade containers for free, which are perfect for making a rain barrel. Ask around…you might just be surprised!

Here’s a great video from HGTV on how to build your own rain barrel, complete with a spigot:



[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/MGFDlkJOdaM&hl=en&fs=1&]

Those cinder blocks they’re talking about are no joke. Gravity is your friend, and it makes a big difference in terms of water pressure! When we first installed our rain barrels, they weren’t up on blocks, and we had practically zero water coming out of the hose. Those things are a hassle to move once they’re installed, I promise, especially if you’ve moved your gutter’s downspout to accommodate the barrel.

If you can’t find a bucket with a top like they have in the video, no problem! Just get a piece of screen that’s large enough to fit over the top of your barrel and secure it with a gigantic rubber band, like this:



[Photo by Becky Striepe]

So here is my question for you guys:

Do you have a rain barrel that you’ve decorated? Plain white or blue is fine, but our barrels sort of stand out in our garden, you know? I’ve thought about planting some bushes in front of them, but it might be nice to incorporate the barrels rather than try to hide them. What do you think?