Today was a beautiful day to set up the rain barrels. Each rain barrel holds about 60 gallons of water. They collect most of the runoff from both sides of the shop roof so we put one on each far corner.
Bert stores the barrels in the shop in the winter. If water froze in the barrels they would crack so we don’t use them during the winter months.
Below you can see Bert has removed the bottom section of the spouting that runs out into the yard. The concrete slab is the base for the barrel. The post just behind it will be used to tie the barrel down…if the barrel is empty the wind can just blow it away!
The he adds a shorter extension up high that will funnel the water into the barrel. He said he had to add a little piece on the end to slow down the runoff so it goes into the barrel. Otherwise, it zooms straight past the lid of the barrel!
Here’s a close up of the extension. The small piece on the bottom edge is a flap that seems to do the job of slowing down the water.
Then there is a piece of screen that came with the barrel that is held down by the lid. This filters out big stuff like pine needles and bugs.
Then the lid (with holes in it) is screwed on to the barrel.
Finally, Bert ties a rope around the barrel and to the stake so it doesn’t blow away when empty.
He stores the spouting until fall.
This barrel is ready for rain!
On the other corner of the shop the steps are the same. Here’s the logo printed on the barrels.
Finally, when the barrels are full, he will attach a hose and use this little pump to get the water up the hill to the larger storage barrel. It holds about 360 gallons of water. Then we use that to water the garden.
Seems complicated, but we’re not hauling water to the garden and the plants seem to like the natural rainwater!
I’ll share more about the process of pumping the water when we do that. First…it has to RAIN!
Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net. Enjoy!
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Ah ha! This is the topic I have been waiting for! And I have a few questions for the experts “outstanding in their field.” What happens with the overflow? My barrel has a overflow hole to supposedly attach a hose, but I haven’t found a hose yet that fits (I won the barrel in a fundraiser, and it is modified from some other purpose). There is also a small intake opening (about 2inches in diameter) on the top (there is no lid) to which I have to figure out how to connect the tin gutter …I was looking for flexible stretch hosing but again, not much I can find a Home Depot. Any ideas?
Bert’s advice…get a different rain barrel! Probably not what you wanted to hear. Since the whole top of our rain barrel has holes in it, we don’t have an overflow problem until the barrel is full. Then it just goes over the top and runs down the side of the barrel I guess. By being able to pump the water out to the larger barrel by the garden we capture most of the rain. All it takes is less than 1/2″ of rain on the shop roof and both barrels are full. It sounds like your barrel would require some adaptations to make it work. If you haven’t figured it out in the next few weeks, maybe you can arrange to bring it here the next time you come to town and Bert can give you specific ideas. Check out the Great American Rain Barrel Company online…that’s where he got ours.
Correct, not the advice I was looking for! I’m going to do more snooping around different hardware stores for tubing…might look like Frankenstein by the time I’m done. They make it look so easy on YouTube!
I absolutely love the DIY’s you are posting!!! I always wanted to learn how to use rain barrels. Now I just have to pray for rain here in the California drought.
Keep posting these great and informative pieces!
Love you, Cindy
I wish I could send some rain your way. We are short also but it shouldn’t last too long! I’d love to know how your farmette is doing and your plans for the near future. Stay in touch!