Rain water farming
Why use tap water to water plants? Don't let all that rain water go to waste!
In an effort to reduce water usage and save some money I put together these rain barrels. I'll be using them to water the garden and the chickens.
Materials
Click here to look at the full list on Walmart.
- Spigot: $16.99
- Bulkhead fitting for overflow: $9.95
- Trash barrel: $19.97 (don't forget the lid!)
- Window screen: $32.99 (I already had this laying around)
You'll need some duct tape too
Step 1: Drill holes in the cover. I went for a bunch of small holes instead of one large hole. I figure using small holes is better because even though we'll be covering the holes with window screen, it's harder for bugs to fit into small holes, right?
Step 2: Cover holes with the window screen and tape the screen down. This will help keep away mosquitoes and help keep the water a bit cleaner. Don't skip this step unless you and your neighbors love west nile virus.
Step 3: Make a hole for the spigot at the bottom of the barrel. Put it low so gravity does it's thing, and in a place where you'll be able to hook up a garden hose.
Step 4: Make a hole for the water overflow. This should be somewhere near the top, for reasons. Point this at another barrel or away from your house.
Step 5: Put the lid on upside-down. Don't do it right-side-up, or you won't be able to collect water.
Step 6: Drill even more holes and zip-tie the lid down.