Set up a rain barrel
An hour · Some tools · 6 steps
Catch free rainwater from your roof for the garden.
Fig. A rain barrel beside the house, cut away to show the water.
- Gutter
- Downspout
- Diverter, a little above the barrel's inlet: it fills the barrel, then sends rain on down
- Hose from the diverter to the barrel
- Screened lid keeps out mosquitoes and leaves
- Spigot, high enough for a watering can
- Cinder blocks: level, and solid enough for 400 pounds
- When the barrel is full, rain goes on down the downspout and out onto the splash block
What you'll need
- Rain barrel with a spigotSee it on Amazon: Rain barrel with a spigot (opens a new tab)
Collects rain from a downspout for free, soft water. Look for a screened top to keep mosquitoes out.
- Downspout diverter kitSee it on Amazon: Downspout diverter kit (opens a new tab)
Sends rain into the barrel until it's full, then back down the downspout, so it never overflows at the house.
- Watering wandSee it on Amazon: Watering wand (opens a new tab)
A long reach and a gentle shower let you water the soil at the base of plants without bending or blasting seeds away.
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You'll also need
- Cinder blocks or a sturdy stand, to raise the barrel
- A hacksaw, to cut the downspout
- A level
Steps
- Check your local rules first: a few places limit collecting rainwater.
- Pick a downspout close to the garden. Set two or three cinder blocks on level ground beside it. Raising the barrel gives more water pressure and room for a watering can under the spigot.
- Set the barrel on the blocks and check that it's level. A full barrel weighs over 400 pounds, so the base must be solid.
- Fit the diverter a little above the barrel's inlet, following its directions, so water runs downhill into the barrel. Cut the downspout at that height.
- Connect the diverter's hose to the barrel. When the barrel is full, rain flows back down the downspout.
- Make sure the lid or screen is on tight, to keep out mosquitoes, leaves, and children.
Tips
- An inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof is about 600 gallons. Barrels fill fast, so you can link two together.
- Use rainwater on the soil, not on leafy greens you're about to eat.
- Empty the barrel and open the spigot before the first hard freeze.
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