A rain barrel is a small reservoir that collects and stores rainwater for later use. Adding one or two rain barrels to your garden can be beneficial for your plants and your wallet. This may be a cheap and useful decision for your plants especially in dry regions where drought is common.
Why is it so? Here are 3 reasons to put a rain barrel in your garden yard.
Natural rainwater is full of oxygen and nutrients. Collected from roofs, rainwater doesn’t have the chlorine, ammonia, and other chemicals that tap water has, which can hide in the soil over time. Rainwater dilutes these chemicals effects, making plants healthier and more drought tolerant. Rainwater also contains good bacteria and microorganisms that are essential for maintaining plant health.
Watering trees and seedlings cost a lot of money. In dry climates and during the summer, we can use 2-4 times more water. During the growing season, the “water catch” of a rain barrel can save 5 tons of fresh and free resources. Irrigation with it can reduce water consumption by 30% or more.
Two centimeters of rainfall on the roof, measuring 90 square meters, gives more than 2 tons of water. Even in dry areas with light rain, a rain keg can be filled. This will reduce the overall water consumption.
Rainwater has many uses besides irrigation. It’s free of the salt and chemicals found in tap water, making it ideal for washing your car or filling your birdbath (birds love fresh rainwater). Moreover, it can be a nice decoration for your garden.
So, now you know that rain barrels are a nice and practical decision of many garden problems. And what do you think?