Making the Most of a Rainy Day

Get a rain barrel:

    *Install the rain barrel at least six feet from your house. Locating it near an area you’ll be watering the        most makes for convenient use later

    *Ensure that your rain barrel has an overflow at least as large as your inflow-for example, if you have         rigged it so that water is collected directly from your eaves’ trough downspout, your overflow valve         should be as large as your downspout as well. This will allow your rain barrel to get rid of excess water      as fast as it collects it, which might be necessary if you live in a city with crazy, unpredictable weather        like my brother does.

    *If you are using the rain barrel to water your garden, consider using a soaker hose. You can attach the         hose to the rain barrel and then run it through your garden so that it covers the area you’d like. Now,         every time you see a rain cloud, you’ll get really excited!

Making the Most of a Rainy Day

Get a rain barrel:

• Install the rain barrel at least six feet from your house. Locating it near an area you’ll be watering the most makes for convenient use later
• Ensure that your rain barrel has an overflow at least as large as your inflow-for example, if you have rigged it so that water is collected directly from your eaves’ trough downspout, your overflow valve should be as large as your downspout as well. This will allow your rain barrel to get rid of excess water as fast as it collects it, which might be necessary if you live in a city with crazy, unpredictable weather like my brother does.
• If you are using the rain barrel to water your garden, consider using a soaker hose. You can attach the hose to the rain barrel and then run it through your garden so that it covers the area you’d like. Now, every time you see a rain cloud, you’ll get really excited!

Keep Your Garden Green

• Plant some bamboo. Bamboo contributes to the balancing of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Don’t use a leaf blower. The horrible noise is reason enough to avoid these machines. Compost instead, and never burn leaves!
• Plant a garden using xeriscaping-no water needed. Find out more at ecolife.com/garden/natural-lawn/xeriscaping.html.
• Capture rainwater for gardens.
• Fertilize with grass clippings.
• When watering your garden, turn on the water early in the morning to minimize evaporation.
• Try not to fertilize before a storm to avoid the fertilizer being washed away.

Show Your Love for the Planet By Getting a Rain Barrel

It is raining here in Northern California today and my garden and I are excited about it!

Consider getting rain barrel and your plants will thank you for it many times over:

• Install the rain barrel at least six feet from your house. Locating it near the area you’ll be watering the most makes for convenient use later.

• Ensure that your rain barrel has an overflow at least as large as your inflow—for example, if you have rigged it so that water is collected directly from your eaves’ trough downspout, your overflow valve should be as large as your downspout as well. This will allow your barrel to get rid of excess water as fast as it collects it, which might be necessary if you live in a city with crazy, unpredictable weather like my brother does.

• If you are using the rain barrel to water your garden, consider using a soaker hose. You can attach the hose to the rain barrel and then run it through your garden so that it covers the area you’d like.  Now, every time you see a rain cloud, you’ll get really excited!

Making the Most of a Rainy Day

It's about to rain here today so I am excited to have a thirsty rain barrel at the ready:

• Install the rain barrel at least six feet from your house. Locating it near the area you’ll be watering the most makes for convenient use later.

• Ensure that your rain barrel has an overflow at least as large as your inflow—for example, if you have rigged it so that water is collected directly from your eaves’ trough downspout, your overflow valve should be as large as your downspout as well. This will allow your barrel to get rid of excess water as fast as it collects it, which might be necessary if you live in a city with crazy, unpredictable weather like my brother does.

• If you are using the rain barrel to water your garden, consider using a soaker hose. You can attach the hose to the rain barrel and then run it through your garden so that it covers the area you’d like. 

Now, every time you see a rain cloud, you’ll get really excited!