I had a great time yesterday afternoon when the sun was out and it almost felt hot in my house. I went outside and took the garden hose attached to my rain barrel to the front of the house to care for my new garden. We had added a number of new plants for a Mother’s Day activity (I always make my kids do something with me they’d not usually do!) and we even have a section with a tomato plant, some cukes and peppers.
I don’t have my barrel raised on a platform (note to self: do it next time it is empty) so I was worried about pressure. Also, my hose is extremely long and I was concerned about the water getting through it all. When I opened the spigot and removed the hose kinks, I was surprised at the flow of soft rain water!
I filled up a watering can and set the hose down beside my new baby fig tree. While the hose watered the tree, I went to work on the new plants that were looking thirsty.
It took me about 30 minutes to get everything I wanted watered. And the rain barrel was left half full. I was “exercising” with all that bending over and reaching. And my garden is happy. All in all, a satisfying experience.
I help sell thousands of barrels each year but have only owned mine for a year so far. The first couple of times I used it, I left the spigot open and drained the whole thing! It wasn’t so bad when it was at a new shrub that needed care but I sure felt silly when it drained itself right beside itself!!
It’s obviously a learning process and I’m soon able to consider myself leaving the neophyte stage.
Take a chance on a rain barrel – good for you, good for your plants – and your garden will be happy!