Start a rain water collection container.?

Question

When I was growing up my grandfather used to collect the rain water from the downspout and use it to water his garden. I remember he had some sort of top on it to avoid mosquitos.

I would like to try this but need help getting started, I don't have a large piece of property so I need something small in size and that won't produce any sort of odors, etc. Is there an in-expensive system I can buy or how do I make one myself?

Answer 1

Take a trash can. Saw a hole in the top of it just small enough that you could fit your spout into it. And so you don't get any mosquitoes. Buy a spigot and drill and hole in the bottom just big enough for it to fit. That will contral the water flow to the plants. Next you buy some pipe small enough to fit into the spigot. That pipe can run to your plants.

Answer 2

I use 50 gal.barrel. Some web site I found a water bag

or blater, when I find it back I will post it. Now for the mosquitos I use Olive oil or cooking oil

Answer 3

I am wanting to do this for my garden this summer too, so I've been looking into it. Some internet sites about this suggest you contact a local soft drink facility and can sometimes get discounted 55 gal barrels from them (like around $5). They might also have 35 gal if you're looking for something smaller. Unfortunately none in my area do, but a malt factory nearby said they might have some for me. Also I've heard to check car washes, but you'd have to clean out all the soap. Of course you can always buy (or get one through Freecycle?) a trash can as well. You just want to be sure to get a barrel that wasn't used for chemicals (food grade).

I also hear folks say that you can put a couple goldfish in the barrel and that will help control mosquitos. But you'll want to feed them fish food too.

Here are a couple of webpages that I am finding useful:

Create a Rain Barrel from a Trash Can

http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/server.p...

Make your own Rain Barrel

http://www.cityofbremerton.com/content/s...

Answer 4

http://www.realgoods.com/p2p/searchResul...

http://www9.mailordercentral.com/cumberl...

http://beprepared.com/search.asp?t=ss&ss...

http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articl...

http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articl...

Answer 5

See if this helps