Why Pay to Water Your Lawn

I live in a VERY dry area. You think it never rains in Southern California....try living in Waikoloa. Today though, is a great day, lots of rain falling, and I'm happy to not have to water my plants for a day...maybe two.

Days like this I wish I had a rain barrel. Most people think I'm silly wanting to put a rain barrel up when it rarely rains here. My thought is that when it does, I can harvest the rain and have a few days where I can use free water for my yard.

Consider this...less than a half an inch can easily fill up a 50 gallon rain barrel. A rain barrel can save approximately 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months.

So, what is a rain barrel? Its an easy attachment that you can either buy or DIY which attaches to your gutters. When it rains, the water runs down the gutter and into your rain barrel. Pretty simple concept. There's a hose attachment at the bottom that you can use to then water your plants.

There are several different styles of barrels, from simple drums to nice looking planters. Its up to you on how you want it styled.

I found a site which will ship for free; you can find rain barrels starting at $136 at Grow and Make. Learn how to make your own rain barrel here.