Happy Earth Day everyone! (And Happy Birthday to Sherry’s little brother, who’s also known as Almost-Doctor-Dan <– warning, very cute baby Clara pics here). In honor of this eco-tastic holiday, we thought we’d share a story about driving down the street and noticing this sign:
We’d been meaning to get a new rain barrel since we left the old one that we made at our first house when we sold it. Of course we would have been happy to make another one, but we had yet to get to that part of our to-do list (and sign up for a local course to get our mitts on a large food safe barrel). So we took that sign as, well, a sign and pulled over to window shop. Not that the place had windows…
We learned that we had happened upon Carolina Mike’s Produce Stand, but he’s still a week or so away from having produce. And although it looks very out-in-the-boonies, it’s actually on a busy suburban street across from a Target (Richmonders, it’s on the corner of Forest Hill Avenue and Cherokee Road in the Stratford Hills area).
Mike was super friendly and told us the tall black barrels (formerly used to transport jalapenos) were $60 and the shorter blue ones (which used to contain soy sauce) were $40 – even though both were 55 gallons. Coincidentally, $40 was exactly what we spent to make our last rain barrel (through a local class) so we took the easy route and tossed one of the $40 ready-made barrels into the backseat. That is, after I took a trip home to drop off Clara and Sherry to make room for my new blue best friend.
The barrel actually sat unused in our carport for a week-ish while we debated where to put it. But we finally decided that he’d be most helpful near the small fenced garden area behind our carport / next to our sunroom. And yes, I realize this would make more sense had I already written an outdoor tour post for you guys (I promise that’s around the corner – the pics are taken and uploaded, just not yet edited).
This area currently acts primarily as Burger’s restroom, but we’re soon hoping to de-liriope most of it (aka: dig up that floppy grass) and trade that thin brick pathway for a nice big stone patio on this side of the house (since it’s accessible from a sliding door in the living room). But we still plan to leave plenty of plant beds that will need watering around the perimeter of our DIY patio, so that downspout next to the brick half-wall (which is actually the back of the carport) was calling our rain barrel’s name.
First I made sure we could fit a watering can under the faucet (aka “hose bib”) which meant I wouldn’t need to raise the barrel on blocks or anything. Though if I had made the barrel from scratch, I probably would’ve put the hose bib in a bit lower so I could use all of the water in the barrel – not just what collects above faucet level. The good news is that our last barrel has a spigot in around the same spot and we didn’t have any issues with smell or algae from the water that collected below the spigot after years of use (we can always tip the barrel forward to fully drain it).
Anyway, once I leveled the ground where the barrel would sit and figured out where my downspout would need to end, I got out a small hacksaw and began cutting away.
You can see a more thorough breakdown of this process on our original “How To Build A Rain Barrel” post. But basically I squeezed the curved spout back in place after putting down the hacksaw, slid the barrel underneath it, and called it a day. Voila! Infinite rain collecting potential:
We’re still waiting for an actual rainstorm to put Ol’ Blue to good use, but it does feel good to be back in the rain barrel club again. Even if our new barrel is so bright that it doesn’t exactly blend quietly into the landscape.
Once we begin to more formally tackle this area we might take a paintbrush to it (brick red perhaps?) to help camouflage it a bit better (like we did to our utility boxes and propane tank here). Heck, maybe we’ll even plant a few things around it to further obscure it. ‘Til then, we’ll just consider it our not-so-subtle way of celebrating Earth Day.
Is anyone else in the rain barrel club after a lapse in membership like us? Or do you have big patio plans on the agenda? Every day Sherry taps me on the shoulder and says “Wanna go dig up some liriope? Come on you know you want to.” Sheesh. It’s like the adult version of “are we there yet?” Can’t a husband bask in the I-built-you-a-12-foot-console-table-glory for a little longer? No? Ok, I guess I have some shoveling to do…
Michelle says
Right when I send the post above about it never raining in Newport Beach, of COURSE it rains today!!! lol
Pamela says
Hey John & Sherry,
Not sure if this would work for your rain barrel setup, but I’ve noticed that some of my neighbors place pretty lattice screens or brick/stone surrounds to hide their trash cans or air conditioning units (or both). I think for a/c units, lattice screens may be better to allow for airflow, but for a rain barrel, perhaps either enclosure could work for ‘ya (spigot opening/being able to tilt the barrel would need to be considered, of course – ha). The nice brick/stone surround that I saw recently is open on 1 side to allow for moving the trash can in & out (I think it also concealed their a/c unit, too)…not sure if the lattice screens that I’ve seen that only hide a/c units had 2 or 3 sides. The height of the surrounds aren’t much taller than the trash cans/air-conditiong units. Anyhoo…best of luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh the idea of lattice with something pretty climbing up it would be fun!
xo,
s
Pamela says
Yes, something pretty climbing up it would be gorgeous, and so natural looking! Lattice/trellis always conjurs up warm, cheerful thoughts (for me anyway, ha) – especially with beautiful greenery/flowers. I’m confident y’all can do it yourself. :)
Lauren says
We are going to install a rain barrel this year! I was wondering, do you have to do anything special in the winter to prevent it from getting damaged? I imagine it is helpful to make sure it is fully drained once the weather gets cold, but do you just leave yours out all year?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we just opened the spigot to drain our barrel each winter and left it out. Seemed to work in the mild-ish Richmond winters (they’re not crazy like the ones we’re used to up north).
xo,
S
Lisa says
You can usually get barrels at Pepsi or Coke bottling facilities (I got mine free there). Search youtube for “Mr. native Texan” and follow his directions. Using a metal spigot on the plastic barrel is not the way to go as it will begin to leak soon. In our area many people sell the 55 gallon barrels for around $15. You can also get smaller barrels at the full service car-washes. If your barrels are white, you’ll want to spray paint them (tape off a strip so you can see the level of the water) or else algae will grow due to the sunlight.
Lisa says
I meant to say, I’ve seen barrels for $15-$20 on Craigslist.
I was going to pay $15 for just the barrel and then decided to call the Coke bottle facility in my area, and happy me, I found out that they give them away! A trip to the hardware store for the PVC fittings and a system of 3 barrels cost me less than $20.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow what a deal! Lucky duck. As for the spigot thing you mentioned, maybe it’s a regional/climate thing. We had a metal one on our old rain barrel and it lasted for years without leaking. It’s also how the county makes them in their program so it seems to work reliably here in VA! There’s some adhesive that you put on before the spigot that keeps it nice and sealed (waterproof silicone caulk if I remember correctly).
xo,
s
Melissa Breau says
So funny! We just spent the weekend installing rain barrels at my grandmother’s house so she can use them to water her garden.
We put in two. We installed them on cement blocks though, so that they’d be a bit higher, making it easier to get a water can under the spout.
Christina says
Do you ever have problems with mosquitoes in your barrel? I don’t want to create a breeding ground! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, there are a few layers of mesh screen to keep them from getting in. Seems to work like a charm (never had issues with our last one and none with this one so far either).
xo,
s
Kelly says
My brother made these as his eagle scout project – they were a huge hit. Good for the earth, good for budget, everyone wins!
Natlaie says
We’ve had a rain barrel for 2 years now and it is great. Quick tip – we attached a 75’watering hose to the spigot (long hose with holes all through it) and buried the hose under a thin layer of mulch. When we want to water the garden we just turn the spigot and let the water flow through the hose. WAY EASIER than using a watering can.
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! A friend of ours does it that way too. So smart!
xo,
s
Katherine says
Just had to share with you the rain barrel I ordered last year from home depot. Blends in much better with the landscaping.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100660637/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh that’s hilarious! Never knew those existed but they must be great for blending in.
xo,
s
Rachael says
Hey!! I was just able to use someone’s recently dug up liriope to make a lovely border on a flowerbed at my house. You’ve probably already thought of this, but liriope, especially healthy, established liriope like yours can make someone else’s world tons easier!! My flowerbed is in a FULL SUN, high heat area, so their (now MY) established plants only needed a small trough dug out to plop the plants into, then just add water!! I’m sure SOMEONE would love to have those plants!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup the updated plan is to craigslist them in a you-dig-it-they’re-yours scenario since so many people have said that would work!
xo,
s
Liz says
I read a post recently where they covered the barrel with some kind of mesh and then trained a flowering vine to go up it, like a clematis and the barrel was hidden. Looked really great.
Jamie B. says
I kind of like the blue. It’s very cheerful! Fits with your new, bold colour scheme. ;) It could look cute with some colourful flowers around it, although I’m not sure what you’d do in the winter …
Tori says
What a great idea. This would be great to water house plants with as well, which seem to need watering often.
Annette says
In Germany, as rainspouts are connected to the wastewater-pipes, you’ll usually add sth. like this to your rainspout.
http://spenglerdirect.de/artikel/spenglereiartikel/klappe.htm
You can open it to divert the water into the bin and then close it once the bin is full, so the water will continue down the drain. Simple, but handy.
As your spouts seem to just go into the grass anyway, your version is a lot easier though.
Nora says
What is it with VA and having affordable rain barrel classes? I really want one for our new house but they are $80+ in MA! I’ve been searching for a workshop but no luck yet. :(
emily says
Sherry is okay with the bright blue color?? Or are there plans to make it blend in a little bit more with the surrounding plantings or perhaps some lattice fencing??
YoungHouseLove says
We’re planning a few things to camouflage it soon (from spray painting the exterior to lattice fencing or tall lush plantings around it). We’ll keep you posted!
xo,
s
Amy says
love this! I’ve wanted rain barrels for a while lately.
My aunt blogs as well and just posted a blog about their rain chains and rain barrel.
http://thehappyheathen.com
Julie says
Hey, Just an FYI, If you live in the 5 boroughs of NYC, They are giving away FREE rain barrels! I picked up mine this weekend in Queens! It comes with a downspout attachment and has an overflow diverter and everything! You can still get one May 7th in the Bronx or Staten Island. Just get there early, We were 2 hours early and the line was LONG. But well worth it!
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/stormwater/rainbarrel.shtml
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Thanks so much for spreading the word Julie!
xo,
s
Kate says
Slightly random, but I just read that Richmond is the 3rd most tattooed city in the nation.
YoungHouseLove says
Really? Who knew? Although it does makes sense because there’s a huge art scene here. Love it!
xo,
s
DawnB says
We just set up our big blue rain barrel. Except my husband is collecting water runoff from our a/c unit and dumping that in our barrel as well. Is that water safe to use on flowers & veggie garden? I am also worried that the paint will not adhere to the plastic rain barrel. We have painted our oil tank to match the house and that has worked well but it is metal. Is there a special kind of exterior paint for plastics?
YoungHouseLove says
I have no idea. Anyone know if it has things like coolant or freon in it? As for spray paint that adheres to plastic, there are certain kinds made for that so just look for the one that says “plastic” on the material list on the exterior. Good luck!
xo,
s
Mai says
Hi John & Sherry,
Call me crazy but I loooove reading your blog and going through your posts. I read this post a while bag, but it wasn’t until recently that I started to seriously consider getting one. We collect rain in buckets during really heavy storms, but the problem with buckets is that they’re a mosquito breeding ground! Especially since they’re out in the open and sometimes we don’t get around to using the collected water. Does that happen with your rain barrel? (Increased amount of mosquitoes near the rain barrel, per-say.)
YoungHouseLove says
They actually are made with one or two layers of mesh at the top so no mosquitoes can get in – it really seems to help (we’ve never had an issue). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jess @ Crunchy Hot Mama says
I just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration on doing a rain barrel. I never would have thought about doing one, but now I have you two to thank. I saw your first post on it but kind of blew it off, thinking I would never do that (just like a composter), but alas I now have both. You guys are so inspiring especially in trying to be green! I wish I could say mine was as fun as John’s experience but it was not. I hope ya’ll had a good Earth Day and got Clara doing something fun :)
Here’s my post: http://crunchyhotmama.com/2013/04/23/earth-day-2013-making-a-rain-barrel/
YoungHouseLove says
Aw I love that! It’s addictive, right?!
xo,
s