Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Collecting Water
Collecting Water
Increasingly, water is valued as a precious resource, so it makes sense to collect, conserve, and recycle water in any way possible. A rain butt collects rainwater via the downspout that channels rain from the gutter into the drain or soakaway. With an average-sized roof, you should be able to install several butts at strategic points around the exterior of the house. Even a garage, shed, or greenhouse with a pitched roof yields a useful amount of rainwater.
Keeping a lid on a butt is important to stop small animals-not to mention children-from falling in. It also deters mosquitos from breeding in the water (the larval stage in their life cycle takes place underwater). In addition, a lid prevents leaves and twigs from falling into the butt and clogging up the tap and your watering can. For the same reasons, it is worth a homemade filter for the downpipe from a square of muslim or fine mylon-a pair of old pantyhose will do.
Recycling household water
Water butts can also be used to store domestic waste water that would otherwise go down the drain. Bath water is ideal, provided you keep soap and bubble bath to a minimum. If you have an upstairs bathroom, a diverter-a short length of pipe-is easily inserted into the bathroom waste-water pipe to transfer bath water to the water butt. It has the advantage of being detachable, so that you can remove it in winter when demand for water in the garden is minimal. For a downstairs bathroom, try siphoning off the water with a length of hose looped through the window.
Watering cans
The plastic versus metal debate comes into considerstaion again when choosing a watering can. There's no doubt that plastic is lighter and easier to carry, but it doesn't age well and will split and crack when subjected to extremes of temperature. Galvanized metal, on the other hand, gains character as the years go by, becoming as treasured as a favorite pair of boots or a battered old hat.
Never leave metal watering cans outside in winter. Any rain that collects inside will freeze on a frosty night and the expanding ice will buckle the base, make the can wobbly and virtually unusable.
The most useful size of watering can is about 2 gallons. A watering can with a detachable rose is best-provided you are rigorous about returning it to the same shelf in the shed after use.
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