Rain Barrels

 

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The water on Earth now is the same water that supported the dinosaurs hundreds of millions of years ago. However, our available fresh water supply, which is only .0007% of the total water on Earth, is increasingly at risk as it becoming polluted and overused. By collecting rain water, we are able to reuse this water for activities like watering our lawns and gardens without increasing the strain on the fresh water pool.

 

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 How To Use A Rain Barrel  

 

1.   Pick a barrel that fits your needs. They vary in capacity & design, but most can be placed directly under your home's downspout.

2.   Measure your barrel and decide where to cut your downspout. Once cut, place the elbow back on the downspout to ensure the rain will reach the barrel. Here's a helpful video!

3.   Attach a hose to the barrel's spigot when you are ready to use some of the water.

4.   Clean the screen (which prevents mosquitos and other debris from getting inside) often.

 

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Rain Gardens: A Lovely Way to Manage Stormwater Runoff

 

 

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Increasing green space in urban areas is a way to combat the issue of stormwater runoff. This can be done through the inclusion of rain gardens into homes and businesses. The structure of the garden causes rain water to flow into the area where the native plants will absorb excess water as well as remove many pollutants.

 

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Interested in creating your own rain garden? Here’s a few steps to get started:

1.   Find the ideal location. This should be an area that encounters a large amount of water during rain. Many rain gardens are located near a building’s drain pipe or driveway. Keep in mind that these plants need moderate to high levels of sunlight. You may want to keep the garden 10 feet from the home to prevent flooding inside.

 

2.   Determine drainage area: if you are using a pre-existing low spot in your yard, don’t worry about this step. However, if you are creating a site specific garden, consider the amount of water that will drain into the area and use this as a reference. For example if the roof is 40 * 60 feet large, your garden should be 20-50% of this size depending on the soil composition.

 

3.   Choose your plants. In Roanoke, try a variety of wildflowers, swamp milkweed, Maidenhair Fern, Indigo bush, and Inkberry. These are all tolerant of wet soil but can handle a dry spell as well. Rainscaping.org has a huge list of native plants that are great for rain gardens. Take a look at this before choosing the plants for you garden. Also, talk to local gardeners. They may have knowledge not found online or in a book.

 

4.   Dig out the depression. It should be 6-8 inches deep. Mix compost in with the soil.

 

5.   Plant whatever beautiful native plants you have determined to fit your needs.

 

6.   Mulch the garden. You can even use shredded leaves from last fall.

 

7.   Arrange the downspouts to drain towards the garden, if necessary.

 

8.   Enjoy your beautifully landscaped yard and be proud of your efforts to reduce stormwater runoff!

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