Over 40% of annual municipal water usage is used outside the home to water our plants and lawns while we also drain most of our free rainwater away. Sound crazy? Instead let’s harvest that free rainwater from our downspouts to use on a sunny day.
This hands-on workshop provides all the tools and supplies to build your very own rain barrel. Join us for a fun hour of learning, building, teamwork, and laughs. Several workshops are held each year from April to June. The cost is $45. Contact us to register or be added to our wait list.
Mosquitoes need 7 days of standing water to complete their life cycle, so yes, this can be a problem if not managed properly. There are several ways of dealing with mosquitoes – chemical means (“dunks” or something similar), biological means with goldfish (make sure the barrel is not in full sun), or physical means with vegetable/seed oil (suffocates larvae) or mild dish soap (breaks the surface tension so adults drown before they lay eggs). Make sure you repeat this every time there is a storm when your barrel overflows.
Yes! To paint your rain barrel, thoroughly clean the outside of the barrel and wipe down with alcohol. Then apply a minimum of 2 coats of made-for-plastic primer. Once dry, you can use acrylic or house paint to create your masterpiece.