In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

David Hare-Scott wrote:
Jeff Thies wrote:
I'm a small gardener and I've heard anecdotal evidence about using
rain water rather than tap (city) water. If nothing else it would be
free of chlorine.

I've found a source for free rain barrels (55 gallon plastic drums),
so I'm thinking about this. Other than hand watering, I'm unsure how
you would get this to work. Last year, with help from these groups, I
put in a drip irrigation system. I don't want to go back.

It looks like each foot of water height yields .43 psi and the pc
emitters need about 10psi, so that is about 25' of height to get this
to work gravity fed. That is impractical for me and probably for most
people. Seems like it would have to be pumped.

Anyone using rain water for other than spot watering? Is it worth
it?
Jeff

You are going to waste your time with little drums like that if your
garden is more than a few pot plants. They hold too little and as you
have already worked out getting the water out of them to the garden is a
problem. If you really want to use rainwater and don't want to make
your life's work scurrying back and forth with buckets you should be
collecting in a tank at least 1,000 litres and 10,000 l would be better
and you need a pump.

Well, I was thinking of using several chained (and as a supplement) but
even 6 isn't 1000 liters.

Where I live, Atlanta, we've had watering restrictions. Food gardens are
now exempt and I believe most restrictions have been lifted. Rain
barrels are still sold everywhere, not that I could ever figure out how
much good 7 CF of water would be spread out over a week or two!

I'll give up the idea. The idea of getting rid of the chlorine, etc..
is what made it "attractive".

Jeff

David

Fish tank water is good to. Already has some nitrogen in it, and no
chlorine.

I tried not filtering my small pond (~2 or 3 thousand gal I guess)
water last year. Instead I vacuum out 40 gals a week or so and replace
with fresh water from a well. Old water goes to favorite plants.
Sometimes I just bucket some out and do the same. The pond filter was
getting to be a bit labor intensive and dirty/scuming/disgusting/mucking
etc.

Works for me but I'd not feed indoor plants inside just when out for
summer break. Fish seem happly with just plants and a small bubbler
along with a horse heater in winter.

--
Bill Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA