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Post by gianna on Feb 12, 2021 14:23:32 GMT -5
It's amazing what comes off a roof. Isn't that the truth! I used to have it calculated how many gallons of run-off came off the roof with each quarter of inch of rain. Amazing indeed. That was when I was working to fill the possible 10,000g storage max here. Unfortunately this was not a built in system, but miscellaneous containers, including a couple above ground 'swimming pools'. Alas there was no efficient way of preventing evaporation long term with those. If I ever were to build a house, I'd have a really good system put in. For my blueberries (about 50 in lrg pots) I now use a 100 gallon stock tank, and a sump pump to water. As soon as I finish watering, I refill the tank to allow the chlorine from the fresh tap water to dissipate. They thankfully don't use chloramine here. But the water fresh from the tap does stink. Our pH is also high, generlly around an 8. For the blueberries, I also acidify the water. I most often use soaker hoses as my main irrigation delivery. The tap water does not seem to harm mature plants. Though after a good rain, they sure look happier. When I am watering my seedlings or other more delicate plants, I prefer to keep a trash can with tap water, lightly acidified, and off-gassed, ....but that just doesnt always happen. Sometimes I have just too many plants. And you have to plan ahead for that. And sometimes the plants just need water, now. This is why I'm going back to collecting rain water. Wish I had started at the beginning of the season, but with one more inch of rain, I think I can collect enough for my current containers. At least enough for seedlings and transplants for the year. I wish collecting rain were a way of life for people here, but it isn't. Just not that many gardeners I guess.
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Post by desertwoman on Feb 12, 2021 15:00:46 GMT -5
gianna, Something I've wanted to do for years is to put in a 2000-5000 gallon underground tank, but have just never coordinated well enough to dig up the yard and put one in. It's probably going to remain a wish but not a reality at this point. So I am content with the 900 or so gallons I collect from the roof runoff with a fair rain.
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Post by emmsmommy on Feb 12, 2021 15:09:49 GMT -5
desertwoman, gianna, I never realized just how fortunate we are to not have to constantly worry about water.
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Post by armjr on Feb 12, 2021 18:10:57 GMT -5
The only issue I have with using rainwater for household use is that along with the water you get whatever was on the roof as well. Even though we have a metal roof, there are still leaves, dust and the residue of anything flying over. It is important to have a good filtration system and purification method... then drink bottled water...
Alan
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Post by gianna on Mar 5, 2021 15:23:37 GMT -5
They are predicting close to an inch of rain for next week. Things can change.. and they usually do that far out... but I'm getting ready. Just cleaned 3 rain/trash cans, with 2 more to go. Also have a couple others now empty from having used the rain water in them. And a number that are still full from the last nice rain. If we do get rain, it takes about a quarter of an inch for the roof to get wet enough to start the flow in the down-spouts. It's been more than a month since the last rain so it will be dirtier than usual. But after it settles, it will still be much better quality than our horrid tap water. This water is only used on outdoor plants and seedlings.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Mar 5, 2021 16:47:08 GMT -5
Our brand-shiny-new front porch is complete with a metal roof. There'll be a handy amount of rainwater off it, and I plan to have it for garden use. The rest of the house has standard shingles, and I prefer not to use runoff from there. It has a considerable amount of oily sheen on it. armjr, agree that debris and residue really are a concern with rooftop collection.
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Post by emmsmommy on May 17, 2021 15:04:39 GMT -5
So I found the old soaker hose that I used for one season several years ago with mixed results. I hooked it to the rain barrel next to the chicken house and it didn't seem as if it worked well being gravity fed. Granted there was only about 1' rise between the bottom of the rain barrel and the ground and there was a 50' water hose between the barrel faucet and the soaker hose, I found the water didn't seem to seep from the hose much at all when compared to attaching it to the faucet. So now I'm planning to use it again but wondering if I'll be wasting my time attempting to attach it to the rain barrel with a bit more rise than previously, or should I just plan on attaching it to the house faucet. I know as the season goes on I won't have enough rain water to go around and will eventually have to rely on using municipal water but I don't want to unless absolutely necessary.
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Post by reuben on May 17, 2021 16:55:43 GMT -5
When I use soaker hoses, which I bury in the ground, every spring I hook each one up to a faucet above ground and run water through them. This helps me identify cracks, breaks, clogs, etc.
THEN I put them in the garden.
When I remember I do the same in the fall as preventive maintenance, clearing out dirt and stuff.
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Post by emmsmommy on May 17, 2021 20:01:46 GMT -5
I did that this morning reuben. You wouldn't believe how much stuff came out of the end of that hose after 10+ years in storage, but it's still supple with no cracks. Are you burying the hoses or just mulching over top of them? I was planning to mulch over mine.
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Post by reuben on May 18, 2021 2:45:48 GMT -5
I usually bury them an inch or two, then mulch.
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Post by reuben on May 18, 2021 9:39:23 GMT -5
I've also found that running water through them for a while in the spring before putting them in the garden not only helps clean stuff out of them, but makes them more pliable and less likely to kink or break when installing. Some of that will depend on the type of soaker hose, though.
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Post by gianna on Dec 14, 2021 10:31:17 GMT -5
We've gotten 3.75 inches of rain the past 24 hours from the current atmospheric river. Very, very, very nice. Places in the coastal range got just over 7 inches. (3,000 ft) Hope some of that made it into the local reservoirs. So thus far this season we've gotten about 6 inches total! I've managed to collect some of it (ca 500 gal), and directed lots into the garden for deep watering. I've almost filled the concrete spa/fish pond, the 100 gal stock tank, and 6 sturdy, 32g trash cans. I was going to fill more containers with first light this morning, but seem to have set up a siphon from the large collection container (92 gallon recycling container placed below a downspout). Before bed last night I directed the sump pump hose into the front garden, let it run awhile, then turned it off... inadvertently setting up the siphon. This morning the 92 gal vessel was empty and must have been functioning all night. Actually I'm glad that happened. Not only because no run-off water was wasted, but now I know I can do that in the future, on purpose. Not only on that downspout, but another. ........ ........
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Post by gianna on Mar 28, 2022 10:39:06 GMT -5
3 1/2 months later, the next rain came. 1.2 inch thus far, and likely close to over. It was supposed to rain all day, but because our rains can't be trusted - they often drift or just dissolve before they get here - I was out pre-dawn refilling the rainwater barrels, re-directing water and downspouts.
Glad I did that since the main rain seems over. I do not have an automated system, but I'm pleased to say I totally filled the barrels I had used since mid Dec, plus the tiny pond and 100 gallon stock tank. Water collected is about 500 gallons, plus the saved water that had not been used yet. Plus diverted some flow to the main garden to recharge the soil. I could have done more diverting, but it was still dark. No need to be perfect.
Then I came in and got dry and warm. I had been hoping for a topping-off event like this before the dry summer, but feared it was not going to happen. Now I can germinate even more seeds without worry of having to use our abysmal tap water on them, and risking their health. It's been a good morning.
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Post by gianna on Apr 21, 2022 20:24:54 GMT -5
Almost a month later, we are expecting a wee bit of rain tonight. In just the past couple hours, they've upped the prediction from 1/4 inch to 1/3 inch. Looks like just one band coming through, if it does. It takes about 1/4 inch to get the roof wet, and the downspouts flowing, so who knows if there will be enough rain for any collection. Since the last rain, I used about 3 barrels of water for seedlings, etc, so about one per week. Watering plants only, no human consumption. I have a lot of seedlings right now so over the summer there should be less need. I did move some water and sump pumps around this afternoon, and 2 of the 4 downspouts are ready to refill 'spent' barrels. Most of the rain is supposed to be in the middle of the night.
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