I installed a rain barrel this weekend after many years of procrastination. I’m not sure why I hesitated, other than I thought it would be difficult to install the downspout adapter and that it would always get clogged with debris. Well, from start to finish, this took me maybe an hour and a half.

How to choose the right barrel

There are a few options for rain barrels out there, and I chose a 58-gallon rain barrel from Fiskars because it blended nicely with the color of the brick on my house. It came with a basic diverter. However, I chose to order the DiverterPro™ Rainwater Diverter from Fiskars as it had a way to clean out debris. It was another $30 to $40, but I think it was worth it for me. (since installing, I had to change the faucet with a metal spigot, which has lasted much better).

I raised my barrel off the ground, so the spout was up high enough to put a small watering can under it. Plus, it gave me a level base. You can buy a base to put under it, but I didn’t want to spend that much. The directions that came with the diverter were difficult to follow, but once I figured it out, the process went quickly.

The day after I installed this, we had a full day of rain. I now have a full barrel and actually considering another one that I can put on the other side of the downspout and one for the backyard.

A great way to water containers

In the heat of the summer and with the dry spells we’ve had the past few years, I think this will be a great way to harvest rain and use it in my containers and other beds where some of the plants need a little extra water. I wouldn’t recommend using the water on the vegetable garden as it could contain animal waste, debris from shingles, and more. I also add a cup of activated charcoal to the rain barrel at the beginning of the season. This keeps the water smelling good, and it doesn’t get funky. You can get this at pet stores or Walmart, too. Any store that sells aquarium supplies should have it.

I live in zone 5, where it freezes, so at the end of the season, I make sure to empty the barrel, so it doesn’t become a big block of ice.

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