Gardeners Looking To Capture and Harvest Rainwater in Backyard

Being able to capture and harvest rainwater in your backyard is becoming more and more popular with gardeners and people who want to help the environment and supplement mains water supplies.

Benefits of the Capture and Harvest Rainwater in Your Backyard

Rainwater harvesting can help reduce your water bills. It can also help with the management of run-off.
Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of heavy precipitation, which could reduce the risk of local flood. This could benefit planning applications.

The roof is typically the primary collection system for rainwater. This is because it is the easiest to install and maintain.
Roofs are not as clean as ground level surfaces, so they can be easily removed. Also, they are less likely to become contaminated than ground level.

The water is then collected from the storage vessel and sent to the designated points of use. A secondary header tank is then used to supply the additional gravity-fed water.

How to Capture and Harvest Rainwater in Your Backyard?

Rainwater harvesting is a simple and relatively inexpensive idea that can have long reaching positive effects on the environment. If you have a yard free of trees and shrubs and a house with a roof that is mostly free of trees, you have a great chance of harvesting rainwater for your own use. However, as long as you have a roof, you have the potential to harvest rainwater.

Here’s what you can do to capture and harvest rainwater in your backyard.

Water Container

The first step involves choosing the container you will use for water storage.

You have two main choices. The first is to store water in your property. This means setting up a tank. The second option is to store the water in someone else’s property. This means setting up a tank and a system for transporting the water from the roof to the tank.

It is worth noting that you can store water in your property using a tank or you can store water in someone else’s property using a tank. The choice is yours.

Of course the choice will probably depend on where you live, the size of your property and your budget.

Water Tank

If you want to store water in your property, the most popular option is to use a rainwater tank.

You can buy a pre-made tank or you can build your own.

There are a few things you need to consider when choosing a tank.

Rainwater Tank Size

The first thing you need to consider is the size of your tank. When choosing the capacity of your tank, you need to consider the following:

• How much water you are likely to need
• The supply of water you will get from a particular storm

The capacity of your tank is determined by the smallest of the above two numbers.

For example, if your tank can store 300 litres, and a storm is expected to provide you with 200 litres, you should only fill the tank until it reaches 300 litres. You cannot store more water than the tank can hold.

If you are harvesting rainwater for more than just use in your garden then the capacity of the tank is also determined by the number of people living in your household. For every person in your household, you need to add 100 litres of water.

The following table shows the tank capacity you need based on the number of people in your household.

Number of people in your household Tank Capacity (litres) 1 100 2 150 3 200 4 250 5 300 6 350 7 400 8 450 9 500 10 550

Rainwater Tank Shape

The second thing you need to consider when choosing a tank is the shape of the tank. The most common tank shapes are round and rectangular. Round tanks are usually cheaper than rectangular ones and they also have a smaller footprint. Rectangular tanks are usually more expensive than round ones and they also have a larger footprint.

In addition another factor to consider is how easy it will be to install the tank.

Rainwater Tank Material

The third thing you need to consider when choosing a tank is the material. There are two main options: plastic and fibreglass. Both plastic and fibreglass tanks have advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantage of using plastic is that it is cheaper than fibreglass. The main advantage of using fibreglass is that it can withstand freezing temperatures.

The main disadvantage of using plastic is that it can crack in freezing temperatures. The main disadvantage of using fibreglass is that it is more expensive than plastic.

The choice of material largely depends on whether you are planning on storing water in your property or someone else’s property.

If you are planning on storing water in your property, plastic tanks are a better choice since they can withstand freezing temperatures and they are cheaper.

If you are planning on storing water in someone else’s property, fibreglass tanks are a better choice since they can withstand freezing temperatures and they are less likely to crack in freezing temperatures.

Rainwater Tank Capacity

The fourth thing you need to consider when choosing a tank is the tank capacity.

The table below shows the capacity of the most popular sizes of rainwater tank.

Tank size (gallons) Capacity (litres) 4,000 1,300 7,000 1,900 9,000 2,500 10,000 3,000 12,000 3,600 14,000 4,500 16,000 5,400 18,000 6,000 20,000 6,800 25,000 8,800

Rainwater Tank Cost

The fifth thing you need to consider when choosing a tank is the cost.

The table below shows the cost of the most popular sizes of rainwater tank.

Tank size (gallons) Cost (USD) 4,000 $100 7,000 $130 9,000 $150 10,000 $165 12,000 $190 14,000 $200 16,000 $220 18,000 $235 20,000 $250 25,000 $330

Water Tank Location

The next thing you need to consider when choosing a tank is where you are going to store it. You can choose to place the tank on the ground or on a platform. For some properties, it is possible to place the tank on a platform.

If you want to place the tank on a platform, you need to consider the following:

• Whether you can build the platform
• How much it will cost you to build the platform
• If you are renting, whether your landlord will allow you to build a platform
• If you are buying your property, whether the building regulations allow you to build a platform
• You should also consider how easy it will be to access the tank to fill it with water.

Water Transport

If you want to store water in someone else’s property, you need to consider a system for transporting the water from your roof to their property.

You can choose between a manual and an automatic system.

Manual systems are cheaper than automatic systems but they are more complicated to operate. An example of a manual system is a bucket system. With a bucket system, water is transported using a bucket. An example of an automatic system is a drip system. With a drip system, water is transported using a drip line.

Rain Garden

Another option for rainwater harvesting is creating a rain garden. This is not only a wonderful way to ensure that rainwater is being reused properly but also to improve the ecosystem in your backyard.

A rain garden is a planted area that collects and absorbs rainwater runoff. They can be designed in any number of ways, including the traditional U-shaped garden, beds, swales and depressions.

When creating a rain garden, you need to make sure you select native, low-maintenance plants. Native plants are those that have evolved and grown to survive in an area and will not require a lot of extra attention. Low-maintenance plants are those that will require you to spend little time tending to them.

Choose plants native to your area and look for one that can survive in low light and is drought and heat-tolerant. Here are a few interesting plants you might want to consider when choosing your rain garden plants.

Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia aurea)

Golden creeping Jenny’s will tolerate partial sunlight and low moisture levels. They will grow in a variety of soil types. You can use it in rain gardens, on slopes and in containers.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

This plant will grow in almost any soil type and will also tolerate full sun to partial shade. It’s a nice addition to a rain garden or planted in a container around your home.

Blanketflower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)

Blanketflower will tolerate full sun to partial shade and will grow in most soil types. They are perfect for rain gardens and will give you color from late spring to mid-fall.

Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale)

Oriental Poppy’s like sun and will tolerate partial shade. They will even grow in dry soil. They will give you plenty of color from midsummer to fall.

You can also create a rain garden out of native grasses. Native grasses are grass plants that have evolved to grow naturally in a specific area. Native grasses are a wonderful choice for rain gardens because they will grow in poor soil, require little maintenance and will give you color all year round.

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)

Bahiagrass will grow in wet to moist soil, but will not tolerate drought. It will grow in partial shade to full sun.

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

Big bluestem will grow in dry soil but will not tolerate drought. It will grow in full sun to partial shade.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Switchgrass will grow in moist soil, but will not tolerate drought. It will grow in full sun to partial shade. Switchgrass is a wonderful choice for rain gardens because it grows quickly and will help to keep the soil from being blown away in breezy areas.

You can also use a rain garden to grow vegetables. Native vegetables that grow readily in your area are an excellent choice for a rain garden.

Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Beans will grow in partial shade to full sun. They will tolerate most soil types.

Corn (Zea mays)

Corn will grow in full sun to partial shade. They will tolerate most soil types.

Squash (Cucurbita pepo)

Squash will grow in partial shade to full sun. They will tolerate most soil types.

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Tomatoes will grow in full sun to partial shade. They will tolerate most soil types.

In addition to these vegetables, you can also grow fruit trees in your rain garden. Fruit trees are a wonderful addition to your rain garden because they will give you fruit and give birds a place to roost.

Cherry (Prunus avium)

Cherry will grow in partial shade to full sun. They will tolerate most soil types.

Peach (Prunus persica)

Peach will grow in partial shade to full sun. They will tolerate most soil types.

Apple (Malus domestica)

Apple will grow in full sun to partial shade. They will tolerate most soil types.

These are just a few of the plants you can consider for your rain garden. There are many more, so check your local nurseries for suggestions based on your area.

Rain Barrel

If you don’t have a rain garden or an area to plant a rain garden, you can still make use of rainwater by installing a rain barrel. A rain barrel is a large water containment barrel that is installed in your backyard. When it rains, the rain barrel will collect the rainwater and allow it to be used for watering your plants or filling your garden hose.

You can purchase a rain barrel in your local home and garden store. If you prefer to make your own, there are numerous plans available online. Rain barrel kits are also widely available, so you can purchase one that’s already been put together. This will eliminate a lot of the work.

If you decide to make your own rain barrel, you will need to check your local building codes. This will ensure that you are following proper guidelines so that you can be sure your rain barrel is safe.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating your own rain barrel.

If you are going to use a 55-gallon barrel, you will need a downspout diverter. This will divert the water from your roof into the rain barrel.

If you are going to use a rain barrel, you will need to make your own stand. You can use a bottomless bucket for this. A bottomless bucket is a bucket with a hole in the bottom and a spigot.

The stand will need to be sturdy enough to hold the weight of the water. You can use a cement paver and some concrete, or you can use a wooden stand. The stand will need to be at least 24 inches off the ground.

You will need to make a cover for the top of the rain barrel. You will need to use a lid that is at least 1/2 inch thick.

You can use a 2-inch piece of plexiglass for the cover. You can make a frame for the plexiglass out of 2-inch PVC pipe. You can then use hinges to hold the top in place.

You will need to drill a 1-inch hole in the bottom for the water to flow out. You can add a valve to the hole, but this will require you to cut the barrel.

You can also add a garden hose adapter to the hole. This will allow you to connect a garden hose to the barrel.

You can also add a garden hose adapter to the hole. This will allow you to connect a garden hose to the barrel. You will also need to add a screen to the bottom of the barrel. The screen will keep leaves and other debris from getting into the barrel.

If you are going to use the rain barrel, you will need to make a spigot. You can use a piece of threaded pipe and a faucet. You can connect these with a compression fitting.

After you have finished your rain barrel, you can paint it. You should use a paint that is suitable for water and will not leach into the water.

Watering the plants in your rain barrel is easy. Simply fill up a watering can and pour the water into the barrel. The water will slowly leak out of the barrel through the downspout diverter.

Watering the plants with the rain barrel is easy. Just fill up a watering can and pour the water into the rain barrel. The water will slowly leak out of the rain barrel through the downspout diverter.

If you have a large garden, you may have to fill up a few watering cans to get the job done.

The water that comes out of the downspout diverter can be used to water your plants and flowers. You may need to use a watering wand to reach those hard-to-reach places.

You can also fill up your garden hose and use it to water your plants and flowers. If you have a rain barrel, you will be able to water your flowers for longer periods of time.

A rain barrel will not only give you water that you can use to water your plants, but it will also reduce your water bill.

If you have a large garden, you may have to fill up a few watering cans to get the job done. The water that comes out of the downspout diverter can be used to water your plants and flowers. You may need to use a watering wand to reach those hard-to-reach places. You can also fill up your garden hose and use it to water your plants and flowers. If you have a rain barrel, you will be able to water your flowers for longer periods of time.

A rain barrel will not only give you water that you can use to water your plants, but it will also reduce your water bill.

Pond

One of the best ways to use rainwater is to create a pond. A pond is a wonderful addition to any home. They are not only beautiful but they can also keep your landscape healthy. A pond is a great way to reduce the amount of storm runoff in your yard. Storm runoff is the excess water from your roof, gutters, and landscape.

When there’s a lot of storm runoff, it can rush into your storm drains and into the local waterways. This can lead to a lot of pollution. A pond will help to reduce the amount of storm runoff that makes its way into your local waterways. This will help to keep your local waterways clean. A pond will also provide a habitat for wildlife.

They can be good places for birds, frogs, and insects. They are also a great place for water plants like lilies and lotus. This is why pond care is so important. You don’t want the pond to become overrun with algae and other unwanted plants. They can quickly become an eyesore. It’s important to keep your pond clean and well maintained. This will help to keep your pond healthy. You can build a pond in a variety of ways.

There are a few different types of ponds to choose from. If you prefer to build a pond in your backyard, you can build a water garden. This is a pond with a variety of water plants like lotus, water lilies, and water grasses. You can also purchase a pre-made pond.

There are many ponds that you can purchase online. Some of these pre-made ponds are self-cleaning. Ponds can also be used to create a water feature. These water features can be simple or they can be quite elaborate. They can also be very ornate. Your garden pond can be anything you want it to be. It can be something that you don’t notice, or it can be something that is the focal point of your landscape.

The only thing that’s important is that you maintain your pond. A pond will help to reduce the amount of storm runoff that you have in your yard. It will also help to provide a habitat for wildlife and an attractive water feature. You can build a pond in a variety of ways.

Summary

There are considerable advantages in harvesting rainwater in your backyard both environmental and in terms of the health and sustainability of plants and lawn. It is an effective way to conserve water and reduce stormwater runoff (which often ends up in rivers and lakes, causing erosion and flooding).

Rainwater harvesting systems can be as simple as connecting a rain barrel to your house gutter downspout or as complex as installing a complete rainwater harvesting system that captures, stores, and treats rainwater.

Other backyard projects that will enhance and benefit your yard include backyard lighting, building a fire pit or even setting up a movie theater.