Rainwater is free and great for watering the garden. If you catch this, you can save real money.
If you don't have a garden, you usually don't like it when it rains outside. Hobby gardeners, on the other hand, are usually happy about it. Why? Very simple: on the one hand, the plants in the garden are watered, on the other hand, the rainwater can be collected and later used as irrigation water. This in turn has the advantage that water consumption is reduced enormously and a lot of money can be saved as a result.
Just think: how many liters of tap water do you need to use to water your entire garden? A lot right? So that's a lot of money too. And in times when the costs for water and sewage tend to rise, it can be quite expensive. But that's not all. Rainwater is much more compatible for plants than tap water anyway (reading tip: Water outdoor plants with tap water - you should note that). So just use the free good that falls from the sky to pour. All you need is a collection container.
How to collect & store rainwater
➤ Option 1 - set up a rain barrel:
Probably the simplest and cheapest way to collect and store rainwater is to set up a rain barrel. It is most effective if you place the rain barrel under a downpipe that directs the water from the roof surface directly into the barrel. So you have enough water for a smaller garden in no time.
Normally, normal plastic containers are offered as rain collectors, which have a volume of 200 to 500 liters. However, if these are too rustic for you, you can also rely on very modern and chic rain barrels. In addition to wooden rain barrels, pillar tanks, rain barrels in the form of amphorae and with plant bowls, you can find exactly the right thing for almost every garden style and taste on the market.
Hint:
You can find a particularly beautiful water butt in the form of an amphora on Amazon.de, for example. It has a volume of 200 liters and is really a very nice alternative to the conventional water butt. andThe great thing about this model: the integrated plant bowl also allows for a very individual design.
➤ Option 2 - set up water tank:
For larger gardens, where 500 liters is simply not enough for watering, it is advisable to place several rain barrels in different corners of the garden. Alternatively, you can also put a large water tank with a capacity of 1,000 liters in the garden.
The only problem: these tanks don't usually look very nice. Such a water tank is perfect for all those who don't mind the look or who can hide the tank in a corner in the garden. And if you're a little creative, you can also make a cover for it so that the tank matches the style of the garden.
Hint:
An example of a simple option would be cladding with wood. Instructions for this can be found at 1-2-do.com, among other places. Here you can not only see what the wood paneling can look like, but also all the materials and tools you need.
➤ Option 3 - integrate a cistern in the garden:
If you don't want to put a rain barrel or a water tank in your garden and want to be as independent as possible from the public water supply, you can also integrate a cistern in the garden. This is an underground or covered collection tank for rainwater, which usually has a capacity of 3,000 to 10,000 liters! With a cistern like this, you really don't have to use tap water for watering anymore.
The great thing about it: since cisterns are embedded in the ground, they don't take up any space and can even be installed under a garage driveway, for example. But not only that. You can also collect rainwater for the household in a cistern and use it, for example, to flush the toilet or the washing machine.
Hint:
You can see what such cisterns look like and what models there are, e.g. on benz24.de. Here you will find cisterns made of plastic as well as cisterns made of concrete. You can also get advice here about which variant is best for your garden.