Drip Irrigation Systems: Simple, Efficient, & Eco-friendly

In our opinion, adding a drip irrigation component to your rainwater harvesting system is one of the most worthwhile things you can do. One of our favorite aspects of a drip irrigation system is its simplicity. Moreover, we like to think of the drip irrigation system as a "robotic rain barrel." In today's post we'd like to demonstrate the following:

• Creating a drip irrigation system is simple
• A drip irrigation system is easy to use and will simplify your watering routine
• Drip irrigation is a very eco-friendly and efficient way to water

Creating a drip irrigation system:

To start your system, we recommend getting a drip irrigation kit, which can be found at home supply stores, and which usually includes 25 or 50 feet of black irrigation tubing, a variety of watering tips (also referred to as drip emitters or sprinkler tips), a small plastic tool to puncture your tubing and install your drip emitters, connectors (like tee fittings and 90-degree elbows), hole plugs, and a threaded connector that attaches to the valve on your rain barrel, much like the end of a garden hose. 

Above is a picture of the black irrigation tubing with a tee fitting that connects three separate ends of the tubing. The tee fitting allows you to create a larger system  by "branching out," your water flow, which makes it simple to to water multiple sites that may be spread out over some distance.

Pictured here is one of the watering tips that was included in the drip irrigation kit we purchased. If you look closely, you can see the drops of water from the gentle stream that is emitted from this particular tip.  As mentioned above, there are a variety of tips available, some producing very heavy streams of water and others whose output is much less.

To begin, simply unroll your tubing and lay it on top of the ground next to the plants, trees, etc. that you intend to water. This is a great way to start, as you can get your first look at how much tubing you will need, how many tips you will need and where to insert the tips in the tubing. You will also get a feel for where, if anywhere, you will need a tee fitting or an elbow to change the direction of your water flow. Be sure to place one end of your tubing at your rain barrel, since this is where your water flow will originate. 

Once you have decided on where you will need to water, and are happy with your layout of the tubing on the ground, all you need to do next is puncture your tubing at your plant sites with the tool provided in the kit. 

Then, insert the sprinkler tips from the kit into the holes you just created. 

TIP! Your kit is going to come with several different kinds of watering tips. We recommend trying all of the tips in the different holes. Some will inevitably work better with your system than others. Once you have placed the watering tips into the holes, connect one end of your irrigation tubing to the valve on your rainwater harvesting system. Then turn on/open the valve and let the water start flowing through the tubing and out of the tips, so you can see how each of the tips works. You may find you need to move the tips around, discontinue use of a particular tip, or purchase additional tips of one variety, depending on how much water the plants you are irrigating need and what type of output the tips you are experimenting with actually produce. Keep in mind that in many cases with harvested rainwater systems we are operating off gravity alone, and some of the watering tips are designed for use with pump-operated systems, so the output may be less than advertised.


Once you've used your drip irrigation system for a bit, you'll likely want to expand the system, especially (if you're like us) if you have a tendency to keep adding more and more plants and trees into your landscape. It's not unreasonable to have a drip irrigation system consisting of 100 feet or more of tubing connected to a single rain barrel. 


Let's talk aesthetics. Once you have your system working, you might decide you don't want to look at the tubing laying all around your yard. To this end, you can simply lay mulch or other cover over the tubing. Or, you can create a narrow trench and actually bury the tubing underground. If you decide to bury the tubing, be sure it will be out of reach of lawn mowers and other equipment that may damage or sever the tubing. If you feel you might want to expand your system down the road, you might not want to bury your tubing right away, as this makes it a bit more work to expand, since you will need to dig up certain areas to attach tee fittings and elbows. 


WHAT WE DID: When we created our drip irrigation system (which we are always expanding, by the way) we buried some of the tubing, while leaving some of it uncovered. Why you might ask? The part of the system we buried carries water to two trees, which we knew we were going to keep around for a long time, and which we knew we would not place other plants near. Therefore, we would have no need to dig up the tubing in this area of the landscape for any reason. However, on the other side of the yard, we have several in-ground garden beds which we are constantly adding plants to. When we add a new plant, we will need to puncture new holes so that the water from the drip irrigation system will reach them. Thus, it's much easier to simply leave the tubing on the ground and cover it with mulch, so that we can easily access the tubing to allow for the addition of plant sites to water. 


If you are certain that you will not be adding additional plant sites (maybe you are replacing one plant with another in the same (or a nearby) location) burying the tubing works well. Just be sure to keep the watering tip a little above the surface.


What if you remove a plant or tree from a particular spot and don't want the water to be emitted there anymore? No problem! Most drip irrigation kits also come with "goof plugs" which you simply insert into the hole you originally created (after removing the watering tip of course) and your hole is now plugged.


A drip irrigation system is easy to use and will simplify your watering routine.
Once your drip irrigation system is up and running with your rain barrel or other rainwater harvesting system, we bet you will find that it is incredibly easy to use and will cut down the time and energy it takes to keep your landscape healthy and beautiful. Literally, all it takes is opening the valve on your rain barrel, and all of your plants and trees are watered simultaneously. Gone is the need to makes dozens of trips back and forth to your rain barrel with a watering can. No more unrolling the hose and dragging it around the yard, wasting water while you walk, snagging it on every tree, plant, and rock as you go. Hey, add a timer to your rain barrel and you've basically got a robot that waters for you!

Drip irrigation is an eco-friendly and efficient way to water.

One of our favorite features of a drip irrigation system is its efficiency. With drip irrigation, you can direct your water to exactly where you want it, down to the smallest of areas. Try achieving that with a traditional sprinkler...we've all seen driveways and sidewalks being watered by sprinklers, but they never seem to grow! In addition, the design of the drip irrigation system is such that much smaller amounts of water are used in each irrigation cycle, which helps conserve your stored rainwater supply. Plus, by reducing how much water goes to each plant site, we can essentially prevent flooding our plants and help control erosion.

We hope this post has been helpful and demonstrates that adding drip irrigation to your rainwater harvesting system doesn't have to be difficult or intimidating, and can make irrigating easy, efficient, and hassle-free.

Check out our video below, which walks you through some of the basic steps to create a drip irrigation system.

We would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment or ask a question if you feel so moved, and we will gladly respond. Help us spread the word and get the discussion going on water conservation. Every little bit helps!

Happy harvesting!

~Sarasota Rain Barrels

Rainwater Harvesting for Beginners

Today's topic was submitted to us by a Facebook friend. Thanks, Janet!

How does a homeowner get started harvesting rainwater and what applications can the water be immediately used for?

To address the first part of our topic, we've compiled a list of things for a homeowner to consider when deciding on how to start harvesting rainwater.

How to Get Started
I. Feasibility report: Consult a rainwater calculator (see ours below) to determine how many gallons you could potentially harvest.

Then determine how much space you have to work with and how much storage you will need. You should consider:

        a) The applications for which you plan to use the rainwater (see later in this post for common uses) which will determine how much water you will need to use and store.

*Here's a tip: Go to your water meter before you use your city water and record the numbers. Then, water as you normally do. Once you are done using the water, check the meter again, and subtract your beginning numbers; this will tell you exactly how many gallons of water you used. Then simply multiply that by how often you use the water (daily, weekly, etc.) Here's an example:
     
Let's say our application for the water is irrigating a large flower bed. The first reading on the meter might be 807,016. The number after watering is 807,124. When we subtract the first number from the second, that gives us the number of gallons that were used: 108. If we water this flower bed 3 times per week, multiply 108 by 3, and that tells us we use 324 gallons per week of water for this application. We'll talk about how to lower the number of gallons you use later in this post.

Once you have decided on the application(s) for which you will use your harvested rainwater, you will then have an idea of whether you will need a little bit of water or a lot.

If you only want a couple hundred gallons between rainfall events, a few rain barrels either connected in a single system or in several locations, may be your best bet. For irrigation purposes, whether you will need barrels in multiple locations or a single system will depend on where your plant sites are located, and if you have more than one site. If you have an application that requires large amounts of harvested rainwater frequently, you may consider a cistern or larger rain tanks, to help sustain you through dry spells.

        b) The type of climate in which you live - drier areas typically need more storage since rainfall is less frequent.
   
II. Consider your budget: Once you have calculated what you can potentially harvest and you have an idea of both how much water you use and how much water you would like to have in storage, consult your budget to figure out what kind of rainwater harvesting system is the best fit for your situation. You should also factor in whether or not your house has rain gutters. If not, this is a cost you must allow for. Adding rain gutters can be fairly expensive, depending on what type of and how much gutter you want. But if your house already has rain gutters, in many cases only slight modifications will be needed and this will cut your overall cost down significantly. Let's talk about some actual numbers.

As a general rule, a smaller system should cost somewhere between $2 to $3 per gallon of storage capacity. That means if you have a 55-gallon rain barrel, you can expect to pay around $100 to $200, depending on how elaborate you want your system to be. (For example, there are systems with built-in planters, filtration options, and other features that will tack on extra dollars.)

Larger systems (with thousands of gallons of storage capacity), tend to lower your cost per gallon of stored water, usually to below $2 and as low as $1 per gallon in many cases. For instance, a 5,000 gallon tank may cost in the neighborhood of $5,000.                             

III. Where do I get a rainwater harvesting system? Many counties in the US have rainwater harvesting programs, and more counties are adding them all the time. Local offices offer rain barrel kits for the "do-it-yourself" type. Sarasota County sells 55-gallon drums, basic plumbing parts, and plans for a wooden stand, at a greatly reduced cost to consumers. You can also find rain barrels at many retail home supply stores, but these generally do not include a stand. A simple Internet search (of your area specifically) may provide you with several stores or local businesses that sell rain barrels or other rainwater harvesting systems.

IV. Irrigation Systems: Once you have decided on and installed your rainwater harvesting system, you might want to consider hooking up an irrigation setup, customized to work with your new rainwater harvester. If you plan to irrigate on a regular basis, an irrigation system will save you a ton of time and energy. There are several different types of components that you can use to create an irrigation system. Let's look at a few different options.

        a) Sprinkler: Most large sprinkler systems tend to consume a considerable amount of the harvested rainwater each time they are used. If your only goal is to water your lawn, and you don't have tight constraints on how much water you use, this might be a good option to consider. However, if you are looking to conserve your rainwater, a traditional sprinkler system may not be the best option.

        b) Soaker hose: Soaker hoses are designed for use with large amounts of water pressure. The water pressure you get from gravity-fed rainwater harvesting systems is not sufficient to supply a soaker hose without a pump. Therefore, soaker hoses are not often used with rainwater harvesting systems.

        c) Drip irrigation: Drip (or micro) irrigation systems are a favorite of many rainwater harvesters for several reasons. Because of the smaller diameter of the pipe or tubing, and the smaller diameter of the emitters (sprinkler heads) drip irrigation systems usually consume far less water than other irrigation systems. They are custom tailored during installation to direct water only to the sites or individual plants where you want it. And, drip irrigation systems work with or without a pump.
     
Now, to address the second part of our topic, we have listed below several common applications for harvested rainwater.


Immediate Uses for Harvested Rainwater
1) Irrigation - flower beds, gardens, landscape features: trees, plants, shrubs
2) Water features - water gardens, koi ponds, waterfalls - rainwater is a great choice for these uses because it doesn't need the pre-treatment that municipal water requires to ensure the health of fish and plants.
3) Cleaning applications - many outdoor chores that require water can be accomplished using rainwater. We just cleaned the white-wall tires on the Ghia with our harvested rainwater!
4) Watering livestock - Cows, goats, sheep, chickens and other animals are often given rainwater on farms. Our chickens harvest their own rainwater from the gutters we installed on their coop!
5) Emergency situations - Harvested rainwater can be filtered and/or boiled for consumption in emergency situations. It can be used for flushing toilets, washing, cleaning laundry and cooking. Your harvested rainwater will be a coveted commodity!

We've even used rainwater to mix concrete.

These are just a few examples of immediate uses for harvested rainwater. There are many more, so be creative!

We hope this has been a helpful dialogue for the beginner or for those of you who may be on the fence about whether or not to harvest rainwater. Even if you think a rain barrel will not accomplish all of your watering needs, we think it's at least a good place to start. You can always add to your system over time!

We will go into further detail about much of the information presented here in future posts. In the meantime, please feel free to leave questions or comments.

Happy harvesting!

~Sarasota Rain Barrels

Can One Rain Barrel Really Make a Difference?

Here's a question we know runs through the minds of many people who may be contemplating whether or not to install a rain barrel, : will my rain barrel really make a difference?


The short answer is: Yes!

Now, let us explain.

There are an estimated 150,000 occupied dwellings in Sarasota County, Florida. A quarter-inch of rain will easily fill a 55-gallon barrel. If each of these 150,000 buildings installed one 55-gallon rain barrel, that's 8,250,000 gallons of water per just .25 inches of rainfall that can be harvested, used for a variety of different applications, and then released back into the ground. That's over eight million gallons of rainwater that can be recycled without tapping into any groundwater resources!

Every step taken towards conserving groundwater supplies is like taking two steps forward. How? Every time we recycle rainwater, we're not only conserving groundwater resources, but the use of harvested rainwater (on landscapes in particular) helps to recharge the groundwater supplies, which are incredibly overburdened. For instance, in Sarasota County, 28.71 million gallons of fresh water are withdrawn for public use each day. 97% of this water withdrawal comes from the ground, and 3% comes from the surface (City-Data.com). With numbers like this, it's easy to see that our current water usage situation is not permanently sustainable. We are taking water out of our groundwater supplies at a much faster rate than it takes to replenish them. Now, if we all install our one 55-gallon rain barrel, we are not only withdrawing less, we are taking steps to put more water back to refill Florida's aquifer. That's making a difference!

Another question you may have is this: with the scarcity of rainfall events in some geographic locations, is it even worth having a rain barrel?

Again, the short answer is: Yes!

We here in southwest Florida are no strangers to drought conditions. By capturing the rain when it DOES fall, we've now got a supply for use in between rainfall events. In our own personal gardens, we solely irrigate with harvested rainwater. In most cases, we will use our supply of rainwater 6 to 10 times in between  rainfall events, so if our plants could talk, they'd tell you it has "rained" a half dozen times or more during the dry spells, while many of the neighbors' plants would complain of dry, hot conditions. This is why cisterns are very popular in many desert regions. On the surface, it may seem counter-intuitive to have a rainwater harvesting system in the desert, however, many desert-dwellers do have rainwater harvesting systems, and very large ones, in an attempt to capture as close to 100% of the rain that falls as possible.

Below is a rainwater calculator (customized for Sarasota, Florida's average annual rainfall).

To calculate your rainwater harvest potential, find the estimated square feet of your house, and remember to factor in that your roof is larger than your house because of the overhangs. Find this number in the left blue column. Then follow the row across to the right to estimate how much water is falling on your roof during various sized rainfall events. The column labeled in yellow on the far right shows the harvest potential for Sarasota, Florida's average yearly rainfall.

With a rainwater harvesting system, you can be the master of your own weather! Make it rain, any time, night or day--just use your rain barrel! How's that for a rain dance?

We hope that we have shown that even in small steps, we can make a difference in a positive way.

~Sarasota Rain Barrels

Pre-Filtration For Your Rainwater Harvesting System

We often get questions about how to filter the water that you capture in your rainwater harvesting system. Specifically, people want to know how to keep things such as leaves, shingle pebbles, dirt, and other debris from entering their rain barrels.

Today, we'd like to share a how-to tip with you on pre-filtration: how to design your system to filter the water before you start to collect it.

A good way to help reduce the debris that enters your rainwater tank once the water begins to flow is to add a first flush diverter (also known as a "roof washer") to your system. In addition to helping filter debris from the rainwater, a first flush diverter also helps to reduce the salinity of the harvested rainwater in coastal areas, where salt tends to get deposited on rooftops.

One of our favorite simple pre-filtration designs is called a stand pipe, which is one of the most cost-effective solutions. A stand pipe can be constructed from materials found at most retail home supply stores, and usually consists of 3-inch PVC pipe, two 90-degree elbows, one Tee fitting, a cleanout cap, and a downspout adapter.

Shown below is a SketchUp model we created of a rain barrel with a stand pipe.

Here's how the stand pipe works:

1) The water enters the pipe at the top where it connects to a downspout.

2) The first water that is captured in the gutters from the roof flows down the stand pipe.
*The dirt, leaves, pebbles, and other heavy debris contained in the rainwater collect at the bottom of the pipe behind the cleanout cap.

3) The water fills up the stand pipe until it reaches the Tee fitting, which acts as the pipe overflow, and then begins to flow into your rain barrel, cistern, tank, or other catchment.

4) The cleanout cap, located at the bottom of the stand pipe, should be connected loosely to allow a slight leak. Letting the pipe slowly leak ensures that the pipe empties between rainfall events, so the next time it rains and you begin the process again, there is plenty of room for the initial water with the most debris to collect before entering your rainwater harvesting system.

Below is a picture that shows our 3-barrel system with a stand pipe.

First Flush Diverter

This is just one DIY version of a stand pipe. There are many different types of first flush diverters that are commercially available in a variety of  shapes, sizes, and price ranges. We simply want to show you that adding a pre-filtration design to your rainwater harvesting system does not have to be costly or intimidating and can greatly improve the quality of the water before it even enters your tank.

Thanks for reading and happy harvesting!

~Sarasota Rain Barrels

Planning with SketchUp Models

Planning is an important part of any project. We plan each rainwater tank, rain barrel, rain garden, and cistern system to find ways to make each one more effective and efficient. Today we'd like to introduce you to one of our favorite planning resources: Google SketchUp. This powerful, free tool is easy to use once you learn the basics, and allows you to build a 3-D computer model of almost anything!

Creating a computer model of your project is "virtual practice." You'll be able to perfect your design before you pick up your first tool. And, you can calculate the amount of materials you will need, so you don't end up buying too much or end up short.

Below you can see the SketchUp model of a bridge we built for our rain garden.



Garden Bridge:

3D model by Sarasota Rain Barrels The picture below shows the rain garden bridge final product.

When you spend the time to complete a model before you start to build, you gain the confidence and knowledge that your project will turn out the way you have envisioned it. Plus, if you wish to produce more than one of your creation, having a pre-planned model makes replication a breeze. If you want to create different versions of the same concept, SketchUp has tons of cool features that let you to tweak your models before you start to build. You can see and toggle between the different variations so you can create the perfect set or individualized separates.

Below is a SketchUp model of a variation on our rain garden bridge.If you have an idea for your project, but aren't sure where to start, "thinking out loud" while you create a model is a great place to begin. Google's 3-D Warehouse has hundreds of thousands of models created by others that you can browse, download, and edit to make your own.  

SketchUp is also a great tool for your business. You can import and export images, add your company logo to your models, and transpose your models onto your presentation materials. And, you can print your model images for easy distribution.

If you haven't already, we recommend checking out Google's 3-D Warehouse. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how many fun and interesting ideas exist for all types of projects. While you're there, stop by to check out our rainwater harvesting systems and other models. Who knows? You might just get inspired to create your own!

We hope this information has been helpful. We'll be back soon with more tips, tricks, and information on rainwater harvesting and other fun outdoor and garden projects.

~Sarasota Rain Barrels

Rain Barrels In Action - Active and Passive Rainwater Harvesting

For today's post, we want to show you our rainwater harvesting system in action and talk about the difference between active and passive rainwater harvesting. In our short video, first you'll see an example of active rainwater harvesting. Active rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting rainwater in a rain barrel, cistern, or other catchment, storing it for later use, and slowly releasing it back into the ground each time you use it. 


Next you'll see how we have devised a system to divert the overflow water (once the barrels are full) into a rain garden, which is an example of passive rainwater harvesting. Passive rainwater harvesting is achieved when rainwater is diverted into a retention pond, rain garden, or bio swale, where it seeps back into the ground to recharge groundwater/aquifer supplies.  


Both active and passive rainwater harvesting systems are beneficial to us and the environment. Active rainwater harvesting helps reduce our dependency on municipal water supplies for nonpotable uses such as irrigation; and, the naturally pH-balanced rainwater is healthier for your lawn, plants, and trees, as it does not contain fluoride, chlorine, and other chemicals which are infused into most municipal water supplies. In addition, harvested rainwater does not have the high sulfur content associated with most wells in Florida, so you don't have the unpleasant odor and mineral deposits, which can cause structural damage when well water from sprinklers comes in contact with buildings. Passive rainwater harvesting, in addition to helping recharge our groundwater supplies, also reduces the amount of storm runoff that enters our waterways, carrying pollutants along with it!


We hope you enjoy our video and the information in today's post!

~Sarasota Rain Barrels

Rain Barrel Water Pressure Demonstration.

Hi everyone, we thought this would be a good first post on our blog. We want to share one of the most important components in a gravity-fed rain barrel: THE VALVE. In our 37-second YouTube video, you will clearly see the massive difference in water flow between a 1/4 turn ball valve and a standard silcock valve. Many rain barrels aren't sold with the more efficient ball valve but can easily be converted! We hope this inspires you to begin to explore the possibilities of what you can do with harvested rainwater.

Stay tuned...we'll be back soon with more tips, tricks and info!

~Sarasota Rain Barrels