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Parenting Club Forums > All About Being Green > rain barrels

Posted by: PrairieMom Apr 16 2009, 02:20 PM

I am leaving in a few minutes to go get the last of my rain barrels. I have 3 55 gal. ones for the front / side yards. They are brown plastic and at least resemble barrels. Then I have 4 ugly blue 55 gal. barrels that I am going to put in the back yard and link together. I should be fairly set for spring once I get them all set up. That is our project for this weekend. I CAN"T WAIT!!!!

the blue barrels have been an adventure. I bought them from a hardware store that gets them from who know where, and sells them for $15 . a piece. Great deal yeah? well... 2 of the 4 used to hold liquid smoke. 55 gal. of liquid smoke. who NEEDS that?

so, my yard smells like a BBQ pit, even tho I have rinsed them out.

another one held acetic acid, which from what I understand is basically vinegar, or a part of vinegar or something, but it REEKS like vinegar. So, between those things, my neighbors have to be LOOOVIN me right now.

Posted by: luvmykids Apr 16 2009, 02:23 PM

Mmmmmmmmm....smoked vinegar! lol!

Congrats, I miss my rain barrels! I feel so guilty watering the plants with tap water

Posted by: PrairieMom Apr 16 2009, 02:47 PM

QUOTE (luvmykids @ Apr 16 2009, 05:23 PM)

Mmmmmmmmm....smoked vinegar! lol!

Congrats, I miss my rain barrels! I feel so guilty watering the plants with tap water

seriously. I had to move the barrels outside because when they were in the garage the smelled so strongly, it was like getting kicked boxed in the face with BBQ sauce.

Posted by: Cece00 Apr 16 2009, 02:59 PM

I dont know how you handle the smell....I dont think I could do it...

I want a rain barrel for my plants but DH wouldnt let me have one last yr...I see his point, we have a REALLY bad mosquito problem here (along with some West Nile) and standing water is a pretty big no-no...

I hate seeing my water bill go up in the summer, but I also dont want my yard to be a mosquito breeding ground...

Posted by: MommyToAshley Apr 16 2009, 03:56 PM

QUOTE (Cece00 @ Apr 16 2009, 06:59 PM)

Ahh, that is a point I didn't think about but a good point for around here as well. Bummer, I was hoping to do something like a rain barrel too.

Posted by: cameragirl21 Apr 16 2009, 04:02 PM

all you have to do is add a mosquito dunk and you won't have this problem. It lasts for 30 days so just add a new one every 30 days or if you had a sudden gush of new rain. I used them at my old house and we have tons of mosquitos here all year around.

Posted by: PrairieMom Apr 16 2009, 04:03 PM

QUOTE (MommyToAshley @ Apr 16 2009, 06:56 PM)

QUOTE (Cece00 @ Apr 16 2009, 06:59 PM)

Ahh, that is a point I didn't think about but a good point for around here as well. Bummer, I was hoping to do something like a rain barrel too.

you put mesh over the hole so mosquitoes don't get in. I have read something about putting citronella in / around it too to keep them away. I will let you know in the fall if I notice a problem.

Posted by: luvmykids Apr 16 2009, 04:58 PM

You can add vinegar or bleach to the water too, I don't remember the amounts but it's diluted enough to be harmless and still keeps the skeeters away. We had five rain barrels and even in the height of mosquito season, no problems.

I still use vinegar in the dogs water, supposed to keep fleas, ticks and mosquitos away from them too. I don't rely on it alone, but I figure the extra protection can't hurt.

Posted by: jonathanlotte May 26 2011, 11:55 PM

i have 3 rain barrels...

we badly need our rain barrels, but we have to face consequences of using it...

Posted by: msoulz May 27 2011, 04:17 AM

QUOTE (cameragirl21 @ Apr 16 2009, 08:02 PM)

What is a mosquito dunk and where does one get one?

Posted by: PrairieMom May 27 2011, 11:13 AM

QUOTE (msoulz @ May 27 2011, 07:17 AM)

QUOTE (cameragirl21 @ Apr 16 2009, 08:02 PM)

What is a mosquito dunk and where does one get one?

I'm sure you can get some at those home improvement stores, home depot? someplace where they sell rain barrels, ponds or fountains?
I swear tho, that since I have mesh screen over the inlets of my barrels, I have not had a mosquito issue in the past 3 years.

Posted by: HuskerMom May 27 2011, 04:10 PM

QUOTE (luvmykids @ Apr 16 2009, 06:58 PM)

I still use vinegar in the dogs water, supposed to keep fleas, ticks and mosquitos away from them too. I don't rely on it alone, but I figure the extra protection can't hurt.

Putting vinegar in the dogs water keeps away ticks? How much vinegar? I am so sick of the ticks. Our chickens and ducks have made a dent in the tick population but we're still finding them on the dog.