There’s plenty of water available right now, but come July and August many gardeners will be trying to figure out if we can give our plants the water they need without breaking the bank. We’re probably a little spoiled actually. All most of us need to do to get the water we need is to turn on the faucet. However, the water running out of that faucet comes with a cost. To counter that, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider constructing some sort of water collection system so you can take advantage of the free water that falls from the sky. So, let’s talk about how we would do that.

First off, you’ll need a strategy to collect the water. Do you have gutters on your house. If so, problem solved. If not, collecting rainwater to use in your garden is going to be more problematic.

If you have gutters, then you’ll need to acquire some sort of collection vessel like a barrel. Then you’re going to need some hardware to make it all work.

Rain collection containers come in all shapes and sizes. I just did a little search on the internet, and it looks like you can get started with a 100 gallon pvc rain barrel for around $60. But there are a lot of options with collection containers in just about every shape, size, and price point.

Once you have your barrel picked out, you’ll need to get a device called a diverter that directs water from your gutter and into the collection device. Most of these devices are going to require you to cut your guttering to install, which for the most part is a minor installation. Basically, these diverters do exactly what you think they would do, they divert a portion of the water from your gutter into your collection container. Some are fancier than others. The fancy ones have either a valve that lets you turn off the feed to your collection container while others do not. With a collection container that is sealed, once it is full and water has filled the tube, the water will stop flowing into the container. However, many of the containers are open on the top so you’ll likely want one with a valve so you can direct the water down the gutter when the container is full. This is good because sometimes here in Oklahoma, it feels like we get all our water at once.

Another thing to consider is gravity. You’ll want to elevate your container a foot or more above ground level because water flows with gravity. If your container is at ground level and you connect it to a hose that you are using in your garden, the water won’t flow because, odds are, your hand holding the hose will be higher than the spigot from the container. Yes, you could place the spigot from the container about halfway up the container but then you would never be able to access the water below the spigot. You probably get the idea.

Typically, the City of Tulsa has a period of time during the year when you can order a rain barrel, but they are available commercially around town at the places you think should carry them. So, while we’re waiting for gardening season to start, now might be a good time to make a little investment into utilizing rainwater for your garden. Good luck.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo Bill Sevier