Green Living 06.06.22

How to Collect Rainwater for your Outdoor Plants

In the UK, we’re lucky enough to get plenty of rainwater to feed our beloved plants, especially in the colder months. However, when the temperatures start to get warmer and we get less rain, we often resort to using a hose to hydrate our plants. Rather than using water from the hose to feed your plants, why not try collecting rainwater. Water is a precious resource and there are some steps we can take to conserve it as much as possible.

When the weather starts to get hotter and drier, our outdoor plants begin to suffer if they don’t get their expected supply of rainwater. Many people resort to using mains tap water to feed their plants, which is good for the plants, but not for water companies. It’s becoming increasingly harder for water companies to meet demands in the Summer months due to the rising climate temperatures caused by global warming. So, what can we do to help? As a country that is very familiar with a rainy day, there are a few things we can do to preserve the rainwater and save it for a dry day when our outdoor plants need it the most. Luckily, our plants don’t need the clean, treated water from mains taps and they usually benefit from the lower levels of pH in rainwater. So, it’s a win-win!

The water butt will need a lid firmly placed on top at all times to prevent the growth of unwanted, nasty bacteria that could negatively affect the health of your outdoor plants.

Water Butts

An extremely efficient way of collecting rainwater is by using a water butt which attaches to the downpipe from guttering. These can be purchased from most home improvement shops at a reasonable price, and they can have a huge amount of benefits for your outdoor plants. By collecting water in water butts, you can collect a supply of water for whenever you may need it.

How They Work

When it starts to rain, the water droplets begin to hit your roof tiles. The rain then trickles down the roof tiles and drops down into the guttering at the base of the roof. Once the water reaches the guttering, it will then travel to the downpipe where it will descend and land in the water butt.

Most water butts have a tap located at the bottom of the container which dispenses water when it’s needed by your precious plants. This ensures that all of the water captured gets used and none remains stagnant at the bottom. It’s best practice to clean the water butt once yearly to help prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria in the captured water.

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