Can the rain barrel be used if it's not connected to a down spout? We want one set up away from our elementary school, next to our raised garden.
477974
Great that your school is saving the water!! Yes, it would work, the down spout is how you would collect the water that it usually wasted. Not sure how you would get it filled, but the water barrel would hold and drain as needed for you. margi Gardner
477975
I'm sure you can. It just won't fill as quickly as it would connected to the downspout. We put pantyhose on the screen to keep mosquitoes out.
477976
Well the down spout feeds it rain water. Mine tend to stay full from the rain off the roof. I suggest that you figure some way to connect it to the down spout and use a hose, it has a tap on the bottom. I water my figs with one and herb garden with the other. Rain chains from the spouts help keep it full. You can buy mosquito control coils to put in the water that will kill the larve. They work well in standing water areas.
477977
I would say yes. There is a lid, that fits on the top. You could put a plant in it, or leave the lid off. Rain water would naturally fall into the barrel, if the lid isn't on. There is no reason that you have to keep the lid on except to appearance. It has a faucet or a short hose that you can use to drain the water out when needed. I really like mine.
477978
While you can set the rain barrel in your garden, rain barrels that are not connected to a downspout or placed in a position where they can collect roof water do not fill up very quickly.
241265
Probably not, depending how much higher water barrel is to drop line. I have a small pump inserted in mine. This provides the pressure needed to put water where I need it. Although I have not tried to connect drip irrigation, this may cause a backflow of pressure to the pump.
652264
Yes! You just disconnect the hose leading to the barrel and then use the provided stopper to plug up the same nozzle leading from the diverter. (The principle on which it works is that, with nowhere to go, the water just builds up inside the diverter and drains as it would normally) You don't need to removed the diverter itself. I like this diverter. So far it's been maintenance free and works VERY effectively. My two rain barrels fill up very quickly and when full, the rain pours down the normal downspout. I would fully recommend this diverter. Make sure you follow the instructions and don't cut out too much of a gap when installing! Yes! You just disconnect the hose leading to the barrel and then use the provided stopper to plug up the same nozzle leading from the diverter. (The principle on which it works is that, with nowhere to go, the water just builds up inside the diverter and drains as it would normally) You don't need to removed the diverter itself. I like this diverter. So far it's been maintenance free and works VERY effectively. My two rain barrels fill up very quickly and when full, the rain pours down the normal downspout. I would fully recommend this diverter. Make sure you follow the instructions and... » Read More Yes! You just disconnect the hose leading to the barrel and then use the provided stopper to plug up the same nozzle leading from the diverter. (The principle on which it works is that, with nowhere to go, the water just builds up inside the diverter and drains as it would normally) You don't need to removed the diverter itself. I like this diverter. So far it's been maintenance free and works VERY effectively. My two rain barrels fill up very quickly and when full, the rain pours down the normal downspout. I would fully recommend this diverter. Make sure you follow the instructions and don't cut out too much of a gap when installing! « Show Less
1143744
I elevated mine. Is it necessary? Prob not. I put an extra spigot below the original one because the original one is quite hi. It leaves a lot of unused water in barrel.
399459
yes, but don't place it more than a few (2 or 3 in) above the rain barrel. make sure to put an overflow outlet in the final rain barrel or if connecting them in series.(0-0-0- the 0 = barrels and the - = connectors or outlet/overflow)
2127776
I could not tell you Tory, but it is very strong whatever it is. It is important to perch the barrel on something however, to draw water out of the spigot when you DO want to use it. I know most have their's situated under a rain gutter, but mine is merely out in the open by my garden for ready use (not like you can haul this thing around place to place) Unfortunately? A number of them come with small bottom leaks. Of course I didn't know this until received and wasn't about to ship back, so I merely use some electrician's tape on an area on the bottom, which will hold for now. Still, it's a good way of conserving water for me for my garden, here in the very dry northern California area. Best of luck...Peggie
1752731
you could put it under a gutter but to connect you would have to remove the center screen and debris would get in the container and plug the spout to drain it.
1253248
You could, but there probably wouldn't be enough pressure to let the hose work properly. However filling a rain barrel and attaching a soaker to the bottom of the rain barrel should provide enough pressure.
1009936
It depends on how big the tree is. The branches may get in the way, and I don't know if the spout is long enough.
1906749
It will go into the barrel until the barrel is full. Only then will it continue down the spout. We would use the water in the garden, so very rarely did it actually use the spout. Very happy with it
1935378
Yes, vertically plan on about 24 inches in a 1/4 inch pipe. Horizontally, it will probably make it about 10 or 20 ft. Don't plan on a lot of flow or pressure though. The pump actually sits in the water, so you will need a small section of flexible tubing to hook it up. There is no float switch so you need to keep an eye on it so it doesn't run dry. It might work for a rain barrel pump, but I haven't used it that way yet.
56524
The vertical downspout must be cut completely in half about 1/2" minimum above the height of the rain barrel or where the filler hose from the downspout to the rain barrel will enter the rain barrel. Some rain barrels fill from the top, and others from somewhere on the side of the barrel. I cut my downspout about 4 1/2" above the barrel to make room for the downspout diverter to fit above the height of the barrel since my barrel fills both ways and I wasn't sure if I wanted to fill from the top or side. Then you cut an equal amount ( or what is needed to refit the lower part of the downspout) off the lower downspout you had cut off to attach to the bottom of the diverter, so the excess water can run past the diverter when the barrel is full so the water will drain out into the yard as before the diverter was installed. Without the second cut the lower downspout will drag the ground when you try to reinstall the lower downspout unless the opening was way off the ground originally. If the upper cut is too low, the water won't run uphill to fill the rain barrel and the water will all run down the downspout as if the diverter wasn't there. I guess you can't make it too high unless it's so high the hose won't reach the opening in the barrel. In all, I cut a section of about 8 1/2" out of the original downspout to make room for the diverter and it's about four inches above my rain barrel. I didn't need to use the adapters that come with the diverter kit, but that could add as much as 3 inches to the length of the diverter once completed so assemble the diverter the way it's going to be installed in the downspout and measure. That will be the minimum amount you need to cut out of the existing downspout to make it fit. As long as it's about the filler in the rain barrel but will still reach, it will work just fine. Hope this helps.
1916431
Dear Ellis,Thank you for writing about our Algreen 81003 Castilla Rain Barrel with Brass Spigot, Terra Cotta, 50-Gallon (#38-684). The top of this rain barrel style is divided. It has an opening for rain water, and a planter. The simple answer is yes: if you positioned the rain chain over the opening, you could certainly use it to divert water into the barrel. However, a plant next to the opening might be over hydrated if a lot of water splashed onto it. I hope this makes sense!We appreciate your interest.Thanks for making Gardener's Supply your source for gardening products and information. Please let us know if we can help you with anything else.Sincerely, DarcyCustomer Service Dear Ellis,Thank you for writing about our Algreen 81003 Castilla Rain Barrel with Brass Spigot, Terra Cotta, 50-Gallon (#38-684). The top of this rain barrel style is divided. It has an opening for rain water, and a planter. The simple answer is yes: if you positioned the rain chain over the opening, you could certainly use it to divert water into the barrel. However, a plant next to the opening might be over hydrated if a lot of water splashed onto it. I hope this makes sense!We appreciate your interest.Thanks for making Gardener's Supply your source for gardening... » Read More Dear Ellis,Thank you for writing about our Algreen 81003 Castilla Rain Barrel with Brass Spigot, Terra Cotta, 50-Gallon (#38-684). The top of this rain barrel style is divided. It has an opening for rain water, and a planter. The simple answer is yes: if you positioned the rain chain over the opening, you could certainly use it to divert water into the barrel. However, a plant next to the opening might be over hydrated if a lot of water splashed onto it. I hope this makes sense!We appreciate your interest.Thanks for making Gardener's Supply your source for gardening products and information. Please let us know if we can help you with anything else.Sincerely, DarcyCustomer Service « Show Less
1064255
My rain barrel is about 3 ft from the downspout. I have a length of gutter running at a small downward angle from the end of the downspout to the barrel and this slows the water down and minimizes splatter.
149485
Yes, it is safe for plants. the rain barrel is great except that water does notflow out when it is 2/3 empty. I guess it needs to be pumped out. Not sure if all rain barrels have the same problem as this is my first one. I hope this helps.
1143742
We elevated ours because we wanted to for the look in the garden and not wanting to bend over to cut on the water spout. I cannot answer the question if it needed to be. My guess is not since you use the diverter that comes with it.
370144
I'm sure you can. with the right connector but there may not be enough head pressure from the rain barrel to push open and have the drip tubing work effectively. If your barrel is up high and the drip tubing is 'down stream' far enough it should work.