Forum
« Architect to work with Landmarks What Type of Grass Seeds Should I Buy? »
March 21, 2008
Rain Barrel
I've read that a rain barrel used to water vegetables and fruit should be a food grade plastic barrel. I know I might find a 55 gallon wine barrel out in Canarsie. Anyone know of other resources for a food grade barrel?
Comments
Hey, to some of us, wine IS food!
Anyway, is your Canarsie source just a one-off thing, or do they have a bunch of barrels and, if the latter, how much are they apiece. Also, are you planning on keeping the barrel on grade or do you intent to elevate it for better water pressure? If you're elevating it, how do you envision doing it? I've been investigating doing this for a while (downspout diverters, agonizing about how barrel delivery is nearly as much as the barrel itself, etc., etc.)
Posted by: johnife at March 21, 2008 12:06 PM
We installed a rainbarrel two springs ago and it ended up being a total nightmare, thus, we gave it away. We ordered it from gardeners.com..it had the best prices.
Our issue is that with a typical brownstone flat roof the water from the entire roof drains down one drain. That was the drain we tapped to funnel into a 60 gallon rain barrel.
As it turns out, if it rains even a 1/4 of an inch, all of the rain from your entire roof (20x50 building = 1000sq ft roof = a lot of cubic space) will fill up a 60gallon barrel easily. Thus, in bigger rains, the barrel would overflow and cause flooding in that area. There are ways to prevent it and divert the overflow rainwater back into the guttering, but it would have required a professional guttering person to fix it.
Also, the few times that it did work, its hard to get enough water pressure coming out of the hose from the rain barrel to make using the water very practical from a time perspective. There's not enough pressure to feed a sprinkler, so you end up having to stand there with the hose for a 1/2hr.
Anywho, there are perhaps ways to address the issues i've raised, but at a certain point it just became too complicated/costly/time consuming.
Posted by: spintoto at March 21, 2008 12:41 PM
There is a wholesale type group of produce and florist vendors in Canarsie, including a few wine making equipment suppliers. I assume they carry such barrels, but have to go to find out. I'm not sure of the price, but I would think under $100 (under $50 I hope). I would elevate them on cinder blocks.
Posted by: cornetor at March 21, 2008 12:44 PM
Spinoto, you've given me some good tips to consider while planning this project. Thanks for the help.
Posted by: cornetor at March 21, 2008 12:54 PM
"the barrel would overflow and cause flooding "
That's why you need one of these:
http://tinyurl.com/24d8jy
Don't think it needs a professional to install. Just a matter of cutting a section out of the downspout, inserting this unit. and putting a sealed collar above and below.
Posted by: johnife at March 21, 2008 1:07 PM
I never though about the "food grade" barrel issue. Now that you point it out I have to wonder about food grade rubber roof, gutter, downspout, hose, and watering can. Surely most of these other things aren't going to be food grade either. Seems hopeless.
Posted by: guest at March 21, 2008 1:08 PM
1:08 - I agree, although you have to keep in mind that the water is going to sit in the barrel for while before you use it, so there is going to be prolonged contact with the barrel material. So if we have to be concerned about "food grade" material i would be most concerned about the barrel. But I have to say that I have been thinking about installing such a system and never thought about the "food grade" issue.
Posted by: guest at March 21, 2008 1:31 PM
I've seen it advised also to throw some compost into the barrel and it makes and incredibly nutritious "tea" for your plants. Food grade...NO. Don't pay up for a food grade barrel.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 21, 2008 2:11 PM
A rain barrel is a good idea...if you want to breed mosquitoes. Make sure to cover it with a screen.
Posted by: guest at March 21, 2008 2:30 PM
Last year at the Atlantic Antic the Gowanus Canal Development Org. was talking about giving away rain barrels for free sometime this spring. I put my name on the list, but haven't heard anything.
www.gowanus.org
Posted by: shasla at March 21, 2008 2:33 PM
I have a 55 gal. plastic barrel that is looking for a new home. Food grade- ???. It was used for collecting sawdust. 718.832.1058
Posted by: southslope at March 21, 2008 3:38 PM
In what way is compost tea not food grade? That's the whole point - fertilizing your food.
Posted by: guest at March 22, 2008 12:33 PM
Last year I got a 55 gallon rain barrel with a spigot, screened top and overflow valves for watering plants on my 700 sf low roof deck. In its first life it was a greek olive container. I collect rain from my main roof and divert the excess toward the secondary drain on the low roof. I fill up a watering can from the spigot and water away. Works great, though the water still smells like olives. My plants were so much happier since my previous watering required lugging gallon buckets of tap water from the kitchen. The rain barrel cost around $100 and the diverter about $29, which I found high since I'm cheap but I highly recommend it.
Posted by: guest at March 24, 2008 11:58 AM
Last year I got a 55 gallon rain barrel with a spigot, screened top and overflow valves for watering plants on my 700 sf low roof deck. In its first life it was a greek olive container. I collect rain from my main roof and divert the excess toward the secondary drain on the low roof. I fill up a watering can from the spigot and water away. Works great, though the water still smells like olives. My plants were so much happier since my previous watering required lugging gallon buckets of tap water from the kitchen. The rain barrel cost around $100 and the diverter about $29, which I found high since I'm cheap but I highly recommend it.
Posted by: guest at March 24, 2008 12:01 PM
I have a roof garden and lug 10 watering cans full of water almost daily and am looking for an alternative method since I have no water source up there. I looked into rain barrels but since I am on the flat roof and you need to divert a drain to the barrel I am afraid I cannot do this.
I tried to extend a garden hose to the roof but the pressure won't send it up one full flight and the spout under the kitchen sink where I connected the hose ends up flooding.
Does any one have any suggestions? Much appreciated.
Posted by: guest at March 24, 2008 2:06 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.