It Rained! / Rain Barrel Questions

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

It rained pretty hard here, and both of my rain barrels are about 1/3 of the way full. The only problem is that the water in them looks brownish gray rather than clear. What could be causing this discoloration?

Is it safe to use this water on vegetables? Or, should I save it for decorative things like my Cut Flower Garden ?

Thanks!

 

[lupinfarm]

i ALWAYS use my rain barrel water on both my decorative garden and vegetable garden.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Does your water come out brownish gray?

Are you dead?

 

[wifezilla]

Did you clean your gutters before you put in the barrels?

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Did you clean your gutters before you put in the barrels?

No. It rained yesterday, and that water went into the barrels, then I drained the barrels to get the "dirty water" out (it was the first rain in a week and a half) This water looks better than that, and has now settled out some. It looks kind of yellowish now.

 

[lupinfarm]

Does your water come out brownish gray?

Are you dead?

Nope, LOL maybe your rain is brownish grey?! My barrels are really dirty right now and need cleaning, but a bit of dirt won't affect me if i water my plants with it if you water the roots not the foliage.

Are your barrels open top without screens?

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

No, they are closed top and are linked with a pipe at the bottom. When it first started raining, there were twigs and leaves going into the barrel, so, I set up some (quarter inch?) hardware cloth to keep the big stuff out.

I just did some research on this too, and, it doesn't look like it should be much of a concern. I might use what is in there now just for decorative plants, and then any other cleaner rain water, use for the vegetables.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Well, I just went out and checked it again, it looks like the water is now basically clear. On the bottom there is some dirt (which is probably what made the water brown) and, the things floating in it are just bits of leaves and plastic shavings from when I first assembled the barrel.

This should work out!

 

[JohnL11935]

Not sure where you are located but in my area on Long Island just about everything is covered in pollen.

We had a light rain shower this morning and when I went outside to leave for work you can see the yellow/green water trails running the driveway.

After the pollen dies down in a couple of weeks I will do my annual power washing of the house and outbuildings.

It kinda stinks in that when we have warm weather you really can't open the windows unless you want to clean up the pollen dust all day long.



.

 

[CityChook]

My guess is that your roof was dirty and that's why the rainbarrel water was brown. I wouldn't worry too much.

Depending on what your roofing material is (and how old it is), be careful using that rain water on your vegetables. Lots of modern roofing has arsenic in it, making the run off a bit toxic. Since I'm too stingy to buy a water test kit, I only water flowers with the rain barrel, not the garden, just to be sure.