Good points about native plants, but honestly placement is key. Helped a buddy last summer who put his rain garden too close to the basement window wells... ended up with water seeping in after heavy rains. Definitely measure twice, dig once.
Yeah, learned that one myself the hard way. I set up my first rain barrel right near the foundation, thinking it'd be convenient... ended up with pooling water after every storm. Had to move it further out. Placement definitely makes or breaks it.
"Placement definitely makes or breaks it."
Haha, yep, been there! Quick tip: set your barrel at least 5-10 feet from the foundation, slightly elevated on cinder blocks. Helps gravity do its thing and keeps your basement from turning into an indoor pool... learned that lesson myself.
"Quick tip: set your barrel at least 5-10 feet from the foundation, slightly elevated on cinder blocks."
Good call on the elevation and distance—I learned that one the hard way too. One thing I'd add is to make sure you've got a solid overflow plan. I underestimated how quickly a heavy rain can fill up a barrel, and ended up with a mini flood around the side of my house... not fun. Now I've got an overflow hose directed into a garden bed about 15 feet away, which helps soak up excess water without creating a muddy mess.
Also, curious if anyone's using any kind of filtration or screen setup to keep debris out? I've been thinking about adding one to mine, but I'm not sure if it's worth the extra hassle or if just cleaning it out regularly is enough.
Now I've got an overflow hose directed into a garden bed about 15 feet away, which helps soak up excess water without creating a muddy mess. Also, curious if anyone's using any kind of filtration o...
I've tried both ways, and honestly, a simple mesh screen at the top has saved me a ton of hassle. Cleaning out soggy leaves and bugs is no fun... I'd say it's worth the minor upfront effort.
