Painting the barrel black is a solid move—blocking sunlight is key. I did something similar, but instead of paint, I wrapped mine in reflective insula...

You're spot-on about changing habits. When I first switched to a water-saving toilet, I had similar headaches—though thankfully nothing as dramatic as...

Yeah, totally agree on the watering issue. Fabric pots dry out crazy fast, especially in hot weather. I've found mulching heavily helps a bit, but hon...