The great thing about having a water butt or two is that whatever the weather, you’ll always be glad you got one.
Although the UK is regarded as a wet country, regional variations in rainfall are dramatic, with areas in the south of England receiving less rain than some African countries.
Rainwater can be collected from any roof as long as there is a gutter and downpipe that enters the drain at ground level. Water butts with a rain diverter collect water from the downpipe and still let the overflow enter the drain.
Why water butts are winners:
- Using rainwater on your garden saves on water bills.
- Plants prefer rainwater as it has a lower pH. Minerals that are found in mains tap water, especially in hardwater areas, can raise the pH of the root zone, which affects nutrient availability. Chemicals added to mains water that are safe for humans can be harmful for plants.
- Plants are most vulnerable to shortages of water when they are first planted and their roots have not yet established into the deeper, moister layers of soil. Knowing that you can always water those fresh plantings that need it most takes avoidable stress out of gardening.
- Water butts help to reduce flood risk. Urban areas struggle to cope with heavy rainfall as there are not enough porous surfaces to absorb downpours. Water butts capture water that could contribute to surface runoff – a major cause of flooding.
- As well as the house, water butts can also be attached to sheds, garages, greenhouses and outbuildings – useful if you have a large garden that requires a lot of water. If you have a smaller garden and low-maintenance plants, you won’t need as much water so a mini butt would be better; storing more water than you need can lead to stagnation.
- Rainwater is better than tap water for watering dry compost to maintain the moisture levels necessary for successful composting. Chemicals that are added to tap water can kill some of the beneficial micro-organisms that you want to nurture in your compost bin.
- A vast amount of energy is used to provide safe water to homes, so using stored rainwater or grey water (domestic wastewater) in your garden lowers your carbon emissions.
- Never is a water butt more appreciated than in the fickle British summer. Even in a wet summer your garden still needs watering – rainfall will water the soil’s surface but not deeper down. And if there’s a full week of sunshine it won’t be too long before a drought is declared, along with water restrictions and hosepipe bans.
