Best Ways to Collect Rainwater

Water water everywhere... but not a drop to water your garden?! Why not save water and save on your bills by collecting rain water?!

Perhaps you live in a dry area, where rain is scarce most of the year round, or perhaps you want to collect little and often. In this video, Ben demonstrates how to get the most out of the resources you have to hand in this easy to follow tutorial. Get ready to make a splash!

If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
and many more...

[kasession]

Great video.
I live in a town house, so I grow on my deck. I took an old umbrella, put a hole in the top, and then turned it upside down over a 5 gallon bucket. the umbrella increases the surface area, and also slows down evaporation. If it gets full, I fill up empty plastic juice bottles with the water. It's not elegant, but it means I don't have to fill up water bottles from my kitchen sink all the time.

[richardnoble]

Nothing beats a British nerd. Love this bloke!

[bryanbailey]

I am from Howick South Africa and my capacity for Rain Water Harvesting is +- 8 000 Litres. I use this water for household use via a pressure pump and filter as well as the garden with one tap having municipal (council) via a triple water filtration system for drinking, cooking. When the tanks run out, I switch to municipal (council) water. In a very good year I can be off municipal (council) water up to 8 months and as an average 5 to 6 months. I shall soon commission a grey water system for the garden, but not for eatable plants. From the geyser to the bathroom you can waste up to 10 litres before the hot water arrives and this collected in bucket can be emptied into the garden.
I might add its important to keep the gutters 'clean' and to introduce a leaf catcher into the gutter down pipe.

[Beaguins]

If you don't have a gutter or downspout, don't let that stop you from having a rain barrel! This is my first year with a rain barrel. I put it on two cinder blocks under a corner of my gutter-less roof, and it has filled up nicely with water. I constantly use it because it's often more convenient than the hose.

[michalamuggiernst]

I got two clean oil drums today, I am so excited to get started.

[hayjay]

Oh my goodness just discovered your channel and everything I needed is right here... water conservation, keeping cats of the garden, growing vertically and I could go on 🌻 new sub here and I will have a look for your book x great channel x

[crochetgottaloveit]

We set up three 32-gallon garbage cans for our rainwater catchment system but we linked them at the bottom so it uses all the water evenly out of each can. We did this so no any single can would get stagnant water.

[laurensalisbury]

Such great ideas! I love the tarp concept. I've been harvesting water off the sandbox cover every time it rains with a 5 gallon bucket. I'm going to upgrade my game with a larger tarp and a few more buckets.

[daisygurl]

We have been using rain barrels for the last 10 years and will most likely add to our double barrel set up. We use the collected water not only for watering, but also to cleans pots, bins and tools. We sometimes go for weeks without rain here in the Piedmont of North Carolina, so it’s wonderful that Mother Nature can be bottled for later use! Blessings...daisy

[lorrihernandez]

I live in a drought stricken area. I have to carefully consider how much rainwater to harvest and how much to allow to go into the soil to feed my huge trees. Lots to consider when rain harvesting!

[toniedalton]

We are having a bad drought here in Va right now. I have 2 water containers, one on either side of my house to catch the water. One waters my horses and chickens, the other my garden. The garden one ran dry the other day. They are IBC containers. I’m going to set up another tank at the barn before winter to catch all that I am missing. Actually just a trough hooked to the guttering.
It’s so great to use that good water instead of the chemical laced water we pay for.

[mihancic]

You live in a wonderfully green place, so many trees and bushes around.

[timtation]

Great video Ben… Rain water is acidic. The levels of acid vary by region (more acid if you are close to industrial air pollution, downwind of a large city), but all of it is more acidic than all other water sources. It’s worth keeping in mind if your soil is also acidic or alkaline. So check your rain water every once in a while, to better understand it (and adjust the ph if desired, which is really easy to do). Cheers.

[aliciaalfonso]

bath tubs in serise with eddible crutations, fish, rice, lotus roots, water chestnuts & watercress. I like the hot tub idea too

[GreenSideUp]

We have been giving IBC tanks to plot holders to harvest and store rainwater, it is surprising how much you can gather. By making a loose fitting frame (not fixed) to the top of the IBC and stapling a very loose sheet of plastic to the frame, a hole in the middle of that and rainwater collects in the saggy plastic and drips right into the top cap of the tank. The tank keeps itself topped up year round and will be full at the end of winter. Another plot holder has a woodpile he manages for home use, he keeps it dry by covering with wrinkly tin, this is angled down at one end and feeds a water butt. Another idea is guttering attached to a fence, again angled to fill a butt. There are so many good ideas for rainwater harvesting out there, limited by your own imagination...Steve...😃

[brooksjewell]

This was super informative! I also collect water inside. While I am waiting for my shower water to warm up -- I put one of my garden buckets in the tub to collect the cold water -- then use that to water houseplants.

[yesyoga]

I have several 50 gallon drums, buckets and vessels sitting around a 20’ canopy roof. The water drips into these containers and drums. It’s not a “neat” method, it it works! Thanks Ben👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼✅

[thatcouplerides]

I’ve just begun researching this topic and I have a small patio garden. The setup I have at the moment is I use the starter trays placed under some of my elevated raised garden totes to collect water during rainfall, then I transfer to watering containers. I also leave containers out without lids on to collect rain as well—these I place under patio chairs.

This video has certainly gave me a few more ideas to collect even more rainfall in a small area where I’m limited from doing a more elaborate set up.

Thank you!!!

[peterdixon]

Love collecting rain water for my plants in pots in the house or outside 💞👍💐🇦🇺

[Bexyboo]

We have 4 large water butts in the garden (one next to a shed with sloped roof, 2 against walls of the house and one against our lean-to greenhouse), but due to most of our garden being in containers, even after a bit of a downpour they soon dry up again with sunny / windy weather in the summer, so we can empty those butts pretty quickly! What we have done however, is have our shower and bath drain pipes go down into our storm drain in the garage (grey water). We then use a pump with a hose to pump it out and either directly water with it or fill up the water butts. It is a bit smelly, but we've used it for the past few years now and none of the plants seem to mind at all. Just another great way to reuse and cut down the water bill :)