Irrigation with a rain barrel without a pump

This is how irrigation works via a rain barrel and without a pump

Gravity replaces the pump

Many commercially available systems work with small submersible pumps, as the water from the tank does not reach the vegetable patch without pressure. However, if there is no power connection in the garden, such pumps cannot work - and solar-powered examples are extremely unreliable, as they only pump when the sun is shining from the sky. Instead, you can also make use of gravity, which transports the water to the beds all by itself. How it works? Quite simply: You only have to bring the water container, in this case the rain barrel, to a higher level than the beds. To ensure that the pressure is sufficient for irrigation, you should lift the bin onto a platform between 50 and 100 centimeters high.

How to build a drip irrigation yourself

For the self-built irrigation system, it is best to choose a larger rain barrel with at least 1000 to 1500 liters capacity, which has a connection for the garden hose in the lower area:

Connect the hose there.
Put a stopper on the other end of the garden hose.
Now make holes in the hose where you want the water to run out.
This works well with a hammer and nail.
Position the hose so that its holes deliver the water directly to the plant roots.

If the rain barrel does not have a connection for the hose, you can also hang the garden hose over the upper edge into the water. In this case, just make sure that the hose opening is on the floor and not bobbing somewhere in the middle or even high up on the edge of the barrel - if the water level drops, the opening is suddenly out of the water and the hose cannot water transport more to the bed. At best, fasten the end of the hose in such a way that it cannot slip or slip out.