April showers are a matter of fact this month.
Interestingly, one of the major causes of the often
heavy downpours is the position of the jet stream
during the month. While we have had more than our
fair share of rain already this year, it doesn’t seem
likely to ease just yet.
Now the risk of frost has lessened, spring is the best
time to start setting your garden up for the rest of the
year. Looking forward to summer, and the likelihood of
a drier season as our climate changes, collecting
rainwater is vital for the health of your garden in
warmer periods. It also saves your pocket from hefty
water bills in a desperate attempt to quench its thirst.
If every household in England collected just one water
butt’s worth of water a year - equating to 160 litres
– this would collectively save four billion litres of fresh
tap water every year. Gardens prefer rainwater
anyway, as that’s what they’re used to.
Compared to a hose pipe or sprinkler which can use
up to 1,000 litres of water an hour and cost around
£1.50, using a watering can costs an equivalent of
50p per hour. Rainwater is free and it will cost a mere
one off £50-60 to install a water butt. Finally, our
wet British weather can be counted as a blessing!
Not only is rainwater ideal for watering the garden,
but a water butt can also relieve strain from your
downpipes during heavy downpours and reduce
overflowing drains. If you don’t have a suitable
downpipe, you can easily install one. A simple and
effectively free method that will save you
hundreds of pounds on your annual water bill.