Rain Power! Harnessing Storm water for Your Garden and Trees

These days, “green” is all the rage. Being eco-friendly is more than a movement now; in many places (we’re looking at you, California and the Southwest), proper water management is a total necessity. That said, learning to be water-wise isn’t always intuitive. One of the best things you can do is to learn to use storm water for your garden and trees.

Enter the Rain Barrel

Storm water is an excess of water that runs across the surface of streets, gardens and grass because there is an abundance of it and not enough places for it to go. All this “free” water not only reduces your utility bill; it’s great for the environment if you can put it to good use.

That’s where rain barrels come in. Sticking these under your downspouts can help you collect dozens of gallons of water in a single storm, which you can then use to water your trees and garden. If you only have a bit to do, use a watering can. If you’ve got a lot more than that, get a siphon going using a hose. You can also use a large metal tub to collect water.

Mulch to the Rescue

In some cases, such as when you live in areas with heavy rainfall (think the Pacific Northwest and the South during spring and fall), you can collect water pretty easily simply by mulching your trees. Storm water will soak into the ground much more easily if you spread leaf litter or bark chips around the base of your trees and shrubs. Just be sure to keep the mulch 6 inches away from the base, or you could increase the likelihood of damage and disease.

When mulch seems dry, dip into your rain barrel for an extra dose of moisture and apply.

Premier Tree Solutions Can Help

While we don’t provide rain barrels, we can help you get your landscape shipshape to give your trees the best chance of remaining healthy. Healthy trees, fortunately, aerate the soil and give water somewhere to go, so they are also excellent at retaining storm water and reducing runoff.

Here at Premier Tree Solutions in Atlanta, we offer a range of services, including tree removal, tree trimming and pruning, bobcat work, storm cleanup and damage control, stump grinding, branch removal and clearing, debris removal, and other tree- or shrub-related care. Let us help you make your yard healthier today. Call us at 404-252-6448 for all your tree-related needs, and you’ll discover the Premier Tree difference. We guarantee it.