What’s in the ground:

This past weekend I planted all of my garlic, which was really exciting. It’s a plant that really teaches patience, one of the many lessons to be learned in the garden. And the bike tour around the neighborhood to plant it was fun too. I can’t wait until summer when it’s ready. But in the meantime, while planting, a friend brought something to my attention. While we were clearing another plot for garlic, I was about to rip up the remains of a sunflower stalk when she said, “Just leave it in.” When I asked why, she explained that leaving the roots in the ground will help keep the soil loose over the frosty winter and help aerate the soil. Also, as I gave it thought, the roots will allow the ground to lay fallow while beneficial nutrients will break down into the soil. Since the sunflower is not very weed-like, the soil will not become compacted, will get enough oxygen and nutrients, and will be some beautiful humus come spring.

What’s going on in sustainability:

So, as I get more involved with this campaign to reduce the possibilities of privatized water, I began to think about reducing the strain on public water systems. After such a miserably rainy season, it will be frustrating to be told by our utilities that we need to conserve water when a drought hits because water wasn’t properly stored. Although there are major infrastructure changes needed, such as Philadelphia’s new system to catch storm water and run aqueducts underground to irrigate city parks, there is something you can do.

I imagine we’ve all seen those blue or black barrels attached to some of our progressive friends’ rain spouts. The design is pretty simple; you take the top of the barrel and position it under a sturdy gutter with a screen attached at the end to filter out any debris. So you may ask, “If it’s so easy, why don’t I see it more?” I think it has to do with people not giving it much thought, and not having enough confidence that they can do it.

First, please give it thought. We developed society because of advancements in agriculture, and these advancements came because people learned how to catch rain water rather than praying to totemic gods for rain. Second, there are just a few things you need to know. First is getting a barrel. If you want to cut a corner with money, just go on the internet to an organic garden supply store, I’m sure they have some. But if you are more on the freecycle tip, Craigslist or Freecycle is a good start. But many restaurants have used barrels that were once used to store cooking supplies. Just give them a good cleaning and there you have it.

The second road block is safety. I say this especially to those who live in older houses. Chances are you have an asbestos shingled roof, which will disqualify you from catching water. But if you have asbestos shingles, I think it is a good idea to replace them anyway, just for general safety. If you don’t have the money, shingling yourself is not that hard. For tips on roofing, please contact me.

The third is overflow. It’s not just an expression, “When it rains it pours.” There’s nothing worse than a flood around a barrel or a cesspool in a filled barrel. The first tip is to keep up on your use of the water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people with full rain barrels using city water just because they never check it. But if you’re much more responsible, but still have an overflow, the first idea is to add more rain barrels on other spouts. If that doesn’t work, use a Babylonian cistern system (I love how many garden techniques go back to antiquity). Attach a hose to your primary barrel, elevate it on a platform, and stick the hose onto the lower barrel. This way the water will drain into the second barrel and even your supply out.

I hope these tips are not a day late and a dollar short. I realize we just had one of the rainiest seasons on record. But, it’s always good to prepare for next season. Just remember to manage your water if you live in a very cold climate. You don’t want a barrel sized ice cube.

Until next week, this is the note from the Urban Homestead.