I woke up to snow in the mountains this past week, frost on my lawn this morning. The lovely crisp days of autumn are chilling to the icy mornings of early winter. When nighttime temperatures dip below freezing it’s time to winterize my outdoor water. The threat of freezing pipes hastens me to release my grip on the garden and follow the example of my plants, settling into a season of rest.
The greenhouse is a little haven, sheltering some autumn sown lettuce and carrots. In sunnier times the greenhouse boasts a water spigot & hose, a misting propagation system, and a lovely deep cast iron sink. But because these are connected to the exterior water they turn off with the sprinklers and other exterior spouts.
I’ve hauled water the 25 yards distance from the house. Slipping in freezing temperatures with the milk jugs full of water was not my ideal so I came to a different solution. My VINGLI rain barrel has been my saving grace. It comes in a few sizes, but the 100 gallon is my preference. I’ll fill it in the late autumn and again in early spring when I’ve a warm enough day to turn on the water and turn it off again before nightfall and more freezing digits. I love that its collapsible, making it easy to store away in the summer. There’s a spigot on the side for easy watering can filling and the top zips up nice and secure which helps keep my kids out of trouble. It’s a must have for anyone with a greenhouse in freezing temperatures.
Large rain barrels are also great for thermal mass heat in backyard greenhouses. The idea is that the water absorbs heat in the toasty greenhouse during the day and releases it slowly at night. My greenhouse is pretty large so the water alone won’t keep my plants happy in here, but it might work in a smaller greenhouse! When I have plants out her in the winter it requires supplemental heat during the night.
As much as it makes me a bit sad to say goodbye to fall, filling my rain barrel is one of those items that feels good checking off my seasonal garden to do list. I’m looking forward to sauntering out to my greenhouse in February to water seedlings, arms free from water jugs, ready for the rush of warm air, heavy with humidity and the lovely smell of potting soil and plants.