Here are five questions to help you decide how big your rain barrel should be. If you can collect rain water from 1000 square feet of roof and a typical rainfall is one inch then a 623 gallon barrel will capture most of the typical rainfall. (1000SF x 1/12 feet = 83.3 cubic feet or 623 gallons). Here are five questions you should ask before installing a rain barrel.
Best Time to Water. The best time of day to water your lawn is in the early morning, from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Watering in the morning gives wet blades of grass time to dry out over the course of the day, reducing the possibility of fungal problems. Morning is also the coolest and least windy time of day, which means that the water you apply is less likely to be lost to evaporation.
The best time to water is early morning, when the sun starts to rise. You lose some water to evaporation in the middle of the day. And watering at night leaves the grass wet too long, which can cause fungus and other diseases in the summer. Give your lawn 3/8 in. of water three times a week. Calculate the amount of time it takes your sprinkler to dispense that much water (Photo 5). Set a timer (sold at home centers and lawn and garden centers) on your hose spigot so you won't have to watch the clock (Photo 6).