by Bernadell Larson,
HCMG |
Celebrate Those Water
Tanks
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Maybe it is time for a
change in how we view
and display water tanks
in our landscaping and
yards. Simple and
complex rainwater
harvesting systems are
becoming more common,
especially with the
drought conditions in
our area. They are going
to be an even more
important part of our
society with predictions
that Texas will not have
enough water to meet the
population needs in the
next 30 to 50 years. |
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Why not celebrate these
catchment and storage
tanks? There is a 5,000
gallon fiberglass tank
in Dripping Springs that
is painted like a
turtle. It is various
shades of green and
looks so whimsical
sitting among the trees
at Tank Town. Large
storage containers can
be made of fiberglass,
polypropylene;
concrete, timber clad,
metal, rock, etc. The
fiberglass can be easily
painted with normal
house paint and the
others can be easily
painted with paint
appropriate for the
medium. Of course don’t
limit yourself to the
idea of paint; the
options are only limited
to the imagination.
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This storage tank is at
the home of a local
HCMG. It was painted to
blend with the stonework
of the house. The
crossvine from the
trellis has been allowed
to grow over the tank |
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For you gardeners who do
not want to install a
large collection system,
there are many options
of smaller collections
tanks; some as small as
40 gallons. Ong jars are
an alternative and are
widely used in Thailand
to capture rainwater for
gardens. The Ong jars
are made of concrete and
can be painted or
stained and come with a
hose bib and galvanized
metal lid that will
accommodate a gutter
downspout.
Currently ong jars
are a rather expensive
alternative, but as the
jars become more readily
available, the prices
will begin to come down.
At left is an example of
an ong jar from
Thailand.
Photo courtesy of Big
Grass Bamboo,
San Antonio, Texas |
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You can even make your
own storage container.
The Hill Country Master
Gardeners recently
offered a workshop on
making rain barrels out
of 55-gallon drums. You
can contact the HCMG at
830.257.6568 for more
information on making
your own. |
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If you choose to make
your own rainwater
collection vessel or
purchase a large storage
system, get creative
with you design and
don't hide it! Make it
one of the focal points
of your garden.
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