Rain barrels can meet their fate in the winter if not properly cared for
As autumn leaves will soon give way to the cold of winter, a Calgary charity hopes to help those with a rain barrel prepare for the deep freeze.
Green Calgary, a charity that works with the City of Calgary to provide subsidized rain barrels, has seen a 200 per cent increase in demand over the last year.
“That was really just the tip of the iceberg too,” said Lex van der Raadt, the charity’s executive director.
He said they sold about 30 per cent more rain barrels than in 2023.
“That means we weren’t (keeping) up with the demand, and I know lots of other retailers were also just totally running out,” van der Raadt said. “Obviously people are noticing how helpful it can be for your garden.”
But rain barrels can meet their fate in the winter if not properly cared for.
The barrels can last seven years — often more if taken care of — and a big part of that is making sure they don’t crack in the winter, according to van der Raadt.
“This is particularly important in Calgary, we just have all that freeze-thaw, so that really does a number on these things,” he explained during a Monday event.
To avoid cracking, the barrel must be completely emptied of water, turned upside down, and disconnected from the downspout and other hoses. He also noted to put something heavy on it so it won’t blow away.
In addition, he said, “Reattach your old downspout, so you don’t get water splashing everywhere when things start to thaw, and then don’t set it up again until, you know, late April at the earliest.”
If someone were to forget to empty their rain barrel, there are some repairs that people can do themselves, but if there’s “really big” cracks they can be extremely difficult to fix, said van der Raadt.
“There are ways of doing that, but often they just require a lot more effort and money to do,” he said. “You can get a plastic welder and fix it yourself.”
Small cracks, like those most common around the barrels’ tap, can be very easily removed and replaced.
Rain barrel owner Crystal MacKenzie says she empties her rain barrels every year into something she can use to hold the water inside for her indoor plants.
“To get as much of that water as I can, (I also) empty the rest into my tree,” she said.
She also flips her barrels upside down as Green Calgary recommends, storing them outdoors for the winter.
“I’ve had some of those barrels … they’re all between 12 and 15 years old, and that’s how they’ve been stored their whole life,” MacKenzie said.
She’s always had water barrels.
“It’s better for the plants, you don’t need to use the potable water,” said MacKenzie.
Being able to water gardens, flowers and even indoor plants without restriction is a plus.
“You’re not restricted, and the water, it’s so much better because the temperature’s always right, there’s no chlorine in it,” she said.
In the coming year, he says they’re continuing to talk with the City of Calgary to tackle subsidized rain barrel demand.
“We’re talking to them about what we can do as well to just make more available,” he said. “They’re going out to people at a much more reasonable rate, since rain barrels’ price has also really gone up over the last five years.”
— With files from Gavin Young, Brent Calver and Dean Pilling