This morning's rain made me smile. Then, I started thinking about
my love of rain. As a gardener, there are many reasons I'm happy to see
it. Of course, we all know that rain waters the garden. That's no
surprise. Can you think of some other reasons a gardener might love to
see the rain? I certainly can. Here's my top 5.
Rain water is better for the garden than tap water.
Did you know that rain water, unlike, tap water, contains hydrogen
peroxide? What's so great about that? That extra molecule of oxygen
gives your garden a boost that tap water can't possibly compete with.
Not only that, tap water contains chemicals that aren't exactly
eco-friendly. So, praise the rain, not only because it waters the
plants, but because it does so in a healthier manner.
Rain saves me work.
The more it rains, the less I have to water. With Lupus and
Rheumatoid, watering is a real chore. Of course, we are gradually
building a watering system into our garden. We also plan to purchase
some lightweight cloth hoses. Meanwhile, though, I'm thankful for the
reprieve from watering I get from the occasional rain.
Rain gives me a whole day off sometimes.
Who wants to garden in muck and mud? Not me. So, not only does rain
save me work, sometimes it gives me an entire day off. In gardening
season, I don't get a whole day off much. There's always watering and
weeding to do. There are bugs and diseases to check for. Sometimes there
is harvesting. It's always something! I'm in the garden pretty much
every day. That is, unless it rains. When it does, I have an excuse to
take a breather.
It fills up the rain barrels.
Rain isn't just a one day reprieve from watering. For those of us who
use rain barrels and other water diversion devices, it can mean a week
of free water. At our house, we divert water from our downspouts using
hose. When the garden has sufficient water, we feed the hose into
barrels and other containers for storage.
Rain is cleansing and more.
Sure, there is that little pest known as acid rain. However, for the
most part, rain doesn't just water the garden, it cleans it. It also
promotes fresh, new growth. It washes some pests away. It clears the
air. The day after a rainstorm brings fresh, clean air to enjoy while
gardening. It also shows gardeners the weaknesses of their garden,
things that don't stand up to the weather and areas that need
improvement.
