Repurposed Coffee Can Conserves Water

by Texas Homesteader ~

We are always looking for ways to repurpose empty coffee cans. I’ve found a way to use them in the vegetable garden to conserve water. Perfect!

Keeping plants watered during the hot, dry Texas summers requires some consideration for sure. Come see my conservation tips.

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Watering Plants In A Summer Drought

In the heat of summer, the rain taps typically turn completely off here in NE Texas. It’s not unusual for us to struggle keeping everything watered during those times.

I suppose I complicate things myself by insisting that all outside watering be done only though Captured Rainwater. I’ve never liked the idea of treated, drinkable water being pumped through a labyrinth of pipes underground from miles away just for me to pour onto the ground.

So with a few exceptions (such as during drought when the trees could die if I don’t offer assistance), plants are watered using only captured rainwater.

Our Various Rainwater Collection Systems

Since I like to use only rainwater to water outside plants, I make sure to have plenty of catchment systems to assure it’s always (or nearly always) available. There are a Few Rainwater Collection Systems we prefer to use here on the Homestead.

For instance, I have two 50-60 gallon *rainwater catchment containers attached to house gutters on opposite ends of the house.

When they’re full I use a large 30-gallon overflow bucket to capture even more water. I keep those buckets covered to ward off mosquitoes, but in the photo below I’ve removed the cover so you can see how much water they hold.

I use those overflow buckets first, dipping watering cans into them to fill and water plants.

I also have a 100-gallon galvanized trough that captures rainwater from another gutter located between the two listed above.

That’s a lot of rainwater capacity, y’all! And any tiny amount of rain refills them over and over again.

Underground Cement Cistern Captures Rainwater

I also have a deep cement cistern with a pump that I use to water my garden. That water is also captured from a downspout in our home’s gutters.

But it’s delivered to the cistern via underground pipe. When I need to water the garden I flip on the pump and water away!

But even though this cistern holds several hundred gallons of water, when the rain taps turn off it doesn’t take long watering the garden every other day to drain that cistern.

So I’m still very careful with my water use. Especially during the hot, dry months of summer.

Conserving Moisture In The Garden

The intense sun can dry up any moisture in the soil pretty quickly when the high temps tickle with the 100 degree mark, which is common here.

So I’m sure to cover the ground around my plants. This both insulates them from that heat as well as conserves moisture.

I typically use spent hay from around the hay ring. Many other gardeners might use (cured) grass clippings from mowing their lawn. Others might use crushed leaves or wood mulch. But the important thing is to cover that ground.

I also utilize living mulch. To be honest, this is my favorite. I simply plant vining plants in my garden to grow along the soil around other plants.

My favorite vining plants are cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash or watermelon. They grow along just doing what they do and making us food. But in doing so they’re also shading the ground and preserving moisture for my tomatoes. Win/win, yes?

Eliminating The Weed Competition

Anyway, today I’m in the garden watering. I usually try to water in the cool of the morning – and it’s gonna be a HOT one today!

As I’m giving the plants a drink I am reaching down and pulling up any wayward weeds or grass that’s popped up.

I certainly don’t want a weed taking up valuable nutrients and moisture from my garden! Those small plants are placed in a Repurposed Coffee Can to be delivered soon to my composter

Slow The Flow For Deep Soak Watering

Another way I’m able to conserve water is to find a delivery system that allows the water to drain out slooooowly. This gives the water a chance to soak in down to the roots instead of running off.

For potted plants I’ve used a Plastic Jar With A Lid Drilled With Holes. RancherMan simply drills the lid of the jar with tiny holes.

I’ll fill the jar by dipping it into my rainwater’s overflow and screw the top back on. Then I’ll tip it upside down on top of the soil at the stem of my plant and let gravity do the rest.

Over the next several minutes I’ll see bubbles rising one by one. That means the water is dripping from those holes and watering my plant. It’s the easiest way to water potted plants.

But today in my veggie garden I’ll use a similar method for my deep soak watering. Only this time I’m using an empty repurposed coffee can.

Various Uses For Empty Coffee Cans

I’ve written before about the many Different Uses Of A Repurposed Coffee Can. As mentioned above I use them in the garden for Corralling Weeds but I also use them to make EcoBricks for raised beds.

There’s a more complete list of things I do with empty coffee cans at the bottom of this post. But today I’ll be helping my garden plants stay properly watered.

Repurposed Coffee Can To Water Garden Plants

First I took the snap-off lid from an empty coffee can. Then I punched several small holes in it with a nail punch.

Now when it’s time to water my one of my garden plants I take off the lid and fill the can with water from a water hose bringing rainwater from my cistern. Then I snap the lid back on and carefully turn it upside down.

Once again, gravity will do its thing and the water will drip slowly from those small holes. The roots get a thorough deep soak watering, giving the plant a fighting chance against the brutality of yet another 100-degree Texas summer day!

Since the coffee we love to drink comes in these handy cans, I always have plenty ready and waiting to be used.

And I think conserving natural rainwater for deep soak watering while helping my garden to thrive is a fine use for them indeed.

#UseWhatchaGot!

~TxH~

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2 thoughts on “Repurposed Coffee Can For Deep Soak Watering To Conserve Water”

candace ford at

While we can see drought conditions here in western Oregon, we don’t often have too much problem. Though with global warming changes are happening. We live on a small river and the neighbors have set a tiny pump down at the water, but I expect that’s illegal. Now I’m even more concerned about water consumption because the bird man has installed a wonderful water purification system and every bit of our water runs through that. One simple thing I do is keep a bucket in the shower and use it to flush the toilet in the morning or water the few house plants. Because the spring that provides our water has never seemed to run low it’s only since we began purifying that I have even thought much about conservation. It has been a pretty dry summer here so far. Good luck with all your efforts.

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  I love that you’re conservation minded with your water – and how wonderful to have a water purification system. RancherMan is currently researching one for our home. If you don’t mind me asking – what kind did you settle on and how do you like it? ~TxH~
  
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~Texas Homesteader~

Working To Provide For Ourselves On Our Texas Homestead

Repurposed Coffee Can For Deep Soak Watering To Conserve Water