I sure like to use my rain barrel. Rain barrels are simply a storage tank for 
temporarily holding stormwater. Stormwater from your roof is collected into a barrel that is attached to your downspout. The benefits of using a rain barrel for watering in your garden are: rain is naturally free of chlorine and fluoride; helps conserve water; and it reduces ones water bill. Also, rainwater contains nitrogen (produced during lightning strikes). Nitrogen is an important natural fertilizer for the soil. We’ve just got our second rain barrel and I can hardly wait for it to be hooked up. We’ll attach a soaker hose to it and use it solely for one of our dryer gardens. The other barrel is used for hand watering. My potted plants just flourish from rain water. If you’re not using a rain barrel you’re missing many benefits. Why not give it a try?
Remember to clean it once in awhile (the car wash works well). You’ll need to drain and disconnect it before winter also. Have a wonderful day. Linda
Flourish 