With all the spring showers this year, harvesting rain may seem like the last thing you would want to do — even if you knew what it was.

But talk to Lori Lynch and Shane Marvelli of Savannah, Mo., and you’ll realize it’s great way to save money on your garden this summer, not to mention being good for the environment and your vegetation.

“It just makes sense,” Shane says.

As a PGA golf pro, he spent a lot of time in Arizona and California. That’s where he first saw the practice of rain harvesting.

It’s essentially capturing rainwater that comes off your roof into rain barrels to use on your grass and garden. Now with nine barrels of their own, the couple has found that using rain makes all their plants grow better.

“It makes a world of difference,” Shane says. “Rainwater doesn’t have all the chlorine and chemicals.”

It also saves money. When they moved to their home on five acres in January of 2007, it was overgrown with hedge and locust trees. So they cleared the land and planted 150 trees. They also planted a large vegetable garden and have many potted plants indoors and out to water.

“Our bills got a little crazy last summer,” Lori says. “We had a couple that were over $100.”

This year, they have been under $40. And come drought or not, they will be ready with a rain barrel watering system that’s easy to use with no waste. Several of the barrels are connected together for a continuous flow of water into a 100-foot garden hose that goes down a slope to their garden. When it’s time to water the garden, they just hook the hose to a 150 foot soaker hose in the garden. It’s held down with landscape staples, and the entire garden is covered in straw.

“It’s perfect,” Shane says. “We don’t lose a drop of water. And with overhead watering, you get diseases on the vegetables, not to mention all the water you are wasting.”

Although it is easy to set up, there was a bit of hair-pulling figuring it all out, Shane says. Here’s how they did it, so you can do it, too:

Buy rain barrels

Rain barrels range widely in size and price. On the high end, for example, there’s an Octagon Double 108-gallon rain barrel for $300. But they don’t have to be expensive. You can even use a Rubbermaid trash can. Shane and Lori bought blue 55-gallon barrels from Orchelin for $40 and got a few on sale for $29. They come fitted with a brass spigot and a removable insert in the screw-on cap. If you use something like a trash can, you would need to add this yourself.

Put in tube for

overflow

If the rain comes into the barrel faster than it comes out, it creates a “volcano effect,” Lori says. Most experts recommend a 1½-inch tube, but if you have a large catch area, you may want to go to 3 inches. The tube can go out onto the yard or you can connect it to another barrel. Cut the hole with a hole saw that goes on a hand drill. Use silicon caulking designed for plastic, inside and out.

Paint the barrels

To make the barrels less obtrusive looking, they painted them the same color as their house. First sand with No. 220 grit sandpaper and clean with Windex. Then paint with Krylon “Fusion” ($4.25 at Wal-Mart). It takes two cans per barrel. Let paint set up for at least 24 hours.

Add netting

You don’t want your rain barrel to be a haven for mosquitoes. Cut fiberglass mesh into a section big enough to cover the hole and use long zip ties to tighten on the edge.

Replace the

downspout

Take the original downspout off and put aside until fall. Replace with a flexible downspout, secured by two gutter screws. They usually cost around $7.

Need more help? Bridging the Gap in Kansas City sells ready-to-go rain barrels and offers classes to make your own. (July classes are already full). Call toll-free (888) 895-3605 for more information or visit bridgingthegap.org or detailed information.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com.