Staff photo by sheila g. kelley
Dennis Adkins uses barrels, soaker hoses and gravity to water his Marion garden.
Gravity pushes water for garden
Staff writer
Dennis Adkins never worries about leaving town and having his garden die from lack of water.
“I fill the barrels with water from the well and hook up soaker hoses. Then they do all the work,” Adkins said.
The barrels being elevated on a homemade platform means gravity pushes water through the hoses.
Adkins bought his gardening property at North and 3rd Sts. three years ago when city water prices made it impossible for him to garden at his residence.
“I bought the property because it had a well,” said Adkins, who has been gardening for 50 years.
Adkins bought the barrels and adapted them with a spigot to hook the hoses.
“You can use any type barrel, but plastic holds up a bit better than metal,” Adkins said.
When he was gardening at home, he used the barrels to capture rainwater.
“It’s just been too dry this year to use them as rain barrels,” Adkins said.