A rain gauge measures the amount of water that has fallen into the garden or vegetable patch.
That way, when it's time to water, you know exactly how much water to put in!
It is an essential tool for measuring precipitation and therefore saving a lot of water.
It's so easy to make that it would be a shame to buy one!
Here is how to make your homemade rain gauge in 2 min with a plastic bottle . Watch:
- plastic bottle (preferably with a flat bottom)
- pair of scissors (or cutter)
- adhesive tape
- chatterton (opaque and solid tape)
- permanent marker
- graduated ruler
1. With the scissors, cut the top of the bottle just where it starts to shrink.
2. Invert the cut part into the bottle to form a funnel.
3. Hold these two parts together by fixing them well with the adhesive tape.
4. Cut a strip of duct tape the length of the bottle.
5. Glue this strip vertically along the bottle, starting from the flat bottom.
6. Using the ruler and marker, grade the tape every 0.5 cm to the top.
7. Place the rain gauge in an open place and on a flat surface.
8. Read your rain gauge every 24 hours, and empty it after each reading.
And There you go ! Your homemade DIY rain gauge is already ready to measure the fallen rain :-)
Easy, fast and efficient, right?
You don't even need to buy one at a garden center thanks to this 100% recycled DIY.
Now you know how much rain falls. Just add up the quantities over a week or a month.
If your bottle does not have a flat bottom, fill the bottom with gravel to create a flat bottom.
It is also a great project to do with your children, especially if they are in kindergarten.
