Rewilding My Lot

Converting a new developer lot into a nature ecosystem — my journey

rain barrel

  • Finally We Got Rain

    Finally We Got Rain

    After weeks of drought and high temperatures, we finally got 1.54 inches of rain over two days (October 24-25, 2025). And instead of temperatures high/low of 90s/70s F, we are now expecting a more normal 70s/50s to arrive in a day or two. (Although, as I write this on the afternoon of October 27, the Continue reading

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  • Finally Down To The Dregs In The Rain Barrels

    Finally Down To The Dregs In The Rain Barrels

    Behind the house there are two 55-gallon rain barrels that capture water from the roof. There are no gutters on this house, so I’ve located the barrels to collect water falling from two places on either side of the patio where there are corners. As a rough estimate, an inch of rainfall will fill one Continue reading

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  • Finally, Rain

    Finally, Rain

    We had not had rain since September 5. Finally, on November 5 we were blessed with 2.08 inches overnight. One of my goals here is to minimize rain run-off, so I’m always interested in how rainfall behaves when we get it. The garden isn’t mature enough to capture water as well as I want yet Continue reading

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  • Rain Barrel Repairs, And A Pivot

    Rain Barrel Repairs, And A Pivot

    I have two 50-gallon rain barrels here, collecting rain water off the roof behind the house. It’s a small, simple system, but nevertheless this allows me to avoid using faucet water most of the time. For instance, now in September, I think I have used a hosepipe only three times this year (ironically, the third Continue reading

  • Water Conservation

    Water Conservation

    One of my goals here is to keep supplemental water use to a minimum. Before last winter I stashed my hoses away. In April I used one hose sprinkler head for a few days to water a newly seeded grass area. A few days ago, now in September, I was drafting this post thinking that Continue reading

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  • Preparing For A Freeze

    Preparing For A Freeze

    Technically, the first frost of this winter season was early morning 12/11/2023. I didn’t have a thermometer here then, but I think the lowest temperature was maybe 30-32 degrees F. There was no precipitation overnight, just a light coating of frozen condensation. The plants here showed no noticeable reaction to that light frost. However, a Continue reading

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  • We Finally Got Some Rain

    On August 22, 2023 we finally got about 0.5 inches of rain after at least seven weeks of drought and blistering heat. Not only did we need water badly, it was also a chance for me to see how rain behaves here after the modifications I have made (primarily the addition of two rain barrels). Continue reading

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  • The Second Rain Barrel Is Installed

    We’re more than a month into a major drought here, so who knows when there will next be any rain. It’s certainly not in the immediate forecast. Nevertheless, I have optimistically placed a second rain barrel behind the house. (To see more information about the equipment I am using, see this previous post: Rain Barrels.) Continue reading

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  • Rain Barrels

    Water is a valuable resource, not to be wasted. While I do have access to a hosepipe here, it is my goal to use it only rarely. So in order to conserve water, I need to capture rainwater, and install plants that have low water needs. This house has no gutters, but rain water does Continue reading

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About Me

Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.

I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.

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