Rain Barrel – Siting

Q: Where should I site my rain barrel? The best place at my house is on the south side. But the water coming out of my normal water hose is scalding hot all summer. Will I experience this problem with a rain barrel?

A: I see your concern, but the barrel water won’t get hot enough to hurt plants. If you use a hose to drain the barrel, the hose water would be pretty hot. But if you apply the hot water a foot away from plant stems the water will be cooled by the soil to an acceptable temperature before it harms your plants.