Rain Barrels: Economically Marginal for Tree Watering

Q: Two 65-gallon rain barrels for summer fruit tree watering. Prevent stagnation?

A: Add 1/8 tsp bleach per gallon. But trees need 20 gallons/week in summer—barrels can't supply economically. $100 barrels save $1.30 water/year; 10-year payback. Better: buy Treegator bags and use municipal water.

Detailed economics: roof yields 40,000 gal/year but storage for summer storms is impractical. Screen pollen clogs barrels.