Modesto, Central Valley, CA...

One could always cover the outside with something like vining plants so that it would look "pretty" using trellis etc to support the vines.  Or surround it with bushes that could be kept neat.

Or paint them.  They need to be painted a dark color anyway to prevent mold, etc. from growing inside.  Paint it a dark green or blue background with flowers, etc....

KelejanOne could always cover the outside with something like vining plants so that it would look "pretty" using trellis etc to support the vines.  Or surround it with bushes that could be kept neat.


AtlantaMarieOr paint them.  They need to be painted a dark color anyway to prevent mold, etc. from growing inside.  Paint it a dark green or blue background with flowers, etc....


Thanks for the suggestions, you gave me a smile 

Planting around the barrels is not an option unless we plant in containers. In the Apollo Garden everything must be within the garden boxes. This is a "temporary" garden area, although it will probably be very long term, but nothing gets planted in the ground.

As for painting the barrels ... we'd need to use paint that wouldn't harm the barrels. We used the blue barrels on the west side of our house because they get full sun for several hours. We used white barrels on the east side of the house because they are under a lattice and vine covered area with no direct sunlight. We haven't seen any algae  in either set, but we've been told a small amount of bleach will take care of any green yucky growth.

Both of our 330-gallon water totes sit in the sun.  We used a black paint that was specifically for plastic.

Someone help me out here.....  Bonds to plastic, comes in a spray can....  Major paint name...  also has magnetic & chalkboard paints...

I cheated and looked at my cans. RustOleum has a spray paint for plastic. Just make sure the plastic is really clean.

Rust-O-Leum!

THAT'S it!  Rustoleum!

Thanks, guys...  

(Man, this memory stuff as you get older....  Um.... what were we talking about?)

Hi to all of you! Just a short update on both the Apollo Garden and our rain barrels. Both are continuing to do well. No more leaks with the barrels and they stay full with the brief rains we've had here in the Modesto area in the past 3-4 months. Our lakes in the more northern part of the State are looking so much better, but from the Modesto area southward through the valley down to Bakersfield - the growing part of Ca - we could be better. 

The gardeners in the Apollo Garden are in transition right now, beginning to plant all those summer things we love so much ... like tomatoes, squash, peppers, and more! Al is planting some seeds directly in the garden instead of starting them indoors or in the greenhouse, but I'm a bit concerned they'll be washed away with the rain headed our way this weekend and into next week. We won't get much but ... ???

We've been eating greens until I think we're about to turn green! Various types of lettuce, also kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collards, mustard greens, beets and more. Yeah, Al gets a bit carried away but he gives away many bags to delighted friends and neighbors! The snow peas and sugar snap peas are great to just eat, almost like candy!

Good to see so many long time friends here! Just spent the last almost 2 hours scrolling through the posts, wow, how time flies!!

Hi PNG_Grandma!

So happy to see you again!!

Hi PNG_Grandma, It's good to hear from you and know everything is going good for you and Al.

I was talking about you a couple weeks ago trying to explain your rain barrel system to to a friend.  So glad to hear all is well 

Hi to all of you! I just read through many of the posts in this topic - WOW! What a great journey Al & I have had with our Apollo Garden. The garden is still here, a few new gardeners, a few changes in the feel of the garden but overall it's still the same. Al has reduced the number of boxes he has by giving them to new neighbors. We've been through three changes of ownership of our senior community and so far all of them have liked the garden idea, whew! We'll eat some Kale, Swiss Chard, and Spinach with our dinner tonight fresh from the garden. Last year Al didn't plant any of the Butternut Squash or the Spaghetti Squash - things we both really love to eat! When he bought some at the store for too many $$s p/pound he decided he will plant them this year - Yay! 

In our "community" herb box we lost the two thyme plants and one sage plant. Al said he's replanting those this year. The bees are loving the flowers on the Rosemary right now, hoping to keep those little guys around all year. 

Oh, almost forgot to mention the rain barrels - we still have all 14 of them, still use water from them when the water in our senior community is turned off for repairs (this is an old senior park) and we use the water to flush toilets and water the outside plants around our yard and porch. We're getting quite a few days of rain right now, but we're still in the dreaded drought and limited on watering here in Modesto. 

Just thought I'd update everyone that my idea from 2010 is still going well!

PNG Granda, So good to hear from you. Good to hear that the rain barrel set up is still working. It looks like another water restriction year.

Hi PNG_Grandma! Good to see you & hear that things are going well!

sanderson wrote:PNG Granda, So good to hear from you.    Good to hear that the rain barrel set up is still working.    It looks like another water restriction year.

Hi to all of you - again!! It's been a few years since I've posted.
Update - Al and I are still kicking, though not as hard as we did when we built the Apollo Garden in 2010! We're healthy, for the most part. Al had Thyroid surgery a year ago to remove the cancer in some lymph nodes and his thyroid but is doing so well, even with a tiny bit of cancer still in one lymph node. Docs say not to worry. We're not.
My mom died last March, the day we went into lockdown for this COVID-19 pandemic. A blessing for all of our family that she left us that day. So far, Al and I are safe and healthy.

About our beautiful Apollo Garden - it's just that, Beautiful! Some new gardeners and a few of the originals still hanging around!

About our rain harvesting - still working well! We've just had a couple of rainstorms, one was a real doozy of a storm this past week so the barrels, all 14 of them, are completely filled again. If we continue another year of California drought here in the Central Valley, or Northern San Joaquin Valley as the news stations keep calling us, we'll have enough water for all the plants around our yard.

We've missed all of you. Al has only one 4x4 box this year and right now he has Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas planted. The horrendous winds we had a few nights ago didn't destroy the plants Al has growing up on twine. I hope he plants the butternut and spaghetti squash seeds in the same box like he promised. We love both types of squash and I just hate to pay the price in the grocery stores when they grow so well in our Apollo Garden!

Wow, we started the Apollo Garden in July 2010 and it's still giving gardeners and our neighbors on their daily walks past the garden such joy. The birds love the garden as to do the butterflies, dragonflies, and other critters too. 
Mother Nature sure puts on a great show in our beautiful garden, and it carries over into our front yard.
  from the two of us to all of you!!

So glad for the update!  Glad you are here!

PNG,  I'm so glad you checked in with us.  The rain we just received in the Valley was wonderful, and I'm glad your rain barrels are full.  You and Al did a great job building the set up.

Hi Sanderson! As you can see, life still gets in the way of me posting regularly.
Al and I are still healthy, Al's still driving the school bus for special needs kids and absolutely loves his job and his kids. I'm still working on genealogy for other people and we're both enjoying the delicious peas that grew in the garden this season. Oh, yeah, we're both fully vaccinated with no issues, whew!

I spent some time in the garden today talking with one of our newer gardeners and told him the history of our Apollo Garden. What a journey it's been from when we began back in June 2010 until now. 

Still such a peaceful place to be.