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Container Gardening

Can I use plastic barrels....

15 years ago

for a container garden? I'm talking about the big plastic drum barrels. I was thinking to have them cut in half and fill the inside with soil for a container garden.

Do you think it would work? Also, should they be placed off the ground with several holes in the bottom for drainage?

THANKS!!!

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Comments (6)

breezy8830
Original Author
15 years ago
Should I cut them with wise or length wise.
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
15 years ago
We don't know if you can use them. Are they food grade? What was stored in them?

You can cut them any way you wish. Of course they should have drainage.

Dan
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When I found that pic in google, I was also so impressed . Then I thought about all cutting, screwing, begging my husband to help ....:))) and finally I end up with just cutting square foot hole on the side of the barrel, but not in the middle part ; I cut that hole in the top side part, so I could use it not just rotating horizontally, but also keep it vertical for a while. When it is time to rotate, I lay the barrel on the ground and roll it several times and let it sit horizontally. Then several day later I roll it again, or put it vertically. Actually it is not difficult at all. Sorry, I don't have my own picture of the barrel.
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breezy8830
Original Author
15 years ago
http://www.bayteccontainers.com/plastic-rain-barrel-faq.html

thats kinda what they look like before being cut
californian
15 years ago
That online source's prices are really high. Here in southern California the prices on used 55 gallon plastic drums can range from as low as $7 each to as high as $50 each, depending upon mostly who is selling them, type, condition, whether they are clean or not, whether you pick them up or get them delivered, quantity purchased, what was in them, etc. You might even occasionally get one or two for free, but most people know they are worth something.
I am negotiating right now to buy 14 barrels for $10 each plus $20 to have them delivered. I plan to cut them in half, giving me one double open ended cylinder about 18 inches high and 21 inches in diameter, and one tub same dimensions but closed on one end from each barrel. The double open ended rings I plan to set on my hillside, leveling each place I set them, so my hillside will have in effect 14 miniature raised bed growing areas. The tubs I can put anywhere, including my patio, because they will be closed on the bottom. So I will end up with 28 planters. I also can buy six gallon pails for a dollar apiece, which I will use for smaller plants.
The one thing that is sort of stopping me is the barrels I am buying are too good, too good to cut up, better than most people are selling, and the seller says they are brand new, might be true or not, but they do look new or hardly used. I am wondering if I should just resell the barrels and double my money.
filix
15 years ago
I think they make nice containers or raised beds. Food grade are the ones you want. Even if your not planning on growing food in them, you might some day. They are tough thick plastic, and you can't find nursery containers that rugged.
I have some that I use for rain barrels, raised beds, and containers. For raised beds I cut the bottom off and bury them about a foot. They only disadvantage about them for me is how they look. Depending on where I put them, I keep the colors the same. Like buy only black ones. I have also painted some. Having a bunch of blue, black, or white plastic barrels is kind of an eye sore IMHO. filix
kimcoco
15 years ago
Our local sewer district recycles food grade pickle barrels and converts them to rainbarrels at a fraction of the cost I've seen over the internet.

You might want to check your local municipality for food grade barrels.

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