My son brought home 3 large whiskey barrels. Someone sold them on side of the road on his way home from work.
These are real whiskey barrels can they be used for water gardens, plants, and maybe even a fish or two?
Whiskey Barrels
Sure can be. If they are half-barrels, they make a rigid plastic liner you can use if the barrels aren't water-tight, which happens when they dry out.
If you wanted to the flexible liner used for ponds also works well in whiskey barrels. There are a lot of whiskey barrel water features out there and you will have a great time with it.
These are whole barrels. we have to cut in half. One I will probably use for a water barrel for the garden. Have to find out where to purchase spout to drain water, pumps etc. He got a good price for them $15.00 each. Thanks for the information.
Peg
He got a VERY good deal on those whole barrels! Half-barrels can be priced at double that amount each. Have fun.
I have a whiskey barrell and I filled it with water and after it swelled like wood does it doesn't leak at all.
Fish lived, plants did well.
There is a risk in using the barrels without a liner if they were used for Whiskey,beer,etc. These types of barrels were treated with tannic acid which is deadly to fish.
(also known as tannin)
Interesting because my whiskey barrell came from a distiller in Platte City, they must not of used it because my fish have been in it every summer for 2 years. Glad to know.
Maybe tannin isn't as deadly to fish as they state happ. I know it was on my barrel because it is a lustrous yellowish to light-brown amorphous,powdered,flaked,or spongy mass and I saw some of these characteristics form over time inside and outside my barrel.
There's also a black water-proofer paint that you can use....Check at Home Depot or Lowes....
Anyone know where to buy plug for the side and faucet setup for hose to drain rainwater? My son is going to cut 2 barrels in half for me for planting. The other two I want as rainbarrels, one by the greenhouse and one out by the garden. Thanks for all the info so far.
I've seen them on Ebay from a lot of the pond vendors. Very reasonable too.
Thanks....I'll try there.
Peg
Peg,
What a good son. It sounds like you got a great deal on the barrels.
Funny when I was reading your post my first thought was to take the others and make great rain barrels....
Let us see how your pond turns out. Love pictures
Amos