Home » Plants & Animals » Gardening Techniques » Whiskey Barrel Water Gardens

Whiskey Barrel Water Gardens

© Diana Pederson

Whiskey barrel water gardens are an excellent solution for those who do not have the space or time for a traditional pond. These barrels are usually available at garden centers or farm supply stores. They may be used for soil-based gardening or with a plastic liner for water gardening. The total cost for a half whiskey barrel and a plastic liner is about $50 or less.

How to Create a Whiskey Barrel Garden

First, place the whiskey barrel where you want the water garden. It will be impossible to move after it is filled with water! Think about the types of water plants you want to grow. Do they require shade or sun? If you want a mixture, will tall plants provide enough shade for the floating plants or shorter plants?

Line the barrel with heavy duty plastic or rubber-like pond liners which are stapled up and over the top edge. Be sure not to make any holes that will cause leaking. An alternative is to buy one of the rigid plastic liners available. Be sure not to choose a lightweight plastic — the garden will cost more in the long run because it will have to be replaced more often. Whiskey barrels frequently retain the odor of the whiskey brewed in them, which is another reason for using a liner.

If fish will be kept in the water garden, follow the directions here for creating an inexpensive, simple underwater filter system. Some gardeners choose not to use filters even with fish but this limits the kinds and numbers of fish available. Fill the barrel with water up to about two to three inches below the top edge. Let the water stand for a few days to allow any chlorine in the water to disperse. An alternative is to purchase some chlorine-out used for tropical fish tanks.

Choosing Plants for the Water Garden

Consider whether your plants need to be located in the shade, part-shade or full sun. The University of Florida has an excellent web site called a Center for Aquatic Plants. There are pictures and written descriptions of many of the common water garden plants.

A simple first water garden could be a whiskey barrel filled with water lettuce, duckweed, fairy moss and water hyacinth. A plastic container lined with hypertufa would also work nicely.

The copyright of the article Whiskey Barrel Water Gardens in Gardening Techniques is owned by . Permission to republish Whiskey Barrel Water Gardens in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.