A gathering place for vegetable gardeners & allotmenteers

organic water butt?

Actually-I don't think it is. I bought a new water butt and it smells very strongly of a cheap toilet cleaner. I've washed it out several times - using rainwater from my other butt and seaweed water - in the hope it might counteract whatever chemicals have been used on it. It still smells a bit, I really do not like the idea of using water from this barrel on my fruit and veg, anyone got any ideas on how safe or otherwise the water will be.
Thanks for the help.

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Permalink Reply by Gary on March 17, 2010 at 6:25pm: Hi Susan,

Sounds to me like if your butt is made of a plastic, the smell may just be residual from the moulding process. If this is the case then i'm sure you'll have nothing to worry about. Just to be on the safe side i'd fill it with rainwater but let the water season for a few weeks and see if the smell subsides.

Gaz.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by susan on March 18, 2010 at 10:09pm: Hi Gary,
Yes it is made of plastic - but it doesn't smell like it.
I think I will probably do as you suggest - by the looks of the weather forcast I have plenty of time before I'll need it for my plants!
Thanks for answering
Susan; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Neil J on March 20, 2010 at 12:05pm: --------Hi Susan,

Try putting some lumps of charcoal into the butt. Charcoal sweetens water by absorbing any impurities in it.

You can use charcoal for BBQ's as long as it is not treated with fast burning accelerators. Choose forest management types preferably British produced to be more ecological.

Break the lumps down a bit so that there is more surface area to the charcoal to do the job.

Neil.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by susan on March 20, 2010 at 5:13pm: Hi Neil
now there's a thought. I was aware of charcoals properties in this respect - but it hadn't even occurred to me.
Thanks for that I'll pop some in straight away.; ▶ Reply to This