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Fifty-five-gallon drums aren’t as common as 5-gallon buckets, but they aren’t exactly an endangered species either. Hunting one down is not a problem, you can find them at Lowes, Walmart, and other stores for a fair price most times.
But, the real question is what can you do with a 55-gallon drum, gardening-wise?
Read on below and explore these 5 55-gallon drum ideas for gardening in the backyard!
1. Strawberry Planter from a Plastic Drum
One of the coolest ideas for 55-gallon drums that are made of plastic is burning or cutting holes in the side and making a vertical garden, also known as a planter. these big guys are perfect for herbs and small veggies, and especially for strawberries!
2. DIY Compost Tumbler from a Metal Drum
Metal drums are perfect for cutting a door into, slapping some hinges on, and putting on a crank. This essentially turns them into fully rotating compost tumblers. That said, if your barrel was an oil drum, you’ll need to clean it out or use a different one.
3. Herb Garden from Full, Half, or Quarter Drums
Another great use for plastic 55-gallon drums is cutting them down into quarters, or smaller, and using them as garden borders. Essentially, you’re creating miniature circular raised beds. You can grow just about anything in these beds, even small trees.
4. Sink from a Metal 55-Gallon Drum
If your garden shed or greenhouse could use a sink, why not save some money and use an old barrel to mount it on? Depending on your setup, this idea works well with garden hoses as well as off-grid water tanks.
5. DIY Pond Filter from Plastic Drum
Idea shared from homesteading.com.
Last but far from least, a low-cost pond filer is one of the most perfect 55-gallon drum ideas. They work as the housing and reservoir for the pump and filter. Otherwise, a hole needs to be dug and lined with gravel, sand, cement, or bricks, and covered with waterproof material, to hold the filter and the water that passes in and out of it.
Final Thoughts About 55-Gallon Drum Ideas
There’s an abundance of things that you can do with 55-gallon drums, from rainwater catching, to pond filters.
The real question is, what 55-gallon drum ideas are you going to put into action? We’d love to hear about them in the comments section below!
Thanks for reading, and good luck with your 55-gallon drum ideas!
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