Looking for advice about using an old bathtub as a garden


Total Posts: 3

Hi there!
We recently remolded our bathroom and took out an old clawfoot tub.  It is in pretty bad shape so it is unlikely that it will ever be used as a bath tub again.  Rather than adding to a landfill, I was thinking it would be fun to fill it with soil and create a smal garden for my daughter.  I am concerned about drainage.  There is just the one drainage hole and I’m not sure that will be enough.  Should I put a layer of gravel on the bottom?  I realize this is a personal gardening question and doesn’t entirely fit in this forum, but I figured I might find some gardeners who have experience using funky stuff for gardens!  Thanks everyone!



Total Posts: 1

I’ll begin by saying that I support the idea, and I hope that in this month and a half that has passed since your post, you haven’t trashed the tub!  At my university, we just started a community garden, and currently have an herb garden, doing wonderfully, in an old wheelbarrow.  This container works great, so there is hope with yours, too.  Drainage is a big deal though, as drowning plants is most times worse than not watering them enough.  Simple solution—drill some holes. The tub is probably pretty heavy duty, but I’m sure there’s a tool out there that can do it. Depending on the size of the tub, drilling ~4 additional holes should be plenty. THEN you could line the bottom with a few clay pieces/gravel to keep the water from simply dripping out right away.
(For an alternative idea, if you’re interested: we have a friend who found an old bathtub like yours, and uses it for making incredible worm compost.  The drain at the bottom works amazingly to obtain the “worm tea,” which she then uses to water and nourish her plants. Just a thought.)
Good luck, and happy gardening!



Total Posts: 5

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