I've got three water butts in my garden: a small one at the top connected to the house's roof guttering, and two larger ones at the bottom, which take water from the shed. The area is shaded by some trees. Last year, I noticed that the water in the butts at the bottom had a terrible smell, almost like someone urinated in it (though they definitely didn't!). I tried using cleaning tablets, but it didn't help. My brother suggested I just use it anyway, but I'm worried about potential bacteria harming my plants. After cleaning and covering the lids to block debris, the top butt is fine, but the ones at the bottom are stinky again. What can I do to fix this smell? Is the water safe for my plants, especially since I just replanted my flower beds? I've resorted to using the hose tonight, but I'd prefer to use the water butt if possible. Thanks for any advice!
3 Answers
You might want to check if something from the shed's roof is leaching into the water. Possibly the bitumen used for waterproofing? Try isolating a plant with just the smelly water to see how it reacts. A good tip is to mix any stinky water with rainwater—like a 50/50 mix; that helps reduce the odor and makes it safer.
I totally get it! I have a similar situation with my water butts—one of them always seems to stink, even though it's connected to the same system as the others. I've noticed it sometimes produces foam when filling my watering can. What works for me is emptying it partially and then rinsing it out really well. Make sure nothing's died in there!
Honestly, that stink is likely from organic matter breaking down. It's not ideal, but a lot of gardeners use this 'smelly' water without issues. Just avoid it for bird baths or hedgehog water dishes. If you’re mainly watering vegetables, they’ll probably be fine with it. Just a heads-up!
So it's safe to use on things I plan to eat? That's good to know!
Yikes, I really hope that’s not the case! I'm definitely bringing my brother back to help if it gets to that point! ?