Garbage Bag as Pond Liner

[goldtrap2690]

Hey folks, I just got into growing lotus and ordered myself a few tubers of different varieties. Best price i've ever seen for lotus. They're going to arrive for me by Monday and I've been thinking about the various ways i can grow them.

I was thinking about but those whiskey barrels that have been cut in half to convert into planting pots. My question is if I can use a regular black garbage back to line the inside of the whiskey barrel? Actual pond liner seems really expensive and a molded bowl that is made to fit into the whiskey barrel is not really what I am going for.

Has Anyone tried using garbage bags as liners and if so, how didd that go, how long did they last? My other idea is to plant them into there own big pots and set them into my pond to make a natural scene if the garbage bag liner idea does not work.

Thanks y'all,
Goldtrap

 

[seedjar]

In my experience most garbage bags have trouble holding a couple of gallons of liquid. They just aren't designed to. I don't think that a garbage bag full of water in a splinter-ridden barrel would last long... you might not even get it filled. The plastic that garbage bags are made out of typically isn't designed to bear a lot of stress. Pond liner is rubber and so much more durable that it's hard to make a comparison. Pond liner is expensive for a reason; because it lasts.
Best luck,
~Joe

PS - If you need a pond on the cheap, why not use a plastic storage bin? It'll cost more than a garbage bag, but still less than a big roll of liner. Put it in the whiskey barrel and fill in the base and sides with sand (or maybe a mix of sand and planting media if you want to plant the margins of the barrel.)

 

[Gawd_oOo]

You may be able to get it to work short term with thick bags, and if you use for then 1, go for layers.

I don't know if this would be cheaper then pond liner, but you could also silicone all the cracks, and use marine paint. on the inside of the barrel

 

[JB_OrchidGuy]

6 months tops with Garbage bags. They are not UV stable and will break up by that time. If it doesn't say UV stable then its not. They make molded liners sold at walmart to fit the whiskey barrels. That might be your cheapest bet. Also they sell a preform kit at walmart for 80 to 90 bucks that comes with pump filter and frog spout. Its not very deep, but then again neither is the barrel.

No offence intended, but shouldn't you have worked out how to keep the plants before you ordered them?

 

[goldtrap2690]

Hey, thanks guys. Welll i i just thought this might be a more pretty alternative other then growing them submerged in a pond. I guess i'm not going for the garbage bag idea in the whiskey barrel but that marine paint idea got me thinking. Do you know where i can get marine paint?

I already brought 2 shallow preformed pond liner that was meant to be put into whiskey barrels and am using that with 2 tubers. The other 2 tubers i put into their own pots submerged in my pond.

My soil mixture was layers of peat, top soil and steer manure and that really turned the water dark brown even though i put gravel on top of the soil. Some of my tubers did'nt even fit the potsbut i hope they just grow into it.

I hope These tubers get jump started on their growth but i was very excited to have them.