My Butt Smells !!!

[Stork]

Hi all,

Sorry - couldn't resist the obvious gag for the title.

I installed a water butt about 6 weeks ago in the hope of beating the drought here in London. It's collecting rainwater from the new guttering on my greenhouse.

It's now full to the brim and I have begun using the water on my veggies and flower beds.

The problem is the water smells eggy and sulphurous (ok it stinks like a bad f**t).

I can probably stand the smell - but will it harm my plants?

And does anybody have any tips for a more pleasant olfactory experience?

Stork.

[Stork]

[Leonnie]

Stork ours is the same, it's the hot weather we've had. And I was wondering the same thing about using the water on the plants, especially seedlings, so I'll be watching this for replies. :)

[Gordon]

Hi Stork

The smell is because the water is stagnant and algae is starting to form in your butt you will need some barley straw which you can get from pet shops or a aquatic centre it destroys the algae and so reduces the stench the other way is to exclude light from the butt.

Gordon

[Curryandchips]

I know of excluding light, but I have never heard of using barley straw. Do you put it in the butt?

[glow777]

Yep put the straw in the butt but covering is better as it will stop the water evapourating and flies etc breeding in it. Straw bits also block up the rose on your watering can which although easy to unblock is one of those things that annoys the hell out of me.

I have 12 big butts on my lottie - this heatwave has reduce them to approx 50% full gonna be a struggle if it continues.

[windygale]

Hi All, the way to use barley straw, place a couple of big stones into an old pillow case, fill with straw, tie the top and place into waterbutt,
question---how many people has their waterbutt covered, i think ive read on here or an other gardening website that the councils are tring to make it law that all water container have a cover to stop wild animals drowning and insects breeding in them, plus this will slow down or stop green alge from forming aswell.
hope this helps
windy

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just put a dustbin lid over the top. Once algae start breeding that provides food for fly larvae.

[carloso]

I read some where a teasppon of Lime keeps it clean and free of bugs too !! no need to go to mad with it mind as not everything likes alkaline !

or

you could stick with the smellt butt and tell them you have comfey in there !!

[Mrs Ava]

My butts green!

An another has snails living in it!!

I use it happily, just avoid the leaves of salads.

[nippie]

Oh Stork, that title made me laugh, then I realised what you meant and I thought so does mine  :-[.  ;D
My butt has a lid but it still smells, I don't think it can be avoided in the hot weather.
It was the same last year and none of my plants came to any harm. I washed all the edible produce, but then I always wash everything anyway.
We put barley straw in the pond to clear blanket weed but it has never worked.

[kitty]

the little weeny fiddly over priced 'handbag' size thingys of barley straw from yer average garden centre are a waste of money ::)-to combat blanket weed you would need a bale so big it would be more bale than pond!
far better to use a garden cane and have fun whirling it gently in the water!

our butts are totally covered over and always smell eggy at this time of year-i've never had a prob with watering things-and i also use it to stand carniverous plants in and after a night of'poo whats thats mell'the pong goes away.....
or we blame the cat.... ;D

[saddad]

We had noticed but we didn't like to say!
;D

[caroline7758]

Found a dead bird floating in one of ours this morning. :'( Has anyone got any good ideas of how to make a homemade cover? They are big blue round plastic containers- too big for dustbin lids.

[prink13]

Hi Stork, as well as barley straw and /or covering your butt! You could also try lavender stalks. Just pick a handfull of stalks, and tie them with some string, float this in the top of the butt, as with the barley straw, but lavender is easier to get hold of

[glow777]

Found a dead bird floating in one of ours this morning. :'( Has anyone got any good ideas of how to make a homemade cover? They are big blue round plastic containers- too big for dustbin lids.

buy a roof rack style bungee cord and use a bin bag - think large jam jar
or
use a piece of plywood it will then double as a handy table top!