Food Grade Intermediate Bulk (liquid) Containers (IBC) Self Watering Raised Garden Beds

A novel way of recycling food grade IBCs



The Bite Sized Garden presenter has an interesting channel with other gardening projects and information.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheBiteSizedGarden/videos

 

Wish I could find food grade IBCs around here. Only ones I ever see are the ones that held industrial mining chemicals and ag chemicals.

 

Yeah, me too. Food grade are really hard to find around here as they are snapped up. I got two Totes (IBS) bladders sitting in back of the garage that had hydraulic fluid in them. I cleaned them up with Dawn but not sure I would use them for growing anything or even a small pool on a hot day.... although the latter did cross my mind recently when the temperature soared. I guess I need to figure out what to do with them...

I cut up the other bladders to act as small roofs and attached them to cover the totes which I filled with firewood. Makes for a nice compact storage of firewood and easy to move with the tractor.

 

I've actually seen people saw ~12" (~30 cm) off the top of those, flip them upside-down, and grow crops in the short section, on top of the bottom section (using boards across the top of the metal cage, to hold it up), while raising fish in the bottom section. Rig it up as an aquaponic set up, where the fish poop feeds the plants, and the plants clean the water for the fish.

Edit: here's a youtube video, explaining one guy's method of doing the aquaponics set up.

 

Although the thread features IBCs, the same principles and techniques are applicable to smaller food grade containers, either barrels or troughs. I would recommend that plastic containers that are claimed to be UV stabilised should be given UV protection with some kind of sheathing regardless, if the garden is to have a long lifespan with low maintenance. An option would be to surround the container with netting and grow a vine with edible fruit supported by the netting.

More hints on raised bed gardens: 7 Common Mistakes in Raised Bed Gardening - The Beginner's Garden

Edit: Choose an evergreen vine...a deciduous vine, or mini espalier fruit tree would be self defeating

 

if ever need to get into planning a multiple barrel or tote water system - figuring out the port threading - buy plugs & fittings >>>>

New Greif 275 gallon IBC totes IN STOCK NOW!

if you're looking for used food grade IBC totes in your area - best chance is to contact any beverage mixing & bottling operations - like your Coke operations