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Belfast Sink

Hi

The previous owner of my house left a Belfast sink in the garden so I dragged it near to my door and planted it with herbs. 

Over Autumn and winter it filled with water killing everything in it, and now is just stagnant pool.

Am a total novice when it comes to gardening but how can I sort the drainage to turn it back into a herbal garden??

At the moment it is flat on the ground and clearly not working. Please help.

Posts

  • MrMahoniaMrMahonia Posts: 82

    you can fill the bottom with crocks or polystyrene but to be sure you should drill holes in the bottom but you need a drill that will go through it, diamond tipped 

  • lucynottilucynotti Posts: 3

    Thanks what is a crock? 

  • MrMahoniaMrMahonia Posts: 82

    broken up pots if you have been a gardener long enough no doub t you will have lots of broken pots image

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719

    Does the sink have the original drain plug hole, we planted two up, with just a few loose crocks over these and had no problem.  A crock is just a bit of broken terracota pot, or china, bigger than the hole, but giving some space for rain to drain through. Hopefully, you will find them, rather than maybe buying a new drill.  I am impressed you managed to move it, we left ours behind when we moved for that reason, I see they are now going for in excess of £100

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    The plughole is usually big enough to provide enough drainage in a Belfast sink but yours is probably blocked by soil and/or roots.  This often happens if they are placed flat on the ground.  Remove the soil and unblock the plughole then place the sink on four bricks to leave a gap underneath it.  As MrMahonia says, place some broken pots over the plughole which will help to prevent it becoming blocked again when you refill it with soil.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    Personally I dislike the idea of crocks or gravel in the bottom of a sink. It just gives a big space where there is no goodness for roots

    Definitely sounds like the plug hole is blocked though. When you have cleared the blockage, I cover the hole with some of the zinc wire netting sold for car body work repair or failing that, the fine mesh plastic bag which onions are sold.

  • michael mpcmichael mpc Posts: 422

    hi I aggre with  berghill the only reason it fills up with water the plug hole is blocked I had 2 at Stockton allotment and I left them no holes inany and no cracks  and yes as nannybeach they are very expensive to buy  I covered the holes with plastic mesh lets water out   but no need to drill holes     

  • lucynottilucynotti Posts: 3

    Thank you all so much, will be a labour of love digging it out, but will try post a picture when I have.

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