The garden sink
Story and photos by Bruce Jackson, Permaculture Tasmania’s Treasurer, extract from Spring 2025 newsletter
A very useful addition to your garden infrastructure is the garden sink.
I bought this second-hand stainless-steel sink plus a tap from the local tip shop for a total of $47. I built a stand at a comfortable height using bits of timber I had lying around and bought a plug from Bunnings (the only new component). I built a stand for a bucket under the drain
hole so that I could collect the water, add a bit of worm juice and pour it around nearby vines.
I sited it next to my hose reel and found an old hose fitting that married with the thread on the base of the tap so that I could attach and detach the hose as required.
Now I can trim, wash and peel my veges out in the fresh air, listening to the birds singing and enjoying the sunshine. A shorter trip to the worm farm with the peelings as well!
I also find it useful for washing and drying items, a good place to store my sharp vege harvesting knife and a convenient place to wash and dry my hands (section of old flannel pyjamas makes a useful garden towel).
It is interesting to see how much water I now utilise in my garden rather than sending into the sewerage system.
