Spinach in a Tub

[ga. prime]

 

[peg4x4]

Thats reclycling and haveing raised beds at the same time..wish I could do that here..

 

[ga. prime]

No reason you can't do the same there, peg. Keep an eye out for a discarded rusted up tub or trough when you're riding around and ask the landowner if you can have it.

 

[Jogeephus]

That's nice. Did you fill it in any special manner? How is it as far as holding moisture?

 

[ga. prime]

Jo, the prison over in Telfair Co. mulches all the plant material placed roadside for disposal pickup in McRae and Helena and mixes it with the organic material waste from their cafeteria and composts it. It is then piled over in Helena for any one to pickup for free. That's what I fill tubs and troughs with. It tests very well on ph and very high in all the essential nutrients except N and drains very well. Of course the tubs need to have holes in the bottom. Sometimes I'll fill the top 3 inches or so with metromix or some other sterile growing medium to keep from having to pull out weeds. The easiest way to water is to turn the hose on and lay in the tub and just let the water get two three inches deep then turn it off. Needs watering like that in summer less than twice a week. Winter watering maybe once every two weeks depending on rain.

 

[Jogeephus]

GP, I saw a raised planter outfit at Sam's this week. It was shaped in a shape of a C with wooden sides on it and a plastic liner. Seems like they wanted around $1800 for it. Looks like you might be on to something there. :nod:

Wonder how composted gin trash would do. I got some rotten troughs and the trash. Might have to give it a try.

 

[ga. prime]

I think composted gin trash would work as good as any compost. Last year I gathered several buckets of compost from around my hay rings and added it to my troughs. That hay ring compost is some good stuff, but you need pickup loads of compost to fill the bulk of the troughs.

 

[Jogeephus]

This would be an almost perfect gift for my MIL. I think she would love it but I don't know how well it would work for her. You see she thoroughly loves changing her mind whenever the wind blows and with this setup, I think wherever it is filled is where it stays. Is this correct or is it possible to move it. I know it is possible to move a gazebo - um - at least 4 times. :secret:

 

[1982vett]

Like the gazebo, it can be moved. Trickey part would be to move it full of plants and dirt.

 

[ga. prime]

Jo, I think the bottom would come out of the one with spinach in it if you tried to move it. You need one like this with sled rails for your MIL...

 

[Jogeephus]

That would definitely be the ticket. :clap:

 

[MO_cows]

Good idea! The plants look healthy. Won't the thyme take over the whole thing eventually?

 

[ga. prime]

I don't know, Mo. Have you had trouble with it spreading? The thyme hasn't spread much, if at all since I put it in there last Spring. I love the smell of the thyme. I pull off a small piece and smell it every time I walk by there.

 

[LoveMoo11]

I love finding things around the farm to grow stuff in-last year I had cucumbers in 5 gallon tractor coolant buckets and lettuce in feed tubs and tomatoes in a tractor tire and peppers in a coffee can Sure beats paying for a bunch of pots, even at walmart they can be pretty expensive.

 

[MO_cows]

Thyme doesn't spread real fast but it does spread. Around here, we get a winter every few years that kills it, though, and I have to start over anyway.

I used an old double-tub clothes washing setup for a planter years ago, but during the real hot part of the summer the plants would wilt and die back even with 2 waterings a day. That tank of yours has enough mass that the roots don't get hot. And up off the ground like that, bet you don't get any weeds.

 

[Fred]

That's a neat setup. Do you think putting just topsoil in one would work?

 

[ga. prime]

Fred, I don't think it would drain well with just straight topsoil.. What would work I think if you didn't have access to plenty of compost is to fill it with sand about half to three quarters full (maybe put some pine cones under that just as a space filler) and top with 4-6 inches of good potting mix such as metro mix.

 

[ga. prime]

Pulled out all the spinach this morning and set some tomatoes in the tub.
Found It's full of fish bait!

 

[cedar]

Yes this is way too fun...we have a couple of these going ourselves.
We use cut in half barrels on pedestals to bring up to desired level, work great too.
Terri
at Cedarbrook Steading
www.cedarbrooksteading.com

 

[Jogeephus]

GP, that looks like some rich soil. Looking good too.

Cedar, I visited your homepage and you sure do have a beautiful garden! :tiphat: