If anyone else has ideas, please share! Thank you!! Thanks. This will prevent the food from spoiling and the high sugar content means it won’t freeze. I'm concerned about veg's that need depth like tomatoes. You might check feed stores if there are some of those around. I think the old tanks have more character than the new shiny ones anyway ;). Thank you for stopping by!! I'm wondering if somebody here in the know can tell me if this is what I'm looking forhttp://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/oval-galvanized-stock-tank-2-ft-w-x-6-ft-l-x-2-ft-h-169-gal-capacityI want to do this safely to feed my family and certainly don't want to buy something that is wrong that could pollute the vegetables.Also - how many holes do you think are needed in the bottom? Since reading this and loving all the info. They love th compost and they can go and come through the holes. Camping on the river in the Alleghany Forest! You stated on a side note that you are moving to self-sustainabilty. Lizzie, I bet that is beautiful. Overall, this trough is inexpensive to make, easy to put together, and will last a good long time. That mushroom compost sounds awesome. People walk by and love the idea. I found a site for a cool irrigation system in the trough check out http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/Recipes-Patterns-Instrctions/horse-trough-gardening.pdf My iPad would not allow me to cut and paste the URL so you can search "water trough garden" in google if the link doesn't work. Large and I'm gonna get one for fall. Well I have been reading on your site....came across it by accident ..love to read your adventures. I would put galvanized wire with small holes under neat them IF you place on the ground But drilling holes for water relief will increase the rust. If you know where credit belongs, please let me know and I'll gladly link to them. Love the idea of double duty for the watering. They look beautiful all filled with plants ..should work for many.. Do they raise the temp of the soil too much? Two troughs along part of the fence line - beautiful and tidy. Another Idea dill holes in the side big enough for strawberries for garden, or hens & chicks for flower gardens. Cross your fingers for me on the pepper :)Wish your site had a way to attach pictures...too bad. This is great. They sell them new BUT they have a bulletin board where you can post things you want and things people are looking for. Lemon juice for avocados and guacamole. I layered my tanks with gravel, a couple of logs, bark, weed cloth and good, organic soil. I love the look. Here's a link: http://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard-projects/ultimate-raised-bed-how-to-00400000011938/page11.html. The only down side is that you are limited in the size you can have, whereas with wood, you can make any size or shape you wish. Sorry for delay. To help keep them fresher for longer, loosely wrap cilantro, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, or parsley in a slightly damp paper towel, per Food52, and then place in a resealable plastic bag. I will have to send a photo when I have completed. Gammy's House Blog Has a Brand New Home. Should you get cut by something rusty and are unsure if you have had a tetanus shot or are up to date call up your doctor right and ask what you should do, don't just ignore it because the bacteria is deadly and 1 out of four people who dont get it treated die so please use common sense and take it seriously! I have not noticed any leaching and it's been two seasons. Im a tole painter and I use Folk Art or Patio Paint. Good luck! Had tree stumps ground up. Abramoland's Vegetarian & Vegan Foodcourt, COOKBOOKS GARDENING BOOKS FARM BOOKS OH MY, BLUE AND WHITE BEDROOM HAS ITS FOCAL POINT, EcoSMART ORGANIC BUG SPRAY - GREEN LIVING. The Tek Trough must be powered by the Tek Generator, otherwise food inside will spoil as if a survivor was carrying it. And WELCOME! Living in SE Texas, there are plenty of rural ranch areas with farms/cattle/horses/etc and I should be able to find some at Feed Stores and other such places. We even did guide holes with nails first and still had trouble breaking through. Thanks! But - it just occurred to me . A good idea also is to put mesh in the bottom to keep soil from washing out of the holes over time. If you have a truck and perhaps a trailer you could drive up and get some. Does any one have experience burying a large galvanized steel tank in the ground with many holes in it to act as a barrier for spreading bamboo? Most of the con always seemed based on old info or just 'heard from someone that they were dangerous'. Does anyone know if this will work with black rubbermade watering troughs as well. If I didn't tell you they were water troughs you wouldn't even notice because the trailing plants hide most of the trough color and shine. I have filled mine up about half way with large bark mulch which will break down and helps moisture. Maybe I should ask around one of these days. Thank you Shirley!! My email me button is over on the sidebar.Thanks for sharing and stopping by!! I'm not sure about burying them, like how long they would last etc. Thanks! I just happened on to your blog and found it to be a delightful read and extremely informative. I will check that out. I have a set up with one round tank in the middle with two set over and two below so I can walk around the circle tank and can turn around to have four others around the circle. ;). But I have used the packing peanuts and peatmoss to make planters lighter, then fill the rest of the way up with good compost/soil. So tired of half wine barrels that don't last and gophers that destroy...we have huge silver maples and cannot get a shovel in the ground, so have planted fuschias, hydrangeas, hostas, and ferns in pots and barrels for years...this gives me the motivation to go find some galvanized tubs to replace some of out barrels that have given up. I am also concerned about the bottoms rusting out with compromising the galvanizing. My first step is finding some troughs/tanks. I just got two of these from my father-in-law who was just getting rid of them! I'm interested in using galvanized tanks for a school garden where we will be growing edible plants. I'm impressed, I must say. lol I have not found anything that will keep them out. I might have to just investigate this a little further, it looks like an ingenious solution!! Is it ok to put the troughs directly on the dirt, or should we lift them up on bricks? rocks, empty plastic bottles, cans, styrophome etc... Then fill remaining with top soil... Great suggestion. Even the best feeders are only vessels. Very low maintenence and pretty and adds relaxing sound and movement of water to my space. I understand! then I fill them with Mushroom compost from a place near gonzales about 15 miles from me. I remember my science teacher telling us that rust wasn't bad for you it was actually good because it contains iron which our body needs. Imwas also thinking about putting a raised bed garden over the top of the troughs and using a pump to water using the water beneath. No, this isn't a mouse B&B! I have actually been thinking about putting some sort of drip irrigation in one. A frustrating start, but everything is growing gangbusters, so I guess it's all good. Farewell Lil BUB: In Loving Memory of the Most Amazing Cat On the Planet, We have a website for our nigerian dwarf dairy goat herd, Savoring the Seasons: Sticky Toffee Date Cake with Bourbon Glaze, Wordless Wednesday: Tropical Fall Morning/The Balm Before the Storm, Another garden experiment: Modified fruit wall, Stretch your food bill : leftover pork roast, Our Newest Gardening Adventure: Building a California Garden. Mom Burnout - Is it possible to be a good mother and have a career? . Best of all, your birds get all the nutrients they need to lay gorgeous, golden-yolked eggs all year lon… Please come back and visit!! 3 letter words BOX - PEW 4 letter words CELL - CRIB - HOLD - HOLE 5 letter words I am going to use them instead of fabricating more 4x8 beds. I moved since then, but plan to use it again this year too. There is probably some great info on what woods are good.As for a soil mix, remember there are really three types. That's awesome. Large Bark Nuggets work well also to fill the bottom of the water trough. :-)Galvanized trash cans we used last year (and will again this) for sweet potatoes. Just found this...we have several Rubbermaid water troughs...after 10 years they formed small cracks or had broken trough heaters wedged into them. They've used them for strawberries and such for years and years. Foam packing peanuts in the bottom half!...then a strip of landscape fabric...top with organic potting soil! Plan to feed your pig roughly 7 pounds of food for every 30 pounds of body weight. I am thinking of using them to collect rainwater. I'd NEVER use dirt because that costs so much. Drilling holes will be OK, but just don't attempt to cut or weld without reading safety procedures for that of course. Ohiofarmgirl's Adventures In The Good Land, Last Minute Gift Idea...Swiss Roll Towels. I'm planning raised beds with them as I am 70 yrs old and don't like bending in the garden. Please come back and visit!! Could I put some of the mulch in galvanized steel tubs, cover with landscape fabric and add soil? I just encountered your blog via Pinterest. Just fill the bottom with the peanuts and use landscape fabric, great idea!!! Good luck I hope you find something!! Yes, push hard and it just pops through. I wouldn't go with less that 2 feet for tomatoes (or any of the other deep rooted plants listed at the link I provided). FineGood Portable Dog Water Bottle with Collapsible Bowl, 2.76" Big Trough 12OZ Leak Proof Pet Travel Drinking Bottle for Small Cat Puppy for Outdoor Hiking Walking 4.7 out of 5 stars 630 Kerbl Float Bowl Plastic, 3 Litre, 29 x 25.5 x 14.5 cm I even added a few holes about halfway up the sided all the way around for extra drainage, especially when it rains. I need to fix that. Then I added a half dozen goldfish to take care of any mosquitos. The ethylene gas produced by the apples prevents the potatoes from going bad. 15. What are some of the more practicle plants to use? Can you tell me if these have to be lined with styrofoam insulation so that they don't get to hot and burn the roots? Oh, now that's a brilliant suggestion. But again, not all. I still betting that it would deter them too. We don't know what to do to fill- soil wise? I haven't read through the thread yet or much on the page, but I'll venture an initial comment on this page regarding troughs for planting beds. Just use a little string to attach the plants as they grow up. And here I am replying so much later! Now if I see some neighbor's cows trying to drink out of my garden troughs, I'll be ticked, lol. Spoilage [edit | edit source] When powered, Food placed in the trough has its spoil time multiplied by 100 (same as the Refrigerator). Hope you had a great holiday season!! There are some areas ready for renovation/innovation, if you will, that have a lot of potential and I'm mapping that out now while planning during some research. Thanks again and stop by again! If you would like to suggest a new answer (or even a completely new clue) please feel free to use the contact page. That is something we always have around the house and even scrap pieces will do. Oh my, I'd definitely love to see that sometime. Might be too hot?? Thanks and good luck! On these older posts, I don't get the updated comment note until I manually find it. Congrats on the reuse of the bathtub, cool! Warning: Person about to gush regarding photos of your stock tank garden. Thanks for the fun ideas! I'm trying to start a community garden. That's just my thought, if anyone else has idea, let us know!! Now that is a great idea. The clean lines are what appeal to me as well, so orderly! Thanks. I never thought about this advantage, using it when your ground is otherwise unusable. Drilling holes WILL breach the galvanizing so painting the bottom may be a good idea if you do drill. I'm kinda new at this gardening stuff! Thank you so much. From techniques like vacuum sealing, pickling and blanching to honing in on particular foods that deserve some special TLC, here are our top tips for making your food stay fresher for longer. I had been thinking about redoing my own acre veggie garden in all troughs.That way I don't have to bend down any more and weeding has become a breeze. Such great things you are sharing! I placed several holes in a circular pattern every few inches, then layered with pea gravel, a large enough piece of professional landscape fabric(the kind that don't tear, you can get it at Home Depot), then the soil mixed with compost, peatmoss, potting soil and garden soil. And expect some small about of soil lost each year. To slow down your avocados going brown, cover them with a light layer of lemon juice. My latest planting is in a horse feeder that has a trough on each side and hay rack in the middle. I am wanting to just use the existing one hole with drain rock, a layer of landscaping fabric, and some super soil. I'll see if I can find it. Another great idea! The more I think about it, the more I think that's a great idea. I can't wait to dig in. Sorry for delay in responding to you. Is it possible to plant bushes and small trees in the troughs too? I have been collecting used galvanized tanks for a few months and told my husband I am planting a garden. Plus it would provide nutrients. I found this awesome article once online by a guy who was a scientist and he wrote the most technical article with the best info and I can't find it now. Hope to do that. Please comment anytime!! Some might think tires are a little eclectic but hey, horse troughs aren't?Northwest Guy. Now that's a great idea too! I've really enjoyed the look and can't wait to add these larger tubs. It is therefore advisable to keep food in a nearby Preserving Bin or Refrigerator and only top up trough supplies periodically. However some people are saying that not only does it last longer it provides more food … The clean look of the defined edges while sitting atop pea gravel speaks to me.... Wow, love that idea! I'm not sure who to give credit to, versions of this recipe have been online for a cou... What? I'm hooked now. Thank you everyone for an enjoyable read. I ask for cow troughs for my birthday. I've been wanting a vegetable garden by the hubby's new shed. They are also on facebook and are so knowledgeable and giving with all that they know! Glad I found your blog, very helpful and learned a lot. Jars and plastic boxes are perfect as they keep tiny mites and insects out. I don't know how many holes you'd need, it depends on how big you make the holes but just put enough that water can drain out on each side. QUESTION ??? I'm going to try it! I could use a tip for the drilling, or, interested in the suggestion above about using gravel to the drainhole. Maybe I should start asking for troughs for my birthday and holidays, LOL! Is love to know how it turned out! Thanks for the advice, I'll keep you posted!!! Thanks!!! That could very well be a dangerous thing, ha. You have a great suggestion for watering the plants, that's great. I would like the older not so shiny ones. There are plenty of old troughs on farms that probably have rust on them. Adding compost is ALWAYS a great idea no matter where you are planting. Offering some sound advice, the money-saving experts at PromotionalCodes.org.uk have revealed 15 clever tips to increase the shelf life of your groceries and avoid food waste. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your Blog! For example, stacking up to 100 makes berry stacks last way longer than the per unit spoil time indicates. And for the other comment, I am pretty sure she is referring to here in Texas. Also the plastic won't burn the plants! Here goes again:No they do not need lining. The excess would thenndrain back into the storage tanks. Another thing I have read about is putting one or two short pipes into the soil of the troughs and you can pour water right down into the troughs that way for the plants. Use wood screws to secure it in place. I see some troughs in our near future!! The sides are flanged inwards to prevent wastage and the ends are flanged outwards for ease of cleaning. Thanks for the comment!! I am totally jealous you have some you've collected and "saved up". Only thing to remember from a study I just read- water does not move well from one size to another such as fine material (soil) to coarse (rocks) - so placing rocks in bottom of container gardens isn't a frat idea. It has been used for at least ten years and still holds up well. I have a couple of big bags of those, and may be starting a smaller version of a galvanized tub for plantings. I have galv water troughs planted in but even though I look all the time on Craigslist I can't seem to find anything. In a recent blog post, I mentioned stumbling across the idea of using galvanized water troughs as raised bed gardens and I was intrigued. I found a source for new galvanized steel tanks: Loomis Tank http://shop.loomistank.comThey have all sorts of sizes, including ones only 12 inches high. Thanks John for the info. Thanks for the reminder!! The general consensus is that it's safe but there are still people who wonder. Again, sorry for delay. We repurposed some second hand bathtubs, made treated timber boxes for them to sit in (but not touch the soil) our snow peas and capsicums are doing reaaly well. There are some scary comments out there online. Absolute newbie to gardening. Be sure to tease the roots with the hand cultivator. I have one Meyer Lemon tree (great yielder), which provides a little sun throughout the year. Cool! :), I'm glad it was able to inspire you! Great suggestion, I forgot about that earlier. Of course I wouldn't suggest that now since we have the convencience of modern medicine and iron pills but the rust won't do anything harmful. Wow, now that's a great idea too. Thanks!! Hmmm....my friends at work call me the king of google, lol, let me see what I can find. Less drilling ;) 25 bucks was a great deal. I'll keep you posted. Just showing how I mad a trough from stuff laying around the farm. If the container is large enough for what you are planting, absolutely! Thank you so much for commenting (sorry for delay in reply). A deer trough feeder is simple piece of farm equipment that is often used to distribute food for different animals. We started with a blank slate (well a slate that had to be redone, ha) and are slowly and steadily doing something. My question is this: is the typical 2 foot depth preferable from a plant growth standpoint to the 1 foot depth? 7. It might also help to put a slight angle to the container, just an ever so slight angle so that water would go toward that drain hole. :-). Yeah, the way blogger is set up it can't attach pictures. You should share some pics, I'm sure people (me included) would love to see! We have gophers and this would keep them out of the garden. I walk past a trough near a restaurant about once a week and it's full of flowers and plants and has been for years and years and still looks good. There are some links earlier up in the comments where I linked to some articles about the fears around them. Plant a variety of plants in the trough. Most veggies need 6 to 8 hours of full sun. Well thank you so much for the kind words. In particular, green bean leaves get devoured leaving nothing but stems. Did you ever do this? You should be able to purchase them at a local Tractor Supply or similar type of store. Please let us know how it works!! As you can see, people are growing all sorts of stuff in them. It should be soft and tasty once again. Excellent! jusr discovered your blog via pinterest! To prevent water retention or mold from building up, you can drill several drain holes in the plastic material. For they seem to be the best choice for desert areas.Thanks JimT.Carver. I have a few smaller troughs for water catching water and a large 2x6x2.5 holding my compost tumbler. Can you recommend the type of mesh that should be put between your soil and your rock layer to keep the dirt from getting into your drain holes? Or maybe a random placing of them around the property. These are expensive and have used them for stock troughs. And painting them to match? The one I considered average was a 2 x 2 x 6. Rather than using plastic wrap or tin foil, opt for cheese paper or baking parchment for wrapping up your tasty cheese. I am now at "retiring age" and still want to live on my property as long as I can. UPDATE #1:  I was reminded in the comments, that cutting or welding galvanized metal is not safe without the proper equipment. They worked great!! I'm going to try drilling 1/2 in. Now I just have to convince my hubby that it looks OK. And, I have to work around the existing sprinklers. They logs are a great idea. I start with lettuce, radishes, and green onions. When you get cut by something that has rust (and very likely the bacteria growing around it) it allows the bacteria into your system through the blood stream. That's an interesting solution for bamboo which can be invasive. Hi! See my other replies, these anonymous comments on older posts don't get notified to me. I had been thinking about redoing my own acre veggie garden in all troughs.That way I don't have to bend down any more and weeding has become a breeze. Thanks for the tip! Yay for me!! I admit I said "eeek" when you mentioned drilling holes in them! Anyone out there just using the one existing drain? Amazon.co.uk: feeding trough Select Your Cookie Preferences We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads, including interest-based ads. I'm thinking of trying one this year and adding a next if it goes well (rotating the plant family from the first one to the second and adding a new family in the first one to cycle nutrients). Keep dry goods in air-tight containers. You wrote, "One site I visited said someone was concerned about the metal and the use of it around food plants, but after careful research they found the fears unfounded." Make sure you cut it to fit the size of the plastic trough. . In fact, I'm puttin an addendum to the original post to remind readers. That's what I want to try to do with this blog, just find things we find interesting and doing a little research and putting it all together in an interesting blog post. I understand that they need like three feet for their roots.