Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Laundry trough (double) is a concrete one.. yeah?

OK well if you have horses or other large animals .. great drinking trough..

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

I’ve also used an discarded Bega wood stove .. took the hotplate out and filled it with good dirt.. planted portulaca .. gorgeous ;)
one of my mates even used his discarded toilet bowl for celery..

If you buried it, maybe the water would stay cool enough for a pond? I guess it depends on the amount of shade, too.

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

I grow my mint in an old laundry trough. Keeps it contained…dries out fairly quickly though so you have to keep up the watering…mint likes a lot of water..well mine does anyway

roughbarked said:

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

We’re on the same wavelength there!

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

We’re on the same wavelength there!

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.

roughbarked said:

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

We’re on the same wavelength there!

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.

have done that…just occasionallly forget to water it cause it’s a bit out of the way compared to the rest of the vegie garden

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

We’re on the same wavelength there!

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.

have done that…just occasionallly forget to water it cause it’s a bit out of the way compared to the rest of the vegie garden

they usually are over near the fence where they were originally put on removal from house.. nobody ever tries to move them by hand.

roughbarked said:

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

We’re on the same wavelength there!

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.

have done that…just occasionallly forget to water it cause it’s a bit out of the way compared to the rest of the vegie garden

they usually are over near the fence where they were originally put on removal from house.. nobody ever tries to move them by hand.

also think mine would be better if I used more….I think it’s like a lot herbs; the more you pick them the better they are

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

AnneS said:

roughbarked said:

Muschee said:

Mornin Folks.
Just thought I’d pop in a question at smoko and then back to work…..oh well at least it is Friday.

I have a large concrete laundry trough, it has a divider in the middle so it’s a double trough…doesn’t sound right!
Anyways looking for ideas what to permanently plant in it (not including asparagus or rhubarb) or even other suggestions.
A friend suggested to keep it a trough, with water and maybe plant a few lillies to encourage a frog or two. It’s a great idea…but with the weather at the moment I worry how much the water will heat up. Our 9000litre tank water is so warm I’d have to put ice blocks in the birdbaths, so I don’t use that water for that purpose.
And I worry birds might drown in the trough.

So if you have any great ideas, I’d love to hear them. cheers

Also perfect for mints or other rampant herbs you really don’t want filling beds.

We’re on the same wavelength there!

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.

have done that…just occasionallly forget to water it cause it’s a bit out of the way compared to the rest of the vegie garden

they usually are over near the fence where they were originally put on removal from house.. nobody ever tries to move them by hand.

also think mine would be better if I used more….I think it’s like a lot herbs; the more you pick them the better they are

Especially by Autumn one should cut many of them back hard.

bon008 said:

If you buried it, maybe the water would stay cool enough for a pond? I guess it depends on the amount of shade, too.

I’d love to bury it…it is a bit of an ugly monster, but in my rock it’s not an option unfortunately.

Now why didn’t I think of mint ?? :/

Muschee said:

bon008 said:

If you buried it, maybe the water would stay cool enough for a pond? I guess it depends on the amount of shade, too.

I’d love to bury it…it is a bit of an ugly monster, but in my rock it’s not an option unfortunately.

Perhaps place other rocks around it to camouflage..dirt inbetween them and some small plants ?

And I worry birds might drown in the trough.
++++

Put a stick in it so they can climb out if they get into trouble…I’ve got this in the horse trough (a 2m diameter round affair, about 2 foot deep) and it helps the birds get to the middle of the trough away from the kitties…

Also, I found that birds only have a problem with the, say, 120 litre drum cut in half, if the drum is nearly empty…they can’t get enough air under their wings to raise themselves out…no problemo wit the little birds but the peewit sized ones it is…so I put a tree branch or similar in…eventually one end waterlogs and stays down the bottom…

for the concrete trough (I have seen them sectioned into three…you must be very young not to remember having to hand rinse in these) you could try herbs? They are not very deep rooted…

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.
+++
I am advising daughter to put a good 6” of charcoal on the bottom of the trough basins…as drainage…

Dinetta said:

it is a relatively simple matter to help it retain moisture.. .. block up the drains and keep the top shaded more.. whether by plant cover or any method.
+++
I am advising daughter to put a good 6” of charcoal on the bottom of the trough basins…as drainage…

I should explain, she “inherited” a 3-tub concrete tub with the house she is in…perrrfect for herbs…once we get the charcoal and drainage sorted….no need to block the holes if using for herbs, IMO…

Muschee said:

bon008 said:

If you buried it, maybe the water would stay cool enough for a pond? I guess it depends on the amount of shade, too.

I’d love to bury it…it is a bit of an ugly monster, but in my rock it’s not an option unfortunately.

you can set it level on sand and then build brickwork, stonework or studwork around it. cap the tops of the walls and troughs with slate, stone or rendered brick.
the cheapeat and easiest is to mortar up rubble walls out of broken bricks, stone etc and than roughly bag it off.
have you seen my ponds made of old metal baths?

pepe said:

Muschee said:

bon008 said:

If you buried it, maybe the water would stay cool enough for a pond? I guess it depends on the amount of shade, too.

I’d love to bury it…it is a bit of an ugly monster, but in my rock it’s not an option unfortunately.

you can set it level on sand and then build brickwork, stonework or studwork around it. cap the tops of the walls and troughs with slate, stone or rendered brick.
the cheapeat and easiest is to mortar up rubble walls out of broken bricks, stone etc and than roughly bag it off.
have you seen my ponds made of old metal baths?

No I haven’t. But I’d love to :)

Muschee said:

pepe said:

Muschee said:

bon008 said:

If you buried it, maybe the water would stay cool enough for a pond? I guess it depends on the amount of shade, too.

I’d love to bury it…it is a bit of an ugly monster, but in my rock it’s not an option unfortunately.

you can set it level on sand and then build brickwork, stonework or studwork around it. cap the tops of the walls and troughs with slate, stone or rendered brick.
the cheapeat and easiest is to mortar up rubble walls out of broken bricks, stone etc and than roughly bag it off.
have you seen my ponds made of old metal baths?

No I haven’t. But I’d love to :)

‘tis indeed amazing what you can stand up with a bit of mortar..

pepe i reckon that would look good or get 2 old tryes balance the trough on that and then build a brick, or stone wall around it.

two old pressed metal bath – stoned up and topped with slate.
this does keep the water cool. to keep the birds from killing fish and frogs – plants in pots grow well.

veg gardener said:

pepe i reckon that would look good or get 2 old tryes balance the trough on that and then build a brick, or stone wall around it.

baths/ troughs have to be bedded very firmly – because the slate topping would work loose if the bath wobbles.
g’day VG – i’m pleased to hear you’re enjoying working/

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

pepe i reckon that would look good or get 2 old tryes balance the trough on that and then build a brick, or stone wall around it.

baths/ troughs have to be bedded very firmly – because the slate topping would work loose if the bath wobbles.
g’day VG – i’m pleased to hear you’re enjoying working/

can’t have wobbly concrete.. ants are bad enough..

pepe said:

two old pressed metal bath – stoned up and topped with slate.
this does keep the water cool. to keep the birds from killing fish and frogs – plants in pots grow well.

They do look great Pepe….just realised I had seen them when I asked about the naughty bird killing my friends pond fish.

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

pepe i reckon that would look good or get 2 old tryes balance the trough on that and then build a brick, or stone wall around it.

baths/ troughs have to be bedded very firmly – because the slate topping would work loose if the bath wobbles.
g’day VG – i’m pleased to hear you’re enjoying working/

yeah we have the aniamls water troughs just sitting on tyres.

the walls are 300mm thick and you need a cement mixer to make the standard mortar mix 6:1:1 (sand:cement:lime). no footings necessary – just overlap the corners (bond) properly.
when i visited pompeii 2 years ago i was amused to see most of the buildings were built from this rubble. i’m going to be doing more – people are giving me pressed metal baths because they cost about $50 to take to the dump.

pepe said:

the walls are 300mm thick and you need a cement mixer to make the standard mortar mix 6:1:1 (sand:cement:lime). no footings necessary – just overlap the corners (bond) properly.
when i visited pompeii 2 years ago i was amused to see most of the buildings were built from this rubble. i’m going to be doing more – people are giving me pressed metal baths because they cost about $50 to take to the dump.

Think about stainless washing machine tubs.. an what you can achieve with them..

pepe said:

the walls are 300mm thick and you need a cement mixer to make the standard mortar mix 6:1:1 (sand:cement:lime). no footings necessary – just overlap the corners (bond) properly.
when i visited pompeii 2 years ago i was amused to see most of the buildings were built from this rubble. i’m going to be doing more – people are giving me pressed metal baths because they cost about $50 to take to the dump.

Oh cool Pepe!
Very handy they are.
Link them with pipes and make a creek? lol

roughbarked said:

pepe said:

the walls are 300mm thick and you need a cement mixer to make the standard mortar mix 6:1:1 (sand:cement:lime). no footings necessary – just overlap the corners (bond) properly.
when i visited pompeii 2 years ago i was amused to see most of the buildings were built from this rubble. i’m going to be doing more – people are giving me pressed metal baths because they cost about $50 to take to the dump.

Think about stainless washing machine tubs.. an what you can achieve with them..

For that matter don’t forget the whitegoods metal .. and all that switcheroo

Happy Potter said:

pepe said:

the walls are 300mm thick and you need a cement mixer to make the standard mortar mix 6:1:1 (sand:cement:lime). no footings necessary – just overlap the corners (bond) properly.
when i visited pompeii 2 years ago i was amused to see most of the buildings were built from this rubble. i’m going to be doing more – people are giving me pressed metal baths because they cost about $50 to take to the dump.

Oh cool Pepe!
Very handy they are.
Link them with pipes and make a creek? lol

Water retention and water drainage plus recycling .. are all going to be gobsmacking us all in the forehead if they haven’t already.

Happy Potter said:

pepe said:

the walls are 300mm thick and you need a cement mixer to make the standard mortar mix 6:1:1 (sand:cement:lime). no footings necessary – just overlap the corners (bond) properly.
when i visited pompeii 2 years ago i was amused to see most of the buildings were built from this rubble. i’m going to be doing more – people are giving me pressed metal baths because they cost about $50 to take to the dump.

Oh cool Pepe!
Very handy they are.
Link them with pipes and make a creek? lol

thats wat i’m doing. the next one is sunk in the ground ready for the slate topping.
i’ve got a laundry trough and kitchen under two of mt garden taps – to collect dips, dunk pots etc.
i’m a cooper connasewer as well – hic. LOL.
btw r/barked – great shot of the old codger outside the emporium

i’ve got a laundry trough and kitchen under two of mt garden taps
——
i’ve got a laundry trough and old kitchen sink under my garden taps.
there – right now.
seeyas later

I’ve got the same trough. So far it’s housed Water Chestnuts and Kang Kong. The grasshoppers like the Kang Kong too much so my next plan is to try making a bog garden, with Louisianna Irises.

I’ve got 3 of these jiggers.
Two of them are growing potatoes ATM. Potting mix and compost.
One tub is turned upside down with succulent pots and cacti all over and in front of it.
They really dry out quickly and the way they taper is not conducive to moisture retension.
The concrete does allow moisture to ‘sweat’ through if it’s used as a container, so mulch is a must as well as regular watering if you want to grow plants that need good soil moisture.
Blocking the drain is OK but a heavy downpour may cause flooding. Drainage and growing plants that like the drainage is preferable.
They do grow a great climber, like an allamanda type, but an allamanda will prefer a bigger root space and will quickly outgrow the container. I guess a passionfruit would be similarly confined.
They can be painted BTW and are an attractive pot, so hiding them is not really necessary.
Tough perennial herbs like rosemary in a painted tub would work really well.
A curry plant or some thyme. Maybe throw in a few shallots or perennial leeks.
Oregano.
Any water miser will love it.

I have a set of 2 laundry tubs, right next to my potting bench which is just outside the fernery. I use them for dunking pots and hanging baskets. I have never found anything that works better.

Longy said:

I’ve got 3 of these jiggers.
Two of them are growing potatoes ATM. Potting mix and compost.
One tub is turned upside down with succulent pots and cacti all over and in front of it.
They really dry out quickly and the way they taper is not conducive to moisture retension.
The concrete does allow moisture to ‘sweat’ through if it’s used as a container, so mulch is a must as well as regular watering if you want to grow plants that need good soil moisture.
Blocking the drain is OK but a heavy downpour may cause flooding. Drainage and growing plants that like the drainage is preferable.
They do grow a great climber, like an allamanda type, but an allamanda will prefer a bigger root space and will quickly outgrow the container. I guess a passionfruit would be similarly confined.
They can be painted BTW and are an attractive pot, so hiding them is not really necessary.
Tough perennial herbs like rosemary in a painted tub would work really well.
A curry plant or some thyme. Maybe throw in a few shallots or perennial leeks.
Oregano.
Any water miser will love it.

I had no trouble with mine drying out and the things I planted enjoyed the occassional flood.

by saying block the drain I did not mean completely. I meant to slow down the out flow.

Not that I ever get enough rain in one go to worry a laundry tub.