Trough

After planting far too many Tulips, if there is such a thing! I realised I had a lot of plastic plant pots that I needed a home for. I don’t like planting many Bulbs in the borders because I’m afraid I like to move plants rather a lot
So…… I came up with an interchangeable trough so that I could change the plants seasonally without having to dig anything up. I am putting mine along the patio so it’s quite big, but you could adapt it to any size.

To make my trough I ordered:

• 4 x 4.8m decking boards and 1 x 1.8
• 2 x 4.8 1 by 8’s
• 3 x 4.8 roofing battens and
• 32 x 5 litre plant pots

The Trough is 2 decking boards high along the bottom of the upper decking box you screw on the roofing battens all the way around so that the 2 x 1 by 8’s have something stable to sit on, I also put in 6 braces across. I made the wood that the circles will be cut into in two halves it makes is so much easier, I measured out the same distance between the pots then with a pen drew around all the pots then used a jigsaw to cut them.

Once that’s done you can place the 2 x 1 by 8’s in the trough, put in your plant pots, you should leave a space from the top so you can then cover it with a layer of bark to make it look like a trough.

For Spring it has Tulips, Christmas Marvel, Gorilla and Purple Prince.

It’s worked out so well and had a profusion of gorgeous Tulips all Spring. I have another 16 empty pots for the next flowers. In the greenhouse I have Lobelia Crystal Palace, Dwarf pink Gypsophila and Fairy Lupins which are annuals and seemingly sell just like Sweet Peas so I’m really looking forward to seeing and smelling them this year. I will let you know.