What can I grow in these troughs?

absfabs

I've sown carrots in one this year, as I never have any success with germination in the garden soil. And they have come up beautifully. Still in the greenhouse at present.

And different types of lettuce and spring onions (not come up yet) in another one.

Also 2 with early strawberries, all in the greenhouse

foxgloves

I like growing in troughs.....think mine might be a bit longer, but basically the same thing. I have grown all the following successfully in troughs: lettuce, rocket, mixed leaves (such as Speedy salad mix), pak choi, coriander, basil, radishes & spring onions. I should think they would also be OK for the little short round carrots. I wouldn't personally use them for the bigger hungrier plants like tomatoes, courgettes, etc, but I suppose it could be possible if you are prepared to put in lots of feeding & watering time. Our best courgettes are from the plants we put on the top of our compost bins. I suppose it's cos they can get their roots down into all that lovely gunk!

LJM

hi today i have planted out my spring onion seeds in these also salad leaves

MORPH3US

What about broad beans and french green beans, anyone grown these in the troughs like this?

LJM

i saw on the edible gardener that she sowed pea shoots in a trough similar size for salad leafs i may give it a go as i do have a few of these

annie123

MORPH3US wrote: »

What about broad beans and french green beans, anyone grown these in the troughs like this?

They have deep roots, so would idealy like deeper soil.
I have seen dwarf peas and beans grown in them but it was a very small crop.

BigDonut

I planted beetroot, carrot (baby and the small ball shaped ones), cut and come again lettuce leaves in troughs like these (a bit shorter mine were 50cm) and all was fine.

i have some peas in one this year to see how it does.
Tried onions once but with no success.

Have put in strawberries in one this year and will try some pak choi and chinese leaves too.

Primrose

I'm having problems visualising the size as I'm a feet and inches person myself but if they're fitted with good quality compost with some chicken manure pellets added, you might be able to grow one, or possibly two Tumbling Red or Tumbling Yellow tomato plants. They will be too small for courgettes, but you could probably try one of the Mini cucumber varieties which only grow about 8 inches long. I've got a concrete trough similar to yours and use it for growing rocket very successfully. These troughs can dry out very quickly. Mix in some water retention crystals with your compost to help retain moisture.

~Chameleon~

katholicos wrote: »

those tiny stir fry corn will grow too big for a trough? Gulp! I was planning on harvesting them when they are really small and then i will dehydrate them, my troughs are quite deep so i should be okay i think.

Even the mini variety will grow 5-6ft tall so would be better off in the ground as they develop quite deep roots. They would just topple over in a trough unless you get the ones which are 12"-18" deep and weigh them down with rocks.

BigDonut

Primrose wrote: »

I'm having problems visualising the size as I'm a feet and inches person myself but if they're fitted with good quality compost with some chicken manure pellets added, you might be able to grow one, or possibly two Tumbling Red or Tumbling Yellow tomato plants. They will be too small for courgettes, but you could probably try one of the Mini cucumber varieties which only grow about 8 inches long. I've got a concrete trough similar to yours and use it for growing rocket very successfully. These troughs can dry out very quickly. Mix in some water retention crystals with your compost to help retain moisture.

Very roughly they are 40 inches long and 7 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep.