TROUGHS

[art600]

I fear it must be your screen.

I can see details on the troughs, but cannot see the added colours - I know I am pastel shade colour blind

[mark smyth]

Maybe I'll fly Ian in to make my new ones. His look great

[Luc Gilgemyn]

They look over a hundred years old !!! 

Mark,
When Ian has finished yours - please book him a flight to Brussels... I'll collect him at the airport. 

[Lenny]

Another use for fish boxes ,the stone wall is hiding a filter tank for the pond,it is toped with 3 boxes painted to resemble stone.they are easily removed to access the tank.

[Lenny]

picture of boxes

[Maggi Young]

Another use for fish boxes ,the stone wall is hiding a filter tank for the pond,it is toped with 3 boxes painted to resemble stone.they are easily removed to access the tank.

Another instance of these handy troughs serving an extra purpose... you can do all sorts with 'em 

[Slug Killer]

Hi Ian, just to let you know I was inspired by your trough making posts and have given it ago. Hat to repair in a couple of places but I think its not bad for a first attempt. Can you tell me the best place to buy some colours from?
Regards

David

[Maggi Young]

Wow! Dave, what a super trough!  Really nice look. Will get Ian to tell you about colours later 

[mark smyth]

yeah and I'm jealous of how well it looks. Dyes can be bought from any DIY centre/store

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Very good effort Dave !
It looks smashing ! 

[Ian Y]

Well done Dave that is a very good looking trough - and you set a glowing example to everyone to have a go.

I get my pigments from an Artists' supplier but they are expensive if you are just using a small amount.

You can get special colouring for cement at DIY stores but I would suggest that you improvise.
Use soot to get a darker tone and powdered chalk provides a lighter tone and that should give you a good effect.

The colouring stage is not essential as nature will eventually paint the surface as it ages but I just like playing around and want an aged effect from the start.

Who is next to follow Dave and show us their trough?

[FrazerHenderson]

Ian

Thanks for straying from bulbs to review Malcolm Macgregor's super-looking book on saxifrages. I am sorely tempted to buy both the book and try my hand at bonsai mountains in troughs. Incidentally as a Scot I was pleased to find out that the book is available new at nearly half-price  (£19) from The Book Depository (www.bookbutler.com - just type in saxifrages when requested for title and then you'll be direct to the book and numerous suppliers. Buying the book from The Book Depository leaves cash available for plants from the wonderful Aberconwy Nurseries (where I'm off to tomorrow)!

Thanks again

[Katherine J]

I must have a question.
When a house is built and the cement basement made, they wash it many days long to dry out slowly, because - as I have learnt - it will be only this way hard and long lasting. What about these troughs?
The second question  :
I remember I've read somewhere about the normal hypertufa troughs that there must be kept water in them a few days (weeks?) long, to dissolve some movable Ca, which could harm the Ca not loving plants. What do you think about this, Ian?

[Ian Y]

Kathrine
I do allow the troughs to dry slowly as I cover them from the full sun but because the cement layer is never very thick it dries and sets well in a few days. What you need to avoid is strong heat that dries the outside too quickly preventing the moisture from the inside escaping.

I would suggest leaving them for around a month to weather before planting them up and any harmfull salts should be washed away by then.

I have however planted them up in less than a week with no harmfulll effect to the plants which were not lime haters.

[David Nicholson]

Scrounged this old earthernware sink from our local tip and thought I would have a go (Ian style!) at making a trough garden for Porphyrion Saxifrages. I think Santa is bringing me a copy of Malcolm McGregor's new book-well I've dropped enough hints! The sink is about 10cm deep, will that be deep enough given that I can build parts of it up with stones (if I can scrounge some of those too!)