Trough making

[Jupiter]

Thanks Maggi, My Dad found me some nice tufa rock so we'll see how I go building it up and getting it ready for planting. Now all I need are a dozen or so nice saxifrages! I have some germinated from SRGC seed, but I'll have to be patient if I use those wee babies. (Scottish vernacular)

[Maggi Young]

Jan Tholhuijsen in the Netherlands  is very good at devising projects to give him great planting opportunities - several have already been shared in the International Rock Gardener e-magazine - he has been working on the instructions for his latest idea which is for a different type of polystyrene trough -

"This time I get the trough on the workbench,normally on the floor is easier  but there is not enough light on the floor for filming.
 Covering the trough with the soaked  cotton cloths (tea towels) is not difficult, but requires some skill and knowledge. Therefore,  I hope this video will help.
 This is my first video with moving images made with my photo camera which includes this function. So do not pay attention on the quality. What matters is that you get an idea, how to apply the (tea) towels.
 First, with a brush, “paint” the trough fully with a cement porridge. This is to assist the bond the coating to the (tea) cloths.
 Wearing good  protective gloves, moisten the  cotton tea towels and  soak/coat them well with cement porridge. Make sure the bottom of the trough on the outside is flush with the bottom of the cloth.
 With any remaining cement porridge, coat the bottom of the trough.
 After 2 days you are able to restore / repair the exterior of the trough with cement porridge on any  bad pieces.
 After 3 days I again  lubricate the outside with a thin cement gruel
 When that is dry,  turn the trough over and smear the outer base with a layer of a half a centimeter cement paste. This has to be a thicker paste so that it does not flow.
 The coating achieved with these paintings is very strong. my 3 meter trough is so lined and now he goes in the second winter. ...................
 Anyone can create a trough in this way. While you're afraid of the winter you can do bubble wrap against the inner sides."
 Costs
 A pack XPS € 44.50
 3 tubes of adhesive € 36.00 for 4 troughs (2x100cm-1x125cm-1x175cm)
 Long screws for extra pressure € 22.00 (you can reuse every time)
 2 Portland cement € 10.00
 Little peat and sand, and plastic on the floor. (Tea) towels cost? 
 The film takes too long ? just scroll to the next.

read more here :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8wSWiwm_WABUHdTN05Ub2VOcHM/view

and see  this video here:

[Maggi Young]

Jan  has decided that his  articles and videos are not enough - he's made an e-book of  ideas  for  garden projects -  read it here  https://issuu.com/jantholhuijsen/docs/practical_projects_for_the_rockgard
 Tremendous ideas to keep anyone busy - and great that Jan is  following the SRGC idea of making things free to  all whenever possible!
Thanks Jan!!

[Ross McLeod]

What a fantastic resource for the budding rock/crevice gardener. Glad I found this SRGC site Maggi before I get too far into our project. Trying to avoid the pitfall that happens when expectations become resentments under construction.

 

[Jan Tholhuijsen]

Quickly make a few (small) troughs, see the YouTube video.


Anyone can do this and the price no more than a bag of concrete mix

Photos the troughs are ready to plant.

[ashley]

Thank you Jan; this is excellent
Do you find 18-19 cm the ideal depth, and how do you recommend treating the outer surface to make the trough look 'weathered' or natural as quickly as possible?

[Jan Tholhuijsen]

Thank you Jan; this is excellent
Do you find 18-19 cm the ideal depth, and how do you recommend treating the outer surface to make the trough look 'weathered' or natural as quickly as possible?

You can change the depth by placing the slats as a crevice and building higher ones. With these troughs it is raised to the center by 15 cm. To make the outside 'natural'. I do not attach such value to that. The sandstone troughs we had in Czech were 100-150 years old and were always in the stable. When we put them outside, the troughs with shadow got some mosaic growth, not in the sun. These troughs have a slanted side, so always a little shadow. Just put out and the look comes by itself.

[Jan Tholhuijsen]

I had made some old stuff a mold. And traditionally made a trough.
90 - 35 - 22 cm.

Made of concrete mortar. This is very strong. No peat or other surcharges.
The inside is round. Original troughs made of sandstone were also around inside. This was because no food remains could be left in the corners.
This is also good for troughs filled with soil and plants. At freezing, the grunge freezes upwards, instead of sideways.
The original troughs also had no extra steel reinforcement. But had extra thickened walls. These are all benefits to be able to stand outside in the frost.
This concrete trough is also so made, without reinforcement, round inside, thick walls and no peat or other additives.
Of course he has to prove himself.

90 kg of mortar is used. One is enough, pffff. The lightweight troughs are easier to handle.

Also see: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8wSWiwm_WABZ29ub1cwWmRzNEU/view?usp=sharing

Or http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Sep281506621414IRG93.pdf

[Jan Tholhuijsen]

The 7 lightweight troughs I made last weeks. All of them have been sold for a small price to rock planting enthusiasts. Members of the VRV and NRV. (I have enough myself)
It was fun to make them again. That's how you come through the winter.
The finish is improved again. The cement pudding has changed, there is now rough river sand through. The exterior is then coarser. Then smeared with cement / peat / clay mixture. This is to stimulate algae / moss.
If you want to make it, start now, nice to make in the winter. In the spring they are ready to plant.

Description  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8wSWiwm_WABZ29ub1cwWmRzNEU/view?usp=sharing





Detail of the exterior

[Maggi Young]

The  adjustment of the method is giving a very good rough finish, Jan.

[brianw]

The following used (food delivery) polystyrene boxes are being offered on my local Freegle.

1  len 49cm  Width  23cm  Depth  13cm  wall thickness  4cm

2        49cm              23cm              20cm                        4cm

3        35cm              26cm              25cm                      2cm

Any interest in my area?  SL8. They are actually in HP14 I think. The height presumably includes the lid, so the bottom alone will be shorter my maybe 5cm or so.

[Maggi Young]

Just to point out that a lid can be glued onto a box and then a new opening cut in the top if a deeper trough is desired.

Glue to use is waterproof PVA. 

[bibliofloris]

I’ve been reading my way through Ian’s past Bulb Logs, and really enjoying that beautiful garden. Thanks for taking time to create them, Ian!

As I searched around and read about his slab raised beds (thanks for the construction links, Maggi! http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=7850.msg214654#msg214654 ) and these fishbox troughs, I started to wonder: could the two be combined, using polystyrene insulation boards?

I’m guessing the foam/concrete wouldn’t be structurally sound for a raised bed, but what about a large planter or something? Has anyone made something larger than a fish box?

I love concrete, but would love lighter-weight options than really large slabs, if it mght work!

[Ian Y]

The largest trough I have made was using salmon sized boxes approx 850 x 550 x 150 but provided you get the concrete mixture correct there is no reason that you could not make them bigger.

The biggest objects I have made using cement and polystyrene was a series of standing stones for a garden the larg st was nearly 2m tall.

[bibliofloris]

Good to know — thanks, Ian!

If I try something large, I’ll report back here!
Kelly