I bought a 40 gallon livestock watering trough for my new patio
container garden (also lots of pots and an Earth Box for two tomato
plants). My son-in-law suggest that I get some worms and put in the
trough. Is that a good suggestion? I know worms certainly keep the
earth in better shape, but I'm just learning about container gardening.

Donna in SW Idaho

Donna in Idaho wrote:

I bought a 40 gallon livestock watering trough for my new patio
container garden (also lots of pots and an Earth Box for two tomato
plants). My son-in-law suggest that I get some worms and put in the
trough. Is that a good suggestion? I know worms certainly keep the
earth in better shape, but I'm just learning about container gardening.

For one thing used as planters you'll need to drill several drainage
holes in your watering trough... I see no point in adding worms...
place the trough directly on the ground and if worms want to enter
they will decide. Unless worms are free to go back into the ground at
will as temperatures increase and decrease they will die. Earthworms
live within the top ten feet of soil, they burrow deeper during the
heat of a summer day and during freezes... weather permitting they
come to the surface at night, ergo night crawlers.

On 6/3/12 12:58 PM, Donna in Idaho wrote:
I bought a 40 gallon livestock watering trough for my new patio
container garden (also lots of pots and an Earth Box for two tomato
plants). My son-in-law suggest that I get some worms and put in the
trough. Is that a good suggestion? I know worms certainly keep the
earth in better shape, but I'm just learning about container gardening.

Donna in SW Idaho

In such a container, they will quickly consume digestable organic matter
and then die. They really need more room.

Rather than spend money on worms, try collecting a few after a rain or
after watering your garden.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Donna in Idaho wrote:
I bought a 40 gallon livestock watering trough for my new patio
container garden (also lots of pots and an Earth Box for two tomato
plants). My son-in-law suggest that I get some worms and put in the
trough. Is that a good suggestion? I know worms certainly keep the
earth in better shape, but I'm just learning about container gardening.

unfortunately, worms tend to wander off at night and
a raised bed or container above ground isn't the best
location for them (too hot, too cold, too variable).
you can put worms in and it won't hurt things, but it
won't help much for long either. certain species might
do better than others (avoid night crawlers as they
need deep burrows in certain kinds of soil to do well).

you are better off using a good potting mix and
making sure the plants used are able to tolerate the
temperature extremes and still do well.

40 gallons is plenty of room for keeping worms if
the container is in the ground in a shaded location
or if it is well mulched to keep from getting too
hot or too cold (if your frost line in the soil is
more than the depth of the container then that is
not a good thing as the worm population will be knocked
back each winter).


songbird

Thanks for all the replies. The trough is on my patio, so even though
we drilled holes in the bottom, the worms would not have access to the
ground. Guess I'll forget that idea!

We're supposed to have high winds this evening as a cold front comes in.
Gotta figure out some way to protect my tomatoes from getting wind
whipped.

Donna in Idaho

On 6/4/2012 11:29 AM, Billy wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

In ,
wrote:

Donna in Idaho wrote:
I bought a 40 gallon livestock watering trough for my new patio
container garden (also lots of pots and an Earth Box for two tomato
plants). My son-in-law suggest that I get some worms and put in the
trough. Is that a good suggestion? I know worms certainly keep the
earth in better shape, but I'm just learning about container gardening.

unfortunately, worms tend to wander off at night and
a raised bed or container above ground isn't the best
location for them (too hot, too cold, too variable).
you can put worms in and it won't hurt things, but it
won't help much for long either. certain species might
do better than others (avoid night crawlers as they
need deep burrows in certain kinds of soil to do well).

you are better off using a good potting mix and
making sure the plants used are able to tolerate the
temperature extremes and still do well.

40 gallons is plenty of room for keeping worms if
the container is in the ground in a shaded location
or if it is well mulched to keep from getting too
hot or too cold (if your frost line in the soil is
more than the depth of the container then that is
not a good thing as the worm population will be knocked
back each winter).

Clear plastic, tightly over the pot would ameliorate the cold during the
winter, and, perhaps, allow the worms to survive.


songbird

The rest of us just need an iPad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6a8Eimr-fm0

On 6/4/2012 1:29 PM, Billy wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

In ,
wrote:

Donna in Idaho wrote:
I bought a 40 gallon livestock watering trough for my new patio
container garden (also lots of pots and an Earth Box for two tomato
plants). My son-in-law suggest that I get some worms and put in the
trough. Is that a good suggestion? I know worms certainly keep the
earth in better shape, but I'm just learning about container gardening.

unfortunately, worms tend to wander off at night and
a raised bed or container above ground isn't the best
location for them (too hot, too cold, too variable).
you can put worms in and it won't hurt things, but it
won't help much for long either. certain species might
do better than others (avoid night crawlers as they
need deep burrows in certain kinds of soil to do well).

you are better off using a good potting mix and
making sure the plants used are able to tolerate the
temperature extremes and still do well.

40 gallons is plenty of room for keeping worms if
the container is in the ground in a shaded location
or if it is well mulched to keep from getting too
hot or too cold (if your frost line in the soil is
more than the depth of the container then that is
not a good thing as the worm population will be knocked
back each winter).

Clear plastic, tightly over the pot would ameliorate the cold during the
winter, and, perhaps, allow the worms to survive.


songbird

The rest of us just need an iPad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6a8Eimr-fm0


In case you missed this one:

http://www.jokeroo.com/videos/funny/...ing-board.html

Donna in Idaho wrote:

Thanks for all the replies. The trough is on my patio, so even though
we drilled holes in the bottom, the worms would not have access to the
ground. Guess I'll forget that idea!

I'd not have destroyed a new perfectly sound watering trough with
holes, I'd have used it to hold plants in large clay pots. And forget
all about worms, no one adds live worms to potted plants, there's no
point, and they'd die within hours.

I no longer live in the country with livestock that needs drinking
water, so the trough with holes drilled in it works for me!

I solved the wind problem for my plants by poking long skewers in the
ground and tying off the tomato and pepper plants to the skewers.
Worked great. Even with the high winds, my plants are still intact.

Donna in Idaho

On 6/4/2012 12:18 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:


I'd not have destroyed a new perfectly sound watering trough with
holes, I'd have used it to hold plants in large clay pots.

Donna in Idaho wrote:
Brooklyn1 wrote:

I'd not have destroyed a new perfectly sound watering trough with
holes, I'd have used it to hold plants in large clay pots.

I no longer live in the country with livestock that needs drinking
water, so the trough with holes drilled in it works for me!

Obviously some have more dollars than brain cells:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/oval-ga...pacity-2168692

You assume a lot - I paid $39 for a rotational molded 44 gallon tank.

It would have cost more to buy enough large clay pots to hold the plants
I put in the tank. Clay pots aren't exactly cheap when you start buying
the larger sizes.

Donna in Idaho

On 6/5/2012 11:59 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
Donna in Idaho wrote:
Brooklyn1 wrote:

I'd not have destroyed a new perfectly sound watering trough with
holes, I'd have used it to hold plants in large clay pots.

I no longer live in the country with livestock that needs drinking
water, so the trough with holes drilled in it works for me!

Obviously some have more dollars than brain cells:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/oval-ga...pacity-2168692

Donna in Idaho wrote:

I paid $39 for a rotational molded 44 gallon tank.

Just on its face a 44 gallon plastic planter makes no sense, you won't
be able to move it, it'll weigh ~300 lbs, be sure it's in the spot you
want it before you fill it. Most people who actually garden would
agree that it makes much more sense to use such a tub to contain
individual clay pots, makes it much easier to work the individual
plantings, and porous clay pots are far better than plastic. One of
those utilitatarian farm troughs in plastic is not very esthetic
anyway, used as a planter it's a waste of $40... and 44 gallons of
decent potting soil will cost more than $40, a lot more.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_93762-446-74...oil&facetInfo=

I guess we have to agree to disagree. I'm intelligent enough to know
that once it's filled, it can't be moved. So - I put it where I wanted
it before it was filled.

It did not cost me $40 to fill the trough with bark in the bottom and
"decent" potting soil to complete filling it.

You're assuming again - I didn't buy the soil in 8 qt bags as you
suggest - I bought 2 cu ft bags - if you would have checked further on
Lowe's website, you would have seen they have 2 cu ft bags for $7.77.

I will have pots of plants in front of the trough and plants spilling
over the sides so it won't be as un-esthetic as you seem to think.

It's interesting how many people do garden in large tubs and troughs -
have you ever googled container gardens? You'll find that I'm not the
only person in the whole world that uses large tubs and troughs for
their container gardens. (I might add that I do "actually garden")

On 6/5/2012 3:56 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
Donna in Idaho wrote:

I paid $39 for a rotational molded 44 gallon tank.

Just on its face a 44 gallon plastic planter makes no sense, you won't
be able to move it, it'll weigh ~300 lbs, be sure it's in the spot you
want it before you fill it. Most people who actually garden would
agree that it makes much more sense to use such a tub to contain
individual clay pots, makes it much easier to work the individual
plantings, and porous clay pots are far better than plastic. One of
those utilitatarian farm troughs in plastic is not very esthetic
anyway, used as a planter it's a waste of $40... and 44 gallons of
decent potting soil will cost more than $40, a lot more.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_93762-446-74...oil&facetInfo=

Donna in Idaho wrote:

I might add that I do "actually garden".

Not much if you need to ask about adding worms to planters.