108 Water Trough Gardening

Using livestock water troughs to grow plants is a great idea. You can grow just about anything from food crops to flowers, shrubs and even small trees or bamboo. Livestock water troughs, also called stock tanks, come in various sizes, and many have plugs along the side to allow for drainage. And you can always improve the drainage by drilling several one-inch diameter holes in the bottom. Painting the troughs can help reflect the heat and the color can blend in better with your outdoor decor. And, of course, you can custom mix the soil for a watering trough, to fit the exact needs of whatever you might be growing. An acidic soil for blueberries, for example. We’ll have a recipe for that today. Retired college horticulture professor Debbie Flower and I explore livestock water trough gardening today, on episode 108 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots. And we will do it all in under 30 minutes. Let’s go!Pictured:Water Trough with Blueberry PlantsLinks:Smart PotsWater TroughsTractor PaintBlueberry Soil Mix for Containers/ Dave Wilson NurseryMore episodes and info available at Garden Basics with Farmer FredGarden Basics comes out every Tuesday and Friday. More info including live links, product information, transcripts, and chapters available at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred. Please subscribe, and, if you are listening on Apple, please leave a comment or rating. That helps us decide which garden topics you would like to see addressed.Got a garden question? There are several ways to get in touch: leave an audio question without making a phone call via Speakpipe, at https://www.speakpipe.com/gardenbasicsText us the question: 916-292-8964. E-mail: [email protected] or, leave a question at the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram locations below. Be sure to tell us where you are when you leave a question, because all gardening is local. And thank you for listening.All About Farmer FredFarmer Fred website: http://farmerfred.comDaily Garden tips and snark on TwitterThe Farmer Fred Rant! BlogFacebook:  "Get Growing with Farmer Fred"Instagram: farmerfredhoffmanFarmer Fred Garden Videos on YouTubeAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from possible links mentioned here.Thank you for listening, subscribing and commenting on the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast and the Beyond the Garden Basics  Newsletter.