Ideas for planting in this.

[Sheepish]

When our church hall kitchen was refurbished I retrieved a few things that wold otherwise have gone to the tip for garden use. I've already got a couple of geraniums growing in large old kettles, but haven't yet worked out how to use the old tea urn, pictured.

It's 40cm high, 32cm in diameter, with the lid, which will be the planting space, 15cm in diameter. My cousin has already drilled some drainage holes in it for me.

If I keep it just about anywhere in the back garden it will get full sun most of the time but there are some shadier spots. The front garden faces north-west, getting afternoon sun onwards, but very little during winter.

I'm torn between using it for something edible or decorative, so something doing both would be good. Ideally something that goes well with the silver colour of the urn. I assume the relatively narrow top opening compared to the overall diameter means it would be difficult to get anything out again (alive) if the roots spread out inside.

I speculated on fruit bushes or even a dwarf tree and an artichoke (though I've never eaten one, so don't know if I'd like it).

Any ideas welcome.

[Helgalush]

Ooooh how cool!! I love recycling of random objects for the garden!

I think you would be ok to use it for most things but once it is full of compost and veggies/tree it might be quite hefty so think carefully about where you want to site it.

The other thing I would say is that with metal it makes the plants more exposed to the weather conditions ie when it is hot, the metal container will be hotter than say, a clay pot or a plastic one, which could damage roots. Similarly in the cold weather, it will be even colder than another type of container. So what I have done is lined my metal container with bubblewrap as a kind of insulation, and polystyrene in the bottom to protect roots, act as drainage and also make it a bit lighter/not use so much compost, though this does make it more top heavy.

I am growing all sorts of veg in containers so I think you could grow almost anything!

good luck x

[Helgalush]

PS I have used my tall metal pot for some tumbling toms to dangle over the edges and some herbs in the middle - whether or not this will work remains to be seen!!!

[Hilary B]

Must admit, my first thought was 'strawberries'. I like the idea of pre-lining it with insulation of some sort too. Could some clever DIYer also make some bigger holes just below the top (maybe 38mm, if you get the plants as 'babies'), so you could put strawbs in there (and possibly a herb in the top, maybe a pretty sage)?
The metal sides might protect from slugs, the way copper tape on a pot does (it works!)

[SueA]

My initial thought was a mini apple tree would look lovely in it but I'm not sure as the planting hole in the top is only 15cm so it would be difficult if you ever wanted to remove it etc. as you say. You could just plant it up with different fruits/veggies throughout the year such as a courgette plant or tomato plant, swiss chard, purple sprouting broccoli etc.

[Seahorse]

I would grow a tea plant in it, as a little horticultural joke.

[SarzWix]

Why does it have to have the lid on? Surely it'd be easier to fill and plant up without the lid?! Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

[Sheepish]

What I mean is the hole for the lid is only 15cm across. So although the capacity is about 32 litres the planting hole is small relative to the whole thing.

[Sheepish]

Thanks for the ideas so far. I'll certainly take note of the need for insulation.
I might be able to get my cousin to punch some holes in it (he's a professional carpenter / decorator / sort almost anything around the house) but I have enough strawberries on the go at the moment.

[bobleponge]

I think I would probably use it for a fig tree.
The roots need to be contained, and that is clearly perfect, the heat in the summer would be great and you could move it if things got too cold in the winter, or you could just fleece it up.

Insulation a good idea definitely.


Having just re read the OP, I would use it for a veeeeeeeery small fig tree.

[Jeanied]

If you are looking for the visual effect, how about planting a globe artichoke in the top - after bubblewrapping - that is a good idea - the silver foliage will arch out of the top of that quite artistically I think.

[Sheepish]

Thanks for all the advice. I did consider a fig tree but given that it is a relatively small container for that, and it would be a more expensive option, I've decided instead to try an artichoke from next spring. In the mean time I'm using it for a beef tomato.

[Helgalush]

Cool, hope it works well and would be good to see pics when it is established.