Old Rusty Barrow

[Lesley Jay]

I have an old rusty wheelbarrow which I am going to plant up with flowers and some vegetables for a bit of colour. I thought of using tumbling tomatoes and maybe dwarf french beans but with the barrow being rusty is it okay to grow vegetables in it or should I line it first with some black bin bags?

[nick the grief]

Don't think Rust is a problem LJ, depends how badly it's rusted I guess more from a strength point of view. My sis has one she plants up every year with whatevers left in the seed trays after she's done all the bedding - very "colourful" s you can imagine

[pigletwillie]

Our 2 steel obelisks are rusty Lesley and I refuse to paint them as they just look "right", they blend in so well. The rust is just iron oxide and wont harm your plants at all.

[Lesley Jay]

So you don't think the tomatoes will taste of rusty metal?

[andrewo]

If you're worried, just line it with plastic and cardboard, the plastic must be pierced for drainage and the cardboard will help hold onto moisture. Rust shouldn't be a problem - if you're worried, scrape off the worst and spray it to seal the metal with any coloured spray paint for outdoors. That way you can have a pink wheel barrow or a blue, purple, green, yellow...

[JennieAtkinson]

Does the wheelbarrow already have drainage holes due to the rust LJ or are you having to have to make some. I have an old wheelbarrow and it sounds a great idea, but it hasn't really got any holes in it.

[Lesley Jay]

It's got ready made drainage holes with the rust so drainage isn't a problem. I was just bothered about the rust contaminating the tomatoes. It should look nice with tomatoes, dwarf french beans and flowers.