New VegTrug - Where to Site??

[Helgalush]

I am very excited as our new VegTrug has arrived, enabling me to grow something, for once in a raised bed, as opposed to in containers! Hooray.

Except for one problem. We cant decide where to site it!

I only have a small garden, with little space. I have 3 options.

1) a sheltered patio which gets the late afternoon and evening sun (from about 3-4pm onwards). But takes up room on the patio which is the only place in the garden for sitting and chilling with friends (although that happens rarely)

2) In a sheltered and perhaps slightly shady corner of the garden, which is part-precluded by a tall kennel for my rabbits and on the other side a fence, but which should still get morning and afternoon sunshine. But currently overgrown with weeds, so needs clearing first.

3) Along one side of the rabbit run where it kind of sticks out like a sore thumb, a bit near to the wheelie bins but would get good morning and afternoon sunshine but in shade by about 4.30pm. This was where we were going to originally put it, but it seems bigger in 'real life' and now I am not so sure that I like it there!

Any thoughts? Wish I wasnt so rubbish at decisions (and wish I had planned this all better before it arrived)!

[chris]

3 sounds the better option for the sunlight.. but depending on how much it sticks out (could you place plant pots around the bottom of it?) I'd go for number 2. It's always nice to have somewhere to relax in the garden, you never know you may start spending more time out there now you've this vegtrug..

Obviously, the more sunlight the better.. I used to grow quite a bit that was shaded from 2PM onwards - I figured as long as it got some sunlight, which it did for most of the day - a lot grew fine. It's finding out really what works in it, and then growing that! For example, I had leeks, two rows in a bed that was shaded - the less shaded ones fattened up enough for Christmas dinner, but the others were still pencil thin.

Do you know what you'd like to grow in it first off?

[Bren In Pots]

I am very excited as our new VegTrug has arrived

3) Along one side of the rabbit run where it kind of sticks out like a sore thumb,

I'd go with 3 as well, and if you think about it once you get used to seeing the trug it won't stick out at all.

[Florence Fennel]

How exciting for you. I think I'd go with option 3. You could always re-site the rabbit run instead

[Helgalush]

Thanks for your thoughts all.

Tomorrow I will position the VegTrug again back in position 3 and see how it looks again. I'm sure we can position plant pots (I have a lot!) around the base of it to make it look better.

The things I plan on growing are carrots (just hoping there is still time), leeks (have seedlings), baby turnips (have seedlings), curly kale (have seedlings), maybe some lettuces, beetroot (if there is still time - only baby beetroot), and then anything else I can squeeze in! More spring onions maybe. Radishes if space and the other stuff won't grow in time. Oh and spinach! Lol, not much then! Need a bigger one I think!

Moving the rabbit run isnt an option, its attached to their shed and is big (8ft x 4ft), thats partly why its difficult to arrange the veg-growing around the bunny accommodation! (x2 lots!). But thank you for the suggestion.

[Kiwi_Soph]

we have a trug and it is lovely. Because of the slope/knobliness of the garden it wouldn't stay up and get sunlight anywhere except on the gazeb, the best bit of the garden for sitting.

It is kind of invasive looking but I have got quite used to having my morning coffee while surrounded by busy growing veg. It is quite nice actually, makes the whole area seem more secluded. We have also scattered pots around the place and the gazebo makes it all quite sheltered.

I guess the main thing to do is go where the sun is (and where you can water it). Once the Things start growing it will look much more organic and less invasive!

here's our fella, a week or two ago. It is still obvious but they are also kind-of on display:

[Helgalush]

Kiwi Soph, yours looks lovely and I like all the pots around as well, it does make it look more at home with those around it.

My OH and I just went out and moved it to position 3) and we think it does actually look better there, just need to make sure there is enough space for the wheelie bins and wheelbarrow to get between it and the shed and there is. It looks a lot better there, will sleep on it and see how it is in the morning.

We have just a half size one, but the big one looks really impressive.

Being in position 3 does have a disadvantage in that I cant get round all sides, whereas in the other positions it would have been possible but consider its 1 metre by about 70ish cms I can easily reach the middle from all sides, so I'm hoping that wont be too much of an issue.

[Alison]

Glad you put a piccie up Soph, had no idea what this thread was about as the only thing I own called a trug is one of those big (and very useful) plastic things and you obviously weren't talking about one of them

[Snadger]

Did I not see a utube video of how to assemble one of these on an older thread?

[Bren In Pots]

Did I not see a utube video of how to assemble one of these on an older thread?

Snadger there's a video on their own website :- VegTrug.Com looking at them I think it would be handy if they had a couple of wheels on one side, but then it would probably be too heavy to move around.

[Helgalush]

Ooops sorry I should have explained what a VegTrug is!

We've left it in position 3 and are pretty sure thats where we will leave it. Bren I agree wheels would have been a good idea but its pretty heavy without soil in it so I think it would be too much of a liability for them to have put wheels on it.

Cant wait to get out and fill it up and plant in it!

I'm wondering to myself whether to use the square foot gardening principles or whether to plant in rows. Anyone any thoughts on this?

[JoeBoy]

Just a quick note to congratulate you on the VegTrug and thank people for their pictures. It's just great for us to be able to see our product being used as we designed it. All the best from the VegTrug Team. Joe (International Director) VegTrug Limited. PS I would have gone for option 2, but option 3 is good!

[Helgalush]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm really looking forward to using the VegTrug.

Its not filled with soil yet so it is still possible to relocate it.

Here is a pic of my (messy!) garden:



The VegTrug as you can see is to the left of the middle of the pic - this is position 3 - next to the rabbit run in the middle. It is open and so gets lot of sunshine all day until early evening. Not as sheltered as option 2 but as you can see its a small garden so not exactly exposed either. Is a bit near my wheelie bins for my liking but could always fence or trellis those off.

Option 2 is to the left of the photo, where you can see pots planted on a table (strawbs, radishes etc). Things are growing ok there, but it is all rather unkempt along that side and is also near to my other rabbits' kennel. (More detail than you prob need to know, but one bunny is at high risk of flystrike so I am worried about attracting flies to their house by growing veg just outside it). But anyway this is a more sheltered position, but also gets good enough sunshine for the strawbs/radishes etc to be ripening.

[JoeBoy]

Position looks good to me. By the way, after you have added the soil, you can tuck the liner back inside and under the soil so it leaves a neat finish. Some customers even cut off the excess and replace the liner for the following season.

[Kiwi_Soph]

JoeBoy, you would probably be the ideal person to answer this = How full is it supposed to be? There are 3 of us sharing ours and by the time I got a look in it had been filled and planted in: only it is not very full. There is maybe 10, 15 cm between the top edge and the soil!

It is probably too late to fix this time round but would it be an idea to fill it up more for next season?

also, helgalush, I think that looks really nice there. Just imagine how eyecatching and goregous it will be when it is all green and thriving!