Allotments 4 All

Washing Machine Tub, it makes a very smart planter don't you think? ??? if you carefully grind the top off you can keep replanting in it. This can also make a very useful garden hose reel by scewing it to a wall near an outside tap and you can store all your bits 'n' bobs in the centre and it wont rust. 8)


Roy ;D

it looks really space age - nice idea.  I've read that these drums are good to bury and plant invasive things like mint or horseradish - our tip has lots of old washing machines - is it easy to get the drums out - I might go and smile sweetly!!

I thought there was a big bit of concrete in washing machines to stop it all taking off?  I completely failed to get the drum out of one once, so am impressed..

Looks great Roy. I would never get to use one as a planter though, hubby uses them as a space age BBQ, mount on a stand, put a grill over the top and you've got a mean bbq that will never rust, the holes make the coals burn really well. But I think it's looks better as a planter.

tumble drier drums are good to and tend to be bigger i have used both drums as planters keep your eyes open at the local tip! and get planters for free :)
np

Thanks for the kind comments, I have also heard of peeps attaching them to a post (presumably metal) and using them as garden heaters/up-lighters and look quite impressive, but like Barbeques need safety measures when around children. :o

Roy ;D

Nice picture. I can see you really are a palm nut hahaha, that fern looks very impressive.

Washing machine drums are often used here by people who have a pump to get water out of a small canal (what you would call a ditch) for their garden or lottie. The drum is placed in the canal and the intake hose is put inside the drum so debris doesn't get taken in.

That's an ingenious idea Ina... acts as a filter, these tubs can do a lot more than just wash clothes it seems 8)

The Tree fern (Dic ksonia antarctica) has got even more impressive one year on, take a peek.

Roy ;D (any excuse for a piccy) ;D

Oh  I would love a tree fern Roy! Does it stay outside in that pot all winter? DP

THink washing machine tubs is a Bob Flowerdew speciality! He also uses lots of fridges/freezers as well (did he say on GQT a while back about having 4 fridges/freezers for gardening purposes?)

Yes Doris the only protection I give it here in Brum is a handful of straw in the crown and maybe wrap a little fleece if we expect temps below minus-4°C.
Beautiful aren’t they? This is the same fern earlier this year end of May and the fronds are not fully extended yet.I have quite a nice collection of ferns now. 8)

Ohhhhhhhh, how beautiful.

Wan't one even more now! :'(

Oh DP me too, Ina is right it is soo beautiful, Roy how old is that one now perhaps father xmas will put one in my stocking?

Are your feet that big??

Ha Ha Ina, your on top form tonight.

;DTee he  ;D I liked that Ina :D
Teresa, The tree fern is approx 36 years old as they grow only an inch per year, so are very slow growers but the fronds make up for it as they blossom to lengths of 4 or 5ft and you can have 20 or 30 of them coming out of the crown each year.
Here’s a piccy of the same tree fern 16/6/01 and look back at the same fern 28/8/02.
B&Q were selling these off in sale at half price a real bargain 3fts norm £50 now £25 a snip. :o

Roy.

Gorgeous ferns Roy!  Thought I would show you what I rescued from the door of my old washing machine.  It was such an old faithful.  It was 22 years old and when it broke down and we rescued the glass part of the door and I have been using is as a casserole dish ever since. It is a real handy size when we have a big gathering.   :D busy_lizzie

Oh BL,
The washing machine goes on what a clever idea

Roy is that one of those ferns from Tasmania?

They are lovely, I've seen them growing in their natural habitat. As a kid, we used to live 20 minutes drive from a lovely waterfall and temperate rainforest, where there were loads of them growing, towering over my 6 foot tall daddy.

They can probably survive anything, Tasmanian winter is not that much warmer than the south here.