You can buy a stone, metal or wood trough from the garden store; these tend to be fairly expensive. You can also use an old butler’s sink or metal tub from the reclamation yard. Remember that solid stone troughs will be very heavy, especially once full of soil and rocks.


Try to get a trough planter with drainage holes, or, if possible, drill drainage holes in whatever planter you are using.;
, You can make your own trough using hypertufa and a plastic storage tub or wooden crate as a mould. Hypertufa is a mix of cement (eg Portland cement) with peat and perlite; these materials lighten the mix and add texture. Usual proportions are 1:1:1. This material usually needs a little time to cure before it can be planted.


Hypertufa provides an aged stone effect but is usually a little lighter to move than a solid stone or concrete trough of the same size. Because of its texture, the hypertufa planter will acquire mosses and lichens on its surface over time. You can poke drainage holes in the trough base before it is dry.You can also use polystyrene fish boxes that are painted grey or covered with grout. This trough will be considerably more fragile than hypertufa.
 Try to move your empty trough to its final location ahead of planting as it will be very heavy once filled. It’s also a good idea to raise it slightly off of the ground as this improves drainage.


If you don’t have drainage holes this is less important. Remember the trough is really heavy so make sure it is very stable however you place it.
 Drainage is really important in a trough planter. Try to use a trough that has drainage holes. If you are using an old sink, the plug hole will provide drainage.


If you plan to build your own hypertufa one, poke some holes in the bottom while the mix is still damp.If you aren’t able to get a trough with drainage holes then try to improve drainage as best you can when filling it.
 Regardless of whether the trough has draining holes or not, you should try to put a drainage layer at the bottom of the trough before the soil goes in. Use several inches of broken pottery shards or gravel to make this layer.


Top this bottom layer off with another two inches of soil mixed with gravel.
Add free-draining compost; a good one to choose is compost mixed with horticultural grit.
Pick out the material you would like your trough to be.
Consider making your own trough.
Move your trough to its location.
Make sure your trough drains well.
Add a drainage layer to your trough.
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