Galvanized water trough growing?

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JetSmooth

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Anyone do any galvanized water trough growing?

Last year, a friend and I placted six rhizomes in his back yard (he likens himself a one-acre farmer) on a whim. He changed churches and moved and we lost touch. The plants did very little and I wasn't stressing about it.

Last summer, we put a new deck on our townhouse and I am now wrapping up a paver patio that extends about three feet beyond the deck. As Ive been working in the yard, I see one corner that gets a decent amount of sun. The houses on either sides of us have bump-outs and under our deck is pretty well shaded. But that one corner gets an okay amount of sun, I think.

My friend's house was bought by our pastor's father-in-law and I suspect he hasn't done anything to the back yard yet. So our hops may still be there if they didn't whither away. I'd like to go rescue them!

I don't want to plant in the ground because the neighborhood association has a service that mows and sprays and stuff. I was thinking of putting half-barrels on the corner of the patio (or just on the ground right off the patio) to raise the hops and keep them out of the lawn.

Then I thought about a big galvanized steel water trough. I'd likely drill a few holes in the bottom, fill it with pea gravel left over from the patio project, then growing medium (soil/manure?)

When it came time for the bines to grow, I'd just put a few lines up to the beams of the deck.

I don't expect much out of them this year i fI do this. But it might get me ahead for next year.

Here's a decent trough at TSC - http://www.tractorsupply.com/oval-galvanized-stock-tank-2-ft-w-x-4-ft-l-x-2-ft-h-100-gal-capacity-2177201

I figure I could plant two at maximum, one at each end about 8 inches in.

Am I crazy? Any danger from the galvanized steel? I guess I would have to monitor the pH to keep zinc from leeching out.
 
Many people plant in galvanized containers without issue. We eat beef raised from cattle that drink and eat directly out of galvanized containers. I wouldnt bother monitoring for zinc. You have the key points right as far as ensuring a high drainage with the pea gravel etc. Depending on the size of the container, 12" from the side would be a little better but not hugely important.

Good luck!
 

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