Spot a lovely, if not worn-out, vintage clawfoot tub at an estate sale, fall in love, and then wonder what on earth you'd use it for, provided you had the space? Here's a great answer that'll feed you, too.
Turns out, an old tub makes for a perfect potato planter. With plenty of room for the tubers to take root, you'll not only get a bumper crop of taters but you'll also be boasting an eco-shabby-chic planter in your garden area.
Find out more about planting potatoes in a tub here, and see what's growing in this gardener's clawfoot tub this year here (and get mounds of gardening inspiration, too).
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I tried doing this last year and failed miserably. Could've been that my tub lacked claw feet, but I think that honestly there's just not enough air circulation in a ceramic coated cast iron tub, and there's the chance of severely over-watering without trying to at all (unless you drill more drainage holes.) Plus it got really really hot as a container, so those little tater tots were basically were baking and drowning at the same time here in SoCal! (Though I'd say if you're anywhere where the summers aren't super warm, it's a great idea. We're looking for something hardier to plant in ours as well this year, and have moved it to a space with mostly morning sun instead of hot afternoon. I'm doing the build and add lumber method in the meantime for potatoes at the end of one of my raised beds. So determined to grow these tubers!)
This would have been awesome next to my potted herb garden (in a toilet), but my wife made me get rid of it.
Hi Veronica!
We're actually located in Toronto, Canada so we're neither too hot or wet. By placing the tub on a downward angle there's plenty of drainage. There is also 2 layers of loosely stacked bricks on the bottom which keep things from getting too soggy.
I have used the tub for beets and carrots in the past and this year its full of beans and greens.
@NMSam, that is awesome but I see why your wife objected :)