Trough Planters

How to choose a trough planter

Start with length, then weight. Balcony troughs of 500mm to 610mm, including the Roman and Oslo self watering models, sit on rails and narrow ledges and stay light enough to lift planted. Mid sized troughs from 450mm to about a metre, in terrazzo, timber or lightweight concrete, suit decks, entries and garden edges. At the top of the range, the GRC divider troughs are deep freestanding planters designed to carry a full row of screening plants: they replace a fence panel rather than decorate one.

Self watering troughs earn their keep on balconies and in rentals. The reservoir in the base cuts watering to once or twice a week through summer, which is the difference between a lush window box and a crisped one after a long weekend away.

Where troughs work

Three jobs come up again and again. The first is the balcony screen: a run of troughs planted with something upright gives privacy without drilling a single hole. The second is edging, where a repeated 450mm to 700mm trough marks the boundary of a deck or path far more cleanly than scattered round pots. The third is the hedge in a box, a divider trough planted up as a movable green wall between outdoor living zones.

Material matters more outdoors than in. Fibreglass, terrazzo composite and GRC shrug off coastal salt and frost, so they suit exposed positions in every state. Timber crates weather to a soft grey within a year or two. In hot inland and northern gardens, avoid dark troughs in full western sun, because a black planter can cook the root zone on a 40 degree afternoon; lighter colours or a morning sun position solve it.

Soil volume, drainage and weight

A 600mm x 200mm trough takes roughly 20 litres of potting mix, a metre long trough closer to 50, and a large divider trough well over 100, so buy mix by the job rather than the bag. Every outdoor trough needs open drainage holes, and on decks and tiles it needs feet or risers underneath so water can actually escape. Fill troughs in their final position: even a lightweight trough becomes a two person lift once it holds wet soil. For anything larger, a trolley or riser from the saucers, stands and pot accessories range saves your back and your tiles.

Common questions

How many plants fit in a trough?

Space small hedging and border plants 15cm to 20cm apart, so a 600mm trough takes three to four and a metre long trough five to six. For a single feature plant, choose a trough whose opening is at least 5cm wider than the nursery pot.

Do troughs need saucers?

Outdoors, no: feet or risers are better because they let the base drain and dry. Indoors or on a sealed balcony, yes, and the saucer should run the full length of the base so overflow cannot sneak past the ends.

Which troughs match other pots in the range?

The terrazzo troughs share their finish with the terrazzo pot range, and the GRC and StoneLite troughs pair with the cube and square planters, so a matched run of shapes is easy to build.

How does delivery work?

Every trough here is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and no minimum order.