Planting in galvanized tub

[Muse]

I obtained two cuttings from a friend's purple tree collards and planted them in medium sized starting pots (about 2 quarts capacity each). One cutting is OK, they other evidently didn't make it, it's all but dead. I want to propagate a nice little orchard of the stuff in my back yard, enough so I have greens year round. This is great stuff, it's perennial and healthy.

Until I remove a large overgrown plum tree there's not a lot of room to plant this cutting (it's ready to plant now, I think). There is a spot which is so so behind my tomatoes, but my inclination now is to plant it in a large galvanized tub and after it's well established get more cuttings from it and plant elsewhere in the yard. I think the tub is as much as 20 gallons capacity. I'll have to drill holes at the bottom of the tub for drainage. The tree collards grow up to 8 feet tall, maybe taller, so I'll have to stake them. I figure to plant the cutting a little off center and stand a pole in the center and hold the pole vertical with wire rigging tied to holes in four corners at the top of the sides of the tub.

I have bamboo but figure that won't last as long as steel. I have a couple of steel poles. I could buy rebar, but I have these cylindrical steel rods about 9 feet tall. One's pretty thick (maybe as much as 3/4"), weighs close to 20 lb. The other is lighter/thinner, maybe 3/8" thick weighing 4 lb. or so. I figure that either is apt to rust away if placed in the soil in the tub, which I'm going to have to keep damp or wet continuously.

Will this scenario work? I did some research on the safety of growing vegetables in galvanized tubs and it's inconclusive as to toxicity. I've seen it said there's no issue, others say that some cobalt is involved in the galvanizing process and this could pose a toxicity problem.

Besides conceivable toxicity, I want to not have to replace the pole in there, or at least delay replacement. Suggestions? Can I paint the bottoms (tops too) to extend the usefulness of the rod stakes?

 

[NetWareHead]

They used to run water supply in housing in galvanized pipe. I don't think the issue is health related. Steel coated in zinc seems pretty benign. It's the longevity of the tub that concerns me. It's going to rust then crumble when you handle the tub leaving big rusty metal shards for you to clean up.

 

[Muse]

They used to run water supply in housing in galvanized pipe. I don't think the issue is health related. Steel coated in zinc seems pretty benign. It's the longevity of the tub that concerns me. It's going to rust then crumble when you handle the tub leaving big rusty metal shards for you to clean up.

Well, I've had that and a somewhat smaller galvanized tub for quite a few years and have grown stuff in it from time to time (veges, e.g. basil, cilantro) and it hasn't failed yet. I suppose it will eventually disintegrate as you say. Well, by that time my purple tree collard project should be way beyond needing that tub.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

what is the point of planting it in a tub?

 

[Muse]

what is the point of planting it in a tub?

The back yard is in the north portion of the lot. Except in the summery portion of the year much of the yard is therefore shaded by the two story house in the south portion of the lot. There's not a lot of space back there that gets sun all year round and this is a perennial plant. That problem is very much compounded by the huge plum tree back there.

There's a so so area behind where my tomatoes are growing that might work OK for this, not sure. But planting in this largish tub allows me to place it where the sun may be OK for it year round. If not, I can maneuver the tub's location to get the plant sufficient light. The only way to move a plant is to plant it in a moveable pot or tub. That's my thinking here. Is it enough soil to support the plant ultimately? Maybe not, but I can add fertilization one way or another. Also, as I said, I can take cuttings from it and propagate to permanent locations that may or may not succeed.