Heads up! I link to products and services that I love from time to time. More often than not I have an affiliate relationship with these providers. What does that mean? I might make a small percentage from any purchases you make, but don't worry, you won't pay even a penny more. Thanks for supporting The 104 Homestead. You can see our full disclosure statement here.
Are you looking for an easy way to get your garden started? Galvanized bins make handy planters and they are pretty cool looking too. Best of all, this DIY project is one you can easily complete over a weekend.
In this guide, we’ll review the 3 steps to using galvanized bins as planters:
- Drill drainage holes.
- Position the bins and fill with soil.
- Start planting!
Galvanized bins can be found at your local hardware store, farm supply store, or online. They come in various sizes and are traditionally used for animal feed. Think about what size would be best for your space and for what you want to grow. The bins shown here are 155-gallon tanks from Tarter; they are approximately 2 feet high by 2 feet wide by 6 feet long.
Drill Drainage Holes
You want to make sure the veggies you are going to plant have plenty of drainage, so drilling holes at the bottom of your galvanized bins is important. This is not an easy job, but it’s worth it! Here’s how:
- Flip the bin upside down for drilling, and put a tarp or a blanket underneath to catch the metal scraps.
- Using a 1/2-inch metal drill bit, drill holes every few inches around the perimeter of the trough, as well as across both vertically and horizontally. This will drain the battery from a cordless drill quickly, so a corded drill might be a better option if you have one.
Position Bins & Fill with Soil
You may be placing your galvanized bins on a patio or in a yard. If you want your bins in a specific location, you can measure and mark the specific spot. When placing the bins, take the time to make sure they are level, which is important for drainage. Remember that once the bins are full of dirt, they will be fairly permanent because of their weight (though you can always empty the dirt out to move them).
For soil, we recommend using a blend of 2/3 high-quality top soil and 1/3 compost. Your local landscape/garden center can probably deliver this by the yard (even better if you have a truck and can pick it up), and then you can shovel it into the bins.
Fill your galvanized bins to the very top with the soil/compost blend! Keep in mind that the soil will settle, and stopping even just a few inches from the top of the bins will create a gap that will cast a shadow on your plants.
Start Planting!
Now you’re ready to plant, which is the fun part! Snap peas and lettuce are examples of cool-season vegetables that can be sown directly in the bins. Cherry tomatoes and summer squash are examples of warm-season vegetables that can either be started indoors or purchased as seedlings. You can mix and match – starting with some direct sowing early in the season and adding other seedlings and warm-season veggies as the season progresses.
Happy planting in your galvanized bins!
Latest posts by Kellie Phelan (see all)
- A Hardening Off & Transplanting Guide - April 28, 2015
- 3-Step Guide to Using Galvanized Bins as Planters - February 12, 2015
Sounds like more fails with galvanized than success
CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME IN HOW CAN I USE BIRD NETTING AND HOW TO SUPPORT THE NETTING WITHIN THE GALVANIZED BINS. THE BIRDS ARE EATING EVERYTHING. IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO WATCH. I HAVE SIX QUITE LARGE BINS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Redwood tree roots from neighbor’s radiate, of course, in all directions including 25 feet into our yard.
They come into our wood framed raised beds (built at least 25 years ago) and totally thrive in the well amended soil. Their root mass is thick and filamentous competing for nutrients and water. Our beds set ddirectly on the earth are bottomless frames (4 ft X 15 ft) with 2 X 12 boards
and with wire bottoms (moles) of 1/2 inch galvanized hardwear “cloth.” Every 2 years we have to remove ALL this
planting mix and cut out the roots. Since these old frames are rotting after 25 years we are considering rebuilding with
3 or 4 inches of AIR SPACE beneath a frame with a bottom and drain holes. We are considering using Hardy Board (1/2 inch X 4ft X 8 ft) for
the bottoms and all 4 sides. We have too many beds to pave the whole area. So we would have to place these new beds on
3 to 4 inch spacers (bricks, etc. or 4in X 4in wood beams. Aesthetically/financially approximately 10 galvanized water tanks do not appeal
Thank you for any suggestions, Tim Sullivan, Northern Calif.
How will these be winterized for zones in sub zero temperatures?
Doesn’t the sun scorch or “cook” the plants because of the thin walls and metal to soil heat transfer? Do you simply water more often?
You would need to water more often, mostly because containers seem to dry out faster. Metal containers might not be suitable for very hot climates, but they are amazing for those of us further north. We can often push our zone limits a bit with the heat from metal containers.
We live in the high desert of Central Oregon in Redmond. We bought two large troughs, drilled drainage holes, filled with compost and dirt and have installed drip lines. For some reason we cannot get anything to grow in theses troughs. This year we replaced the dirt and are trying again. We are still having problems getting anything to grow. We do not understand what we are doing wrong. Went to a considerable amount of time and expense to have them fail. We cannot figure it out. Any help would be appreciated.
Maybe the sun heats up the metal and the soil gets too warm, affecting the roots or killing soil microbes that help plants grow? Just a thought as I was concerned about this.
I have the exact same problem. My first attempt, I planted plants that were already about 12” tall. They took off! And then they died. All of them. Second year, same result. There are two solutions I am considering. The first is, obviously, moving them to a place in the yard that only gets partial sun. I am treating this as the last resort. My second option is to berm the sides of the planters with earth and then plant ground cover, likely strawberries. I know that part of using the trough planters was to enhance a rustic look putting berms around them defeats that purpose, but for now, that’s t best option I have to keep them i sun and not roast the plants.
I’ve tried for several years gardening in galvanized bins and unknowingly followE the instructions given and never have I gotten a decent crop or even 1 healthy plant out of any time I try. This year I’m going to try again using another kind of pot with the same plant, variety, planted in a galvanized bin and put the two next to each other and see what happens.
This sounds like a good experiment! For veggies, make sure the area you’re placing the bins in are getting 6-8 hours of full sun per day.
Something to consider……Paint the bottom inside and out with rust inhibitor paint such as Rust-Oleum.Because once you perch the Galvanize coating it will rust resulting in shortening the Bins life.
This is an interesting suggestion, just make sure the Rust-Oleum would be safe for your soil and the plants you’re growing in the bins. We’ve had ours for several years and they are still holding up great with no treatment!
Can you tell me where I can buy these galvanized bins?
Hi! You should be able to find them at a local hardware store or garden/farm supply center. It might be a good idea to call around – they are referred to as galvanized bins or steel troughs, and they are traditionally used for animal feed. You can also find them online, but I’m not sure how shipping would work for something that work. I hope this helps!
I have been told that the very process of making them “galvanized” makes them unsuitable for growing food in. Can you comment?
This is a great question and something we were concerned about when first considering using galvanized bins as vegetable planters. The concern is about zinc, which, while the fumes can be harmful during the manufacturing process, is not harmful as a container for growing food. Hopefully this helps ease your concern!