[rachelsco]

i was on the pit top with the dogs this morning when i came across an old bath just sitting there in the long grass.  20 minutes later it was on my allotment i thought i could grow carrots in it perhaps? do i just fill it up with soil and sow some seed, can i do it now? does anyone else have a bath on their allotment (so to speak!) and what do they do with it.

any ideas welcome

thanks rachel

[mjpalin]

I have one on my allotment. I use it for growing parsnips. Which are planted in old guttering tubes in the soil in the bath to give more depth.

[SCassin]

I have an old bath on my plot at home I slightly tipped it to ensure the water runs out the plug hole so doesn't get water logged and last year I planted early potatoes in it.  When they started to grow I just tipped more compost/soil on top of them until the bath was nearly full.  I have lovely new pots out of it and now it is full of nice compost and obviously stone free I intend to grow raddish, lettuce etc in it next season and I have an old glass shower screen that I use as a lid making it like a clotch.  Just to rotate what is grown in it.   Thinking tho of maybe using it as my herb bed?  I bought lots of herbs in tubs last year at Tesco.  They are often reduced at the end of the day to like 10p for a potted herb plant.  I have rosemary, mint, basil etc that have done brilliant and was thinking if they do same next year might slowly fill with bath with lovely herbs to use at chutney time.

[Fairy Plotmother]

A mate of mine turned one into a pond and put goldfish in it!!!!!!

[Trillium]

A couple years back we had quite a few members dragging in old bathtubs and using them to grow carrots. The height is a bit too much for the pesky carrot fly and members were having good success.

You could start some seeds now for a small sized late harvest as carrots don't mind cool weather once they're growing.

[heloise]

I use one for growing carrots in (we don't eat that many). This is the first year and the carrots are problem free.  I assume the carrot flies can't fly that high 

[Yorkie]

If you want to grow blueberries but don't have acidic soil, some people use the bath for that.

[Dantheman]

I've a bath on my plot it has got comfrey in it at the moment, but once they start dying back they are being moved into a permanent bed leaving the bath for a herb bed.

[Kleftiwallah]

I have notices in three plumbers shops asking about a bath heading for the landfill and scouring freecycle for a plastic cornerbath for a pond (no fish).  no luck yet.  Anyone near Wiltshire got one?

Cheers,   Tony.

[gremlin]

Q. What would I do with a bathtub on my plot?
A. Smash it up and take it to the tip

But each to their own I suppose.

[compostqueen]

You could harvest rainwater into it for a start 

[carlotta]

I have blueberries in mine..... same as Bob Flowerdew 

[rachelsco]

thanks for all the replies.  carrots, herbs, potatoes,blueberries,havest rainwater, a pond.  i like all those ideas, (except gremlin who says smash it up )    i have been looking for an old lotti bath for ages, so i am very pleased with my find.  making a pond sounds an interesting and wildlife friendly venture, and my lotti toads would be pleased with my efforts. 

has anyone else made a pond for toads/frogs on their allotment?

[flowerpot51]

We have a bath but we have used it for our ducks Ezmay and Polly they love it as long as the water is always clean which can be a hassel at times but as long as they are happy I am happy to. 

[dmg]

I have a couple on mine, last year I put a courgette in each with great results and put strawberries in them this year. Next I am putting in garlic as my plot has white rot