Need help thinking of something.........

[CathyA]

I bought a 70 gallon food-grade stocktank (6'x2'x1') to grow some veggies in. I put it up on bales of straw, so it's a perfect working level. I like it so much, I ordered another one. But I don't like the idea of using straw, since it probably will degrade in a year, and the stocktank (once filled with soil) is very heavy. So I'm trying to think of other possibilities, to get this second stock tank up to waist level.

Here's some of my ideas:

-3 metal sawhorses, with strong lengths of cedar boards to support the stock tank.

-turning over one of my cracked 100 gallon Rubbermaid stocktanks and putting wood planks on it, then the stock tank (sort of ugly)

-Using the steel base of my old Compost tumbler, with planks of wood over it, then the stock tank.

-If I used cement blocks to support it, for it to be high enough, it would take about 12-15 blocks, and I really don't want that.

I'm very much into using things differently than they were designed for. I've checked out Tractor Supply, and I really don't see anything useable. There are bunk feeders whose base I would love to use, but I'd have to buy the feeder too, and it would cost more than I want to pay.

So.........was wondering if any of you creative people have any ideas on what to use, or how to use something not meant for this purpose, to support the soil-filled stock tank. It probably weights something like 100-200# when full.

Here's a pic from online of something like the base structure of my old compost tumbler, and I'd maybe like a structure like that. My compost tumbler base is getting old, and I fear it might not hold the weight. I'm also concerned about the area under it being open and might let the stock tank get too frozen in the winter and it might crack..??

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/composttumbler-2_zps2f79ab22.jpg


Any ideas??
Thanks.

[Gardenarian]

Could you get a table off of Craiglist/garage sale that would support it?

[ToomuchStuff]

Do you have a saw? I would use pressure treated, where the wood makes contact with the ground (and maybe cedar elsewhere). http://www.familyhandyman.com/smart-homeowner/how-to-build-a-rain-barrel/view-all The stand on that for one idea. There is a magazine called Family Handyman that has a lot of simple idea's. Any simple bench designs could be used and you might be able to get free wood off of CL. If you want to get fancy, and it is tall enough to store stuff under it, you could enclose it with cedar fencing and have it coming out like a mini storage locker/shed, something like one I sent to my sister (thought doing this under a deck might get around home owner restrictions): http://ana-white.com/2012/04/plans/small-cedar-fence-picket-storage-shed

[CathyA]

Thanks Gardenarian and TMS. I've been thinking and thinking, and I guess the easiest thing for now (besides bales of straw), would be cement blocks with sturdy wood on top, to support that stock tank. I love the height of the double bales of straw, but I'm sure it will break down in a year. I'll need to get DH to help with the cement blocks. I'll need about 8-12 of them, and my poor arthritic hands won't do well getting them myself.
Too bad the ground isn't about 3-4' higher. But I guess that would present some other problems. ;)

[rodeosweetheart]

Cathy, we went to see a straw bale house a couple of weeks ago, and it made me want to try something I've been thinking of for 10 years now--to try to make a straw bale wall. If you could do that, then your bales would not degrade. Am off to research it!

[CathyA]

Thanks rodeosweetheart........that's pretty amazing that they can do that with straw bales!
Actually, I decided on cement blocks. I'm going to make 2 "towers".......just 2 blocks together, then 2 more blocks, then 2 more blocks on top of those. I'll have 2 towers. Then I'll put 2 boards across them of 2"x6"x5' each and this will all support the stocktank. So far, the first stock tank garden that is on several bales of straw, is doing fine. We'll see how it holds up over time. I didn't think this shallow stock tank would be so heavy with soil in it........but it's very heavy.

I'll try to take pics of both set-ups when we're done. It doesn't look pretty, but I don't care. I do have a big garden about 150' from the house, but it will be nice to have these in the back yard......with lettuces, broccoli, onions, etc. Today I drilled holes in the bottom of a Tractor Supply food-grade 5 gallon bucket and planted a cherry tomato in it for the back yard too. DH likes to eat them and also give a couple to our dog, when he's walking around in the back yard. I've seen pics of people who planted ALL their tomatoes in these 5 gallon buckets and they seemed to grow just fine.
Wish me luck! Haha.........I'll definitely not win any Better Homes and Gardens awards..........but who cares??! :)

[rodeosweetheart]

Send us pictures when you can!
I was out double digging today--boy, you have the right idea!
Maybe I will try the cherry tomato idea.
I was thinking of filling some of our moving boxes with potatoes and doing a one-year container garden--throw in compost heap when done.

[CathyA]

Do you have a rototiller? I have a big Troybilt "horse", but I haven't used it in many years. We have a "mantis" now and its great for a smaller tiller.
The moving box is a good idea.....but does it have any funky glue in it? Would it hold together over the summer? Easy is better, right? :)