The Vegtrug Raised Bed Planter is a large wooden planter that is ideal for those who want to garden, but who have a hard time working at ground level, bent over. The six legs elevate the planter well off the ground, offering easy access to a large, planting bed. The V-shaped wooden body provides a deep gully for those plant roots that need a little more depth. It is suitable for growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers, and has excellent built-in drainage. This article is a VegTrug Raised Planter Review, and looks at the positive and negative aspects of this interesting garden system.
VegTrug Raised Planter Review
In order to help you decide if the Veg Trug is for you, we’ll look at everything this elevated raised planter has to offer, for good and bad. Many who have one of these planters go on to purchase a second because they love it, while others find it to be poor quality with components that don’t fit together very well.
In this review, we’ll look at the benefits and drawbacks of this planter, so that you can determine if this raised planter is the right one for your needs.
Key Features and Benefits:
- A planter made with sustainable, natural plantation fir wood. The natural fir has a fresh woodland smell.
- The natural wood is further protected with a non-toxic water based vegetable preservative.
- The unit comes with a perforated fitted membrane liner, which is also replaceable. It drains rainwater in order to protect against rotten roots, and to protect the soil from getting waterlogged
- The VegTrug comes with fittings so you can buy the covers that can be attached — a great idea should you place the raised bed outside.
Dimensions and Specs:
- Good height, standing at 31″, so no kneeling on the ground required.
- Dimensions 71″ x 31″ x 30″ inches.
- Weight: 55lbs
- Capacity: 14.3 cubic ft. (approximately 30 plants)
The Details
This medium sized raised bed planter has a rustic appearance, as it is made with natural fir. The design aesthetically pleasing, and will look great indoors in the greenhouse, or the sunroom.
Indeed, it is an attractive looking planter, especially once full of growing plants, so would add a touch of natural décor when kept indoors.
Most people, however, will likely want to put this elevated raised bed outside in the yard. And here it thrives!
Design
While the makers of the VegTrug suggest that it is fade, warp and rot resistant, a few purchases have reported some fading. It is, after all, made of wood, and needs to be continually cared for.
The VegTrug has six legs, each with a plastic cover for the end. The plastic shoes on the feet are designed to protect the wooden legs when outdoors. However, many find that that the shoes only fit loosely, making them prone to falling off.
Others have found rot in the legs, due to water collecting inside the too-large plastic coverings. If this is a concern to you, skip the shoes entirely and simply place the planter on patio blocks or bricks. These blocks also help prevent the planter from sinking down into the soil, due to the heavy weight of the plants.
The solid design of the frame results in a rather sturdy piece of gardening furniture, ideal for growing an array of fruits and vegetables. The legs lend a good height, helping protect your crops from small mammals. Rodents and pests will have some difficulty climbing up to eat any crops, should it be outdoors. The height acts as a deterrence, but does not prevent rodents from getting into your garden.
The high level also allows for easy weeding, which is a nice help. This planter stands at a comfortable level for any back sufferers, or those having trouble kneeling. It is even a good level for the wheelchair-bound.
Growing Plants in the VegTrug
It is possible to grow a wide variety of different plants and vegetables in the VegTrug, due to its depth and strength. Tomatoes, peas, squash, zucchini, lettuce, radishes, carrots, and strawberries — all of these are a great choice in the VegTrug.
Even beets can be cultivated, which need a good depth to the soil!
Because of the size of the large trough, up to 30 individual plants can be cultivated at any one time.
Some have found that it works pretty well in a hydroponic gardening system.
Built-In Drainage System
Keeping your garden at the right moisture level is always a difficult task, as too much, or too little, water can easily damage plants. The VegTrug has a built-in drainage system that helps keep the planter from getting overly saturated, but beware that your plants don’t get TOO dry!
The excellent polythene membrane that lines the bottom of planter bed allows the water to drain through the bottom. This helps to keep the wooden frame dry, so it will last for years before rot sets in.
Build Quality
Some buyers have received delivery, only to find damaged wood and missing parts. Part of this may be due to shipping, and part due to wood, which is quite prone to splitting. Even if the VegTrug arrives intact, many find that cracks appear while assembling the planter.
While the maker promises the wood will not fade in the sun, this is real wood, so it will almost certainly fade.
Should you not want to deal with maintenance, you may want to check out a resin plastic planter like the Keter Easy Grow System [Amazon Link].
Assembly
The VegTrug is a bit of a bear to assemble, and given that the wood is prone to cracking and snapping during assembly, you really want to take your time putting it together. There are a lot of screws here!
One tip to assembling this raised bed planter is to get all of the screws partially started, and then go back and tighten everything up in a second round. This will help ensure that all of the holes line up properly, and should result in you not needing to drill new holes with a power drill.
Before you start, it’s definitely worth watching a video on assembly. See here to get an idea of the challenge.
Maintenance and Cleaning
The Vegtrug Planter will need a waterproofing application approximately once a year; however, the Veg Trug does arrive treated, so no need to do it immediately after assembly.
Be sure to use a non-toxic waterproofing such as linseed oil or beeswax, as you don’t want any toxins to leach into the soil!
Before replanting in the planter, the VegTrug should ideally be thoroughly cleaned. This cleaning will help to ensure no possible pests or diseases are passed on from crop cycle to crop cycle.
Accessories
One of the really cool features that separates the Vegtrug from the competition is that it can be turned into a miniature greenhouse, using the greenhouse cover shown here! If you’re using your VegTrug outdoors, this can be quite helpful.
The 21-inch high metal support frame has push-fit connectors that tie into the polythene cover, though the steel is a bit on the flimsy side.
The cover is fitted with zippers for easy access and ventilation, and it sits comfortably on the frame with Velcro tabs to hold it in place.
It does come at an extra cost to the planter, but helps the raised bed become more efficient.
A cover will keep out those pests, and is ideal for winter conditions to protect from cold, wind and heavy rainfall.
There is also a micro-mesh cover available if you only want to protect from pests; however, this cover does not come with a frame.
The Bottom Line: Veg Trug Raised Planter
The VegTrug raised bed planter is a high quality system if buyers are willing to deal with a wooden planter, and all of the issues that can come along with wooden construction. Those who love wood (or perhaps they just had good luck) sing the praises of the VegTrug, while others dislike having to deal with the maintenance, repairs, upkeep, and the like.
Overall the Veg Trug Raised Planter is an attractive looking piece of gardening furniture. There is no denying that it will look good in your greenhouse or yard. Its charm will be further enhanced with a colorful array of flowers inside the tub!
It is a practical and durable planter and once erected it can hold a good number of plants. The cost is reasonable, but you may need to do some added work to get it fully together. We hope that VegTrug can up their quality control to ensure that there are fewer issues with wood cracking.
In the end, if you want a low maintenance elevated raised garden bed, we would suggest the Keter Easy Grow planter; if you love the look and charm of real wood, are intrigued by the availability of a greenhouse canopy (sold separately), and are willing to deal with maintenance, then the VegTrug is a great option.
Happy Gardening!
This is the best information that has been published on this topic so far!
I have had the trig for 2 summers. I bought the best soil I could, but have zero success in growing anything to maturity. I’m careful about the watering, but whatever I plant grows a couple inches then stops. I’m ready to ditch the whole thing! Does anyone else have this issue?