Styrofoam Trough

the finished Styrofoam trough planted with hardy succulents

In some cases, trough gardens and containers in themselves don’t have enough insulative value to prevent root death in some alpine plants.

Why not use a waste material that is designed for insulating, and make a Styrofoam trough for your delicate and precious collection?

The resulting planter looks just like a rustic hypertufa or stone sink, but weighs only a few grams. This makes it much easier to move, as some of the original troughs and sinks require a backhoe to relocate them.

Here’s how to make your Styrofoam trough

making a Styrofoam trough from a fish box

If you can find a large Styrofoam fish box or other shipping container such as the coolers that you get live nematodes or beneficial mites in, the only requirement is that they have 2.5 – 3 cm thick walls.

Beverage coolers or camping coolers aren’t thick enough, but you can sometimes find crates that stereo and computer components are shipped in, so ask at appliance and computer stores.

Caution: this project makes a mess, so find a place where it won’t matter if you get little white statically charged Styrofoam balls everywhere.

• Cut the rim off to make it all the same thickness. Use a razor blade or long knife to saw through it.

  Cutting off the excess flange from the Styrofoam fish box

• Rough up the edges and use the razor blade to take off any printing. The whole surface needs to be rough. Sand the whole surface with sandpaper.

• Cut some drainage holes – very important if you plan on growing succulent plants.

• Using a heat paint stripper very carefully, burn off all the nubs, and glaze the roughened surface.

• Paint with exterior porch and floor enamel or masonry paint. Dabbing with the ends of the bristles works better than stroking it on.

• Use the same brush and dab on randomly a selection of browns, greys and umber colours of acrylic craft paint.

best paints to use on the Styrofoam trough

Use a soil mix that contains a good percentage of pumice or other lightweight well draining material, and mulch with lava rock.

Keep in mind that your Styrofoam trough won’t be strong, and try and put it in its final display before filling it. If you think you may need to move it, put a piece of plywood underneath it so you can slide it, pushing on the bottom. Allow the paint to dry completely, and then plant your favorite alpine plants in your Styrofoam trough. Some that will look exceptional are my favorite hardy succulent plants such as Sedum, Sempervivum and Jovibarba.

Succulent Planter Gallery

How do you contain your succulents? Share it! Do you have a crafty way to display your collection of succulent plants, Sedum, Sempervivum or other gorgeous Drought Smart Plants? Add your favorite planter to the Gallery for inspiration and ideas.

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