Oak Tub Planter Storage
It is recommended that planters should be planted as soon as possible. By doing this the soil in the planter will prevent the planter from becoming too dry, which can result in shrinkage. For further information on shrinkage refer to the Explanation of Shrinkage at the bottom of this page.
If the tub is not to be planted for some time then it should be stored in a cool damp place, ideally out of doors. If shrinkage does occur during storage and the tub begins to slacken then the insides of the tub should be sprayed with water. Once the water is absorbed the tub will begin to tighten again.

Oak Tub Planter Planting
It is recommended that the base of the tub should be drilled to provide several holes for drainage. Placing a layer of small stones or broken brick in the bottom of the tub will assist with drainage. The tub may then be filled with a medium of your choice. A mixture of soil and compost generally works well.
For more specific information on planting please refer to the 'Planting Containers' section of our links page.

 

    

Oak Tub Planter Maintenance

Natural Finish
These tubs do not require any special maintenance. Since they are made from oak they are very durable even without any protective coating.

Dark Finish
As with the natural tubs it is not absolutely necessary to do any maintenance. However if left, the dark finish will eventually fade and the tub will revert to a natural finish. It may then be desirable to apply a coat of paint to the hoops and re-coat the tub with a suitable external dark wood stain.

Light Oak Finish
These have a varnished finish, which will be affected by the sun and the weather in general over a period of time. Discolouration of the wood will become apparent as the varnish coating begins to fail. It is important to re-coat the tub with a suitable external varnish before the discolouration becomes too bad. This will prevent penetration by the weather causing further discolouration. If discolouration is allowed to happen then simply re-varnishing the tub will not restore it to its original condition. It would then be necessary to sand the surface to remove all discoloured wood before re-varnishing. If the tub is not maintained then it will eventually revert to a natural finish.