Redwood, cedar and cypress woods provide the most durable tubs, lasting 10 years of more, but are also the most expensive. White pine, osage orange. Certain wood-preserving chemicals, such as creasote or pentachlorophenol, are toxic to plants. Purchase untreaed woods, then apply copper naphthenate with a brush to to protect against rot. Wood fiber tubs are produced from mill waste products but will decay in a season or two.
Larger tubs are sometimes wax-coated, which can extend their life to three or four seasons.
Plans for wooden tubs can be found in many home carpentry books. The tub should be fastened with removable bolts so that ore or more sides can be removed for Next Page Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If Plants Could Talk'' 2000 William T. Hlubik , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.