Trug Size Guide: How to Choose the Right Garden Trug
A simple guide to finding your perfect trug
Sussex trugs are appreciated by gardeners worldwide for their light weight, sturdiness and all round usefulness. Made in a variety of shapes and sizes, there is a trug to suit every garden, task and gardener.
This guide is for the South Down Contemporary Garden Trug, made by Thomas Smith’s Trug Shop, the original makers of the Royal Sussex Trug since 1829.
Types of Trug
Garden trug. Versatile and practical, its medium-depth basket means it can lend itself to many tasks in the garden. Harvest trug. Designed to carry crops, its deep basket is ideal for avoiding spills of produce. Flower trug. Deep and wide, its wide, shallow basket is perfect for supporting long-stemmed blooms.
Harvest trug. Designed to carry crops, its deep basket is ideal for avoiding spills of produce.
Flower trug. Deep and wide, its wide, shallow basket is perfect for supporting long-stemmed blooms.
NB: Sizes are approximate as each trug is made by hand from natural materials.
| Trug size | Trug dimensions | Ideal trug for |
|---|---|---|
| Size No. 3 | 14 x 8 inches / 35.5 x 20 cm | A courtyard or small garden. A little dead heading, a berry crop, carrying snips, gloves and twine. Small but perfectly formed, looks great displaying crops. |
| Size No. 4 | 16 x 9 inches / 40 x 23 cm | A small garden. Dead heading, a light crop of fruit and veg, hand tools and gloves. Good to keep by the door for light tasks. |
| Size No. 5 | 18 x 10 inches / 45 x 25 cm | A small to medium garden. Light cutting back, a couple of days’ harvest, tools and twine. A popular, easily manageable size. |
| Size No. 6 | 21 x 11 inches / 53 x 28 cm | A medium garden. Good crops, transplanting perennials or carrying all you need to do a job. This is the workhorse trug for allotments and everyday gardening. |
| Size No. 7 | 24 x 12 inches / 61 x 30.5 cm | A medium to large garden (or gardener!). A heavy crop or large bunch of cut flowers. A serious trug for serious harvests. |
| Size No. 8 | 26 x 13 inches / 66 x 33 cm | A large garden or productive allotment. Very large crops, long-stemmed flowers, long handled hand tools. Very heavy if filled with fruit and veg. |
FAQs
How long will my Sussex trug last?
Each trug is guaranteed by the maker for 5 years, but if looked after, can last for many years beyond that, gaining a patina over the years. It's not unheard of for trugs to last 50 years.
How do I look after my Sussex trug?
Trugs are made to be used, but to keep your trug in good condition, don't store it in the greenhouse, as the wood will become brittle, but do store it somewhere dry when not in use, and make sure that you don't store it with wet material inside.
Are Sussex trugs sustainable?
All the wood used by Thomas Smith's Trug Shop are from sustainable sources. The South Down Contemporary Truug is made from Finnish and Swedish Birch ply. In both these countries the law states that for every tree removed, two must be planted.
What makes Thomas Smith Sussex trugs different?
A Thomas Smith Sussex trug is the original and the continuation of a long trug-making tradition around Herstmonceux. Their workshop is the last where apprentices are trained to continue the tradition, ensuring the skills and methods continue into the future.
Aside from the skill and labour that goes into hand crafting each Sussex trug, details such as solid brass escutcheon pins, solid copper nails and maker's marks set them apart from mass produced trugs. An authentic Sussex trug isn't just useful and beautiful, its a living piece of artisan tradition.
