The use of a whiskey barrel as a planter has shown to be a reliable way to create a striking display in your yard. These wooden planters are the perfect size for large shrubs or small trees, or even a herb garden, and they're wonderful for outside the kitchen door. These barrels also survive for years, if not decades, before they need to be replaced PAPPY VAN WINKLE BOURBON
Using whiskey barrels for gardening can bring back the rustic romanticism of the past while also creating a stunning planter for your perennials, shrubs, trees, or herbs that will be the talk of the town. You'll have to choose between a full-size whiskey barrel and a half-size whiskey barrel. If you go with a half barrel, you'll have to determine whether you want to utilise it standing upright or on its side with flowers spilling out of it. Also, consider where you'll put your barrel and make sure it's the right spot, as the barrel will be too heavy to move around the garden once it's full. Consider the size of the plants you'll be using in the barrel as well. For a much larger plant, these pots have a lot of soil capacity.
You'll need a drill with a big bit to put drainage holes in the barrel once you get it home and decide what you're going to plant in it. Between the bottom two metal straps, drainage holes should be punched into the barrel's sidewalls. Drill a minimum of four holes around the base of the barrel for an upright planter or four holes on the side that will be laying on the ground for a planter that will appear to be spilling flowers. If you drill drainage holes in the bottom of the barrel, you will not have effective drainage, especially if it rains for a long time, because the weight of the barrel after dirt, fertiliser, and water will weigh it down, preventing it from draining at all.
Use a growing mixture of soil, such as peat moss, for the best outcomes because it has been sterilised and is bug-free. Furthermore, this type of soil will prevent weed seeds from germinating. A developing blend of soil is particularly absorbent, allowing your plant to develop a larger root system. Add an excellent 8 to 9 month soil fertiliser, rather than a 3 to 4 month fertiliser like Miracle-Gro, once the soil is in the barrel. Otherwise, if you plant your barrel in April, you'll run out of fertiliser in June. Make a mark in the centre of the dirt with a pot, such as a hanging pot you have, large enough for the plant root ball. If you're using an existing plant, carefully remove it from its pot with your hands and place it in the hole created by the other pot.
When your plants are in the barrel, hydrate them with roughly 5 gallons of water and 5 Tbsp of a decent plant fertiliser like Miracle Gro for a full-sized barrel. Use around 2 12 gallons of water and 2 12 Tbsp of fertiliser in a half-sized barrel.
Double more on the fertiliser if you want to double the amount of flowers. Use 2 tbsp instead of 1 tbsp per gallon of water if the recipe asks for 1 tbsp. Then take a step back and watch them develop!
To set off your planter, add any form of garden décor, such as garden gnomes or a garden stake. You should be able to get your plants to September if you follow these recommendations, and they will be stunning, making you the envy of all your neighbours!
The author, Robin D. Wagner, can provide extra advice on how to prepare your garden for spring. She has been gardening for almost 20 years and appreciates it for the relaxation it brings.