Still smells like whiskey when I drilled holes in the bottom Too funny. Must have had, well, maybe some whiskey in it, ya think? (OK, deliirious from the heat and the bargain.)
So, now, I have two immediate options for them -- blue delfiniums (gallon sized and really BIG plants) or golden butterfly bushes (again massive plants for a 1-gallon clearance sale). How much plant can I grow in one of these things? The BB will get taller than a human if they are like the white one in my front yard. The Delfinium is completely new to me.
Also, I was considering putting these on my deck, but I think they are going to be REALLY heavy when filled with wet soil, so perhaps not.
Any suggestions?
Oh, whiskey barrel. Oh, whiskey barrel...
I didn't know they still sold those whiskey barrels. They usually rot in a couple of years.
Delphiniums will probably have to be treated like annuals here in the South, but still a beautiful plant. Consider planting its cousin - larkspur which is easy to grow and will reseed readily (best time to plant it is in the fall a few weeks before frost). You are right on the butterfly bushes - they can get huge. Maybe by constraining their roots to a barrel will help keep them in bounds and lots of pruning. Consider filling in the edges with annuals that have similar needs - sun, water.
Filled with soil and plants can be heavy, then add water and you have some serious weight. If you want it on the deck, put some feet underneath for drainage (I'd hate to see you get termites from a constantly wet deck), then start filling with soil and plants. Plastic liner might help the barrel see some more years as well.
I have two whiskey barrels....I placed one on each side of the deck...here is a collage of how they were planted ...early spring and then summer....last year...shirley
Hello again, Shirley T. You have the prettiest collections of plants and planters...
I was given an old whiskey barrel half with drainage holes drilled. I propped it up on bricks for ventilation to prevent rot ( and to provide housing for the creepy crawlies) I planted it with butterfly ginger. It has been two summers now. The only problem that has surfaced is the amount of water it requires. Not only does the ginger need a good amount of water, the barrel wicks away moisture quickly in this climate. I love its' appearance and the price ~ free from a friend. And my ginger is blooming... yea!
I like my whisky barrell. I have two, one holds a pond with a turtle and a few fish. The other is planted with my mailbox, Freesia, and a sweet huneysuckle. Blue Bacholer buttons, make an apperance when they are in the mood.
I have also planted in an old peanutter clay pot.
I have an old chair that I took the seat out and put in a pot and it grows some lovely begonias in a yummy shade of salmon. I also have a small all wooden Coke cola wagon, probably belonged to a little girl to put her dollies in, the hub caps are coke bottle caps. It is so cute. It had some mini roses, but they weren' happy there so I think I will do panseys or something like that.
Dwerland, you have some neat ideas. Any chance of posting photos? Would love to see them. Do you have a liner in your barrel pond and do you find you need to keep adding water? I would love to see the mail box barrel... Sounds cute!
I have another Idea for a whiskey barrel ....I plan to get another one when I set up my back patio...I want to turn it upside down... place sand in the2 inch space ...bury shells in the sand and top with round glass top...then I will add a small palm as a container plant....the more whispy the better. Ithink one like this would be nice until it got to large.. what do you think.shirleyt
Love my whisky barrels! They are 5 or 6 yrs old and show no signs of rot. I have them sitting up on pieces of brick. I haven't had any issues with the ones at the corners of the deck. I grew elephant ears in them last year. Once it finally warmed up (in my Z5) they became HUGE..too huge...could hardly see the yard beyond them. Whisky barrels are big enough you can grow pretty big plants. Have fun with it!
Very nice.. Dragon wings? I have several barrels and huge containers with cannas and dragonwings.. I need help to move them if nessasary. Plant almost anything in them, you can always swicth them out if you dont like it.
Viv
Viv, yes Dragon Wings. It's my first year with them and I love them. They filled out so fast, have bloomed non-stop and they are so care-free! The cannas were a late addition. I had 5 plants growing in each of the barrels, 4 on the outsides and 1 in the center, and the center ones were getting crowded out. So I pulled them out and potted them up separately. I ran across some cannas 1/2 price at HD and thought they would provide some height. I do like the combination and I will be planting some up again next year. I also like your combination with the coleus and what is the plant trailing underneath? Do you have anything else growing with your Wings and cannas? Do you have any more pics?
Podster. thanks for your compliments....I think I may have goofed..I did not lift mine off the ground... I guess the bottom will rot out.. I expected it too and never even thought of lifting it for circulation. I am just going to leave them where they are until the sides go... How long do you think that will be. This is my second year and they look fine.. shirley
I really don't know how long a barrel will last. The one I got was used (don't know how old) and had no sign of rot. I was told better to prop it up for that reason.
Your idea with the sand/shells is a neat one. Reminds me of my mother. She had a birdbath which cracked from an early frost (up north). She moved it into her enclosed front porch and place sand and shells and a round glass table top. Makes a neat side table. Great ideas all.... pod
My whiskey barrels are up on bricks for drainage and some of them have rotted....not at the bottom, but the staves, around where the bands are. These came from Home Depot. I have others that came from one of our local nurseries (Myrtle Creek) that are not quite as old, but show no signs of rot. They are larger in diameter than than usual and the bands seem to be galvanized. So from now on, I'll be more careful about which ones I get. I use a lot of them and I'd like to know they're going to hold up longer.
Sherry
Hi.... the ones we get in our area usually are from red wine. Probably no difference in how long they will last! I've had some (raised up for ventilation as referenced before) that have lasted nearly 10 years. I love them! They hold everything for me from roses to dahlias to lavenders to annuals.... Every once in awhile someone from a winery comes up to our area and sells them for about 1/2 of what they cost at the nurseries! I currently have about 8 or 9 out on our deck and a couple out by the front door.
Sanna
Sanna ~ What is your preferred soil for these types of container plantings?
I purchase good potting soil, and that's it. Depending on where I am planning to put the barrel, I sometimes put packing peanuts at the bottom, to cut down on the weight of it all, and put the soil in on that. My deck is a bit "shaky" in spots, so I try to not weigh it down too much. Also, as mentioned above, make sure you get some holes drilled in the bottom. My neighbor didn't do that and wound up with a real wet mess last winter.
Sanna
Yuk, I can only imagine.
I bought 2 from Kmart, this is their 4th season. I drilled holes in both, then decided I wanted a "pond". Bought a plastic liner (cost more than the 2 half barrels), have an old well pump dribbling water into it. The 1/2 barrels will not leak or seep. They use them to store liquid for aging. Be sure to drill holes for a pot, and raise them off the surface. Mine had Jack Daniels stamped on them and you could smell the alcohol. Found this sign in southern Ks a couple years ago... couldn't resist
AuntB ~ I found that if you ever let the barrel dry out it needs more water to swell the wood and seal it again. Mine was old, old, old and given to me. It did leak, the staves were even loose till it got soaked and swelled. Now that it has plants in it, it shouldn't dry out. pod
Thanks, pod. Now that you mention it, someone did tell me that.....
I drill holes at the bottom of the side for drainage on mine. I also add extra screws to keep the bands from moving around, so they don't fall apart. A few years ago I found some extra large ones that are a foot or so more in diameter than the most of them. Those are really great, but I don't know where to get them any longer.