Oak Barrel

Raised Bed

Garden

Five Things You Need To Consider When Choosing

A Oak Half Barrel As A Garden Planter.

1. Made, By Hand, Of Oak Wood.

Oak Barrels are made of select European or American Oak.

Each barrel is milled and assemble by a skilled Cooper.

Oak has been the wood of choice for hundreds of years.

It is chosen for it flavoring of wines and spirits, durability and

ability to exchange oxygen for moisture during its working life.

2. How To Pick Your Half Barrel

Try to locate and purchase oak half barrels as early in the season as possible. They have been drying out since their "retirement" and slowly become less tight along their journey to their repurposing as a plant container. Look for recent delivers to your favorite garden center or nursery. If you can, make your selection on or near the day they are uncrated. The inside will be smooth and scented; or, have a smokey char. Both are suitable as plant containers. Gab hold of a stave and give it a strong wiggle. If their is the slightest jiggle . . . PASS !

3. Prepping Your Half Barrel

Because you don't know how long the barrel has been dehydrating, it is good practice to immediately fill it half way with water. If it leaks a little, put a just dribbling water hose in it over night. Let it swell for a few days, it you can. Next, be sure to drill five 1/2 holes in the bottom. Then set the barrel on blocks. I like three 4 inch wall blocks to give my barrel extra ventilation and prevent direct contact with the surrounding soil.

4. Set Up And Planting

Take advantage of woods propensity to breath. Set each barrel on blocks. I like use three evenly space 4 inch thick wall blocks to give my barrel extra ventilation. And, to protect your investment, the blocks will prevent direct contact with the surrounding soil. This barrier will greatly extend the life of your barrel, giving you years of service and a stalwart part of your garden. Next, fill your barrel with a bagged "soil". I like either two bags of Kellogg's Patio Plus, or one bail of their Raised Bed Soil mixture per barrel.

5. Plant Barrels All Year

Consider getting the most out of your half barrel garden beds. Once you have harvested your summer/fall crop of tomatoes and peppers, you can quickly transform a barrel into a medley of leaf lettuce varieties, all in the same barrel. Turn another one into a combination of kale and broccolini. Taller kale in the back, broccolini in the front half facing the sun. If you have yet another barrel, set up one of your tomato towers laced back and forth with string over a new bed of maybe 12 snow peas seeds - two to a hole.

Editor's Note

Oak Half Barrels can be the ideal solution for Renters

of homes, apartments, or condos. They are, with the right tools, quite portable. When you move you can take them still filled with your faithful lemon tree. Or, remove the soil, soak em a day or two, and stack them ready to bring new planting adventures to your next residence.