Barrel Veggie Garden

[Guilt Trip]

I have been planting my garden in container's "blue barrels cut in half" they are appox 24" deep and 24"-26" round at the top, my question ? is anybody else using these type containers, I have planted 37 barrels and am having a good time doing so ,the benifets,one hand full of weeds at most have been removed, they are high enough to reach over to care for with out the back bending "Aleve" thing and you know what I mean. my packet of lettuce made one barrel full of plants, so transplanted in to three more barrels and now I have four barrels full of lettuce,"man that romain goes crazy", planted four tomatoe plants in two barrels and tomatoes plants are full of green roma tomatoes, green beans are going crazy, cabbage I started late so I'll try to eat before the sun gets them, but over crowded my corn I guess 30 seeds were too much thined to about 15 but the corn has small ears, and my squash was too crowded also it made a lot of plant lots of flowers but they dropped off, A friend came over to look at the barrel garden and said thin it out! that squash will never do squat "Ill use the squat word", so thined and started getting squash, but looking to plant the other 33 barrels and asking for someone or others to speakup with ideas, to share and will do like wise, Later Guilt Trip

[Windy in Kansas]

Sounds like they are working for you for the most part and you are doing a little learning as you go. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Can I assume that you had to put drain holes in the bottoms of all the barrel halves? If not I would expect rain to eventually flood and root rot many things. Others could probably take the excess moisture.

You might benefit from reading Square Foot Gardening if you haven't already. That should give you some idea on just how much crowding you can do before yield suffers greatly.

I read some tests one time that I believe were done by Rodale as to the high side of plant populations. It was surprising to what extremes they can be raised with adequate water and fertilizer.

Best wishes for continued success.

[Guilt Trip]

I havent read Square Foot Garden, but I will , yes there are 4 1/2" holes in the bottom but due to the no rain thing we are going through I corked two of them and mulched, the soil was drying out each day with plants drooping and soil really dry when I got home. the corks helped big time but a good thought if the rains start as they soon will I'll uncork those babys, Later Guilt Trip

[EDDIE BUCK]

I have a few half barrels, eight I think, and six "The Boxes" I made from plastic containers. So far everything is looking good. I about broke the bank buying soil and peatmoss, but next year may have to get just a couple bags,lol. Amazing how easy it is to care for them when you'er not stooped over and the blood rushes to your head and then you'er dizzy, thinking you are seeing some tiny insects flying around when its just the dizzyness making you seeum when they are really not anything. Everyone should try a couple. So far I likeum and my back likes them as well. Maybe just a couple more next year. Eddie

[Ruby]

Just about anything you plant in the garden you can plant in the barrels. You can even plant small trees. I have some onions and carrots in one. I had some brussels sprout in a plastic tote but the lopers got them one weekend when I had to be out of town.

[Guilt Trip]

Eddy , I also spent about $20 on the first barrel, WOW!, I then looked at our local Nursey and they had a #47 Mix don't know how it got that name, but it has 60%peat,30%pinebark chips from horse stables and 10 % Sand,. well thats what they say, but this stuff really looks good, it takes about 3.6cf to fill a half barrel ,It cost me $24.00 yard, so filling up my buckets cost me about $ 3.50 to 4.00 each , that's better than Wally-Worlds potting soli @ 12-16 dollars a bag.