Whiskey Barrel Perennial Gardens

Preparing Your Whiskey Barrel for Perennials

Whiskey barrels are excellent containers for perennials. They are between 18 and 24 inches tall, deep enough to provide root protection for cold winter months and adequate moisture during the summer months. Let's look at preparing a "new" whiskey barrel for planting.

The first problem faced is lack of sufficient drainage. Drilling several quarter- to half-inch holes around the bottom will alleviate this problem. If you opt for the smaller measurement, drill more holes. If you make them too big, soil will leak out. The holes can either be in the bottom of the barrel or about one inch above the bottom edge on the sides. Using a power drill will make this step easy.

Next, decide where the garden will sit during the growing season. If you are in a cold climate, you must also plan to protect it during the winter. Moving a whiskey barrel full of soil can be a difficult task for even the able-bodied gardener! Mounting wheels on the barrel itself or making a flat, wheeled cart will solve the problem. To prevent the barrel from rolling about while you work, use bricks on either side of the wheels to hold them steady - anchoring two wheels this way should be sufficient.

The final decision about location will determine the type of plants you can grow. The amount of sunlight your garden will receive determines the plants you can grow. The plants you grow determines the type soil you need for your garden. The combination of plants and soil will determine what arrangements you need for watering the garden.

Let's look at two examples this week: a shady garden with moisture loving plants and a sunny garden with drought-tolerant plants. Shady gardens with moisture loving plants will require a soil that is rich in humus so it holds moisture yet drains freely. A combination of topsoil mixed with vermiculite or perlite to improve the drainage and some peat to improve water retention should satisfy these plants. It should be located fairly close to the house where the water faucet is or at least within hose distance. If this barrel is to be in the full sun, selecting drought-tolerant plants is your better option. You will still need to provide a freely draining soil but do not need to be as concerned with the amount of humus in the soil mixture. Don't be afraid to ask for help in moving the quantities of soil necessary for this garden. Once it is in place, you shouldn't have to refill it for years.

Your final concern with using a whisky barrel for a perennial garden is how you will protect it from winter weather. You have several options. Some may choose to use rose cones stuffed with leaves. You'll have to weight the edges down to protect your plants. Another option is to wrap the whole barrel with chicken wire and stuff it with leaves. If this is too hard to handle, perhaps you could pile leaves over the barrel and cover it with either plastic or an old blanket to keep the leaves from blowing away. A final option would be to wheel it into an unheated garage for the winter.

Suggested Perennials for Whiskey Barrels

Daylilies: These are perennial plants with lily-like flowers in colors ranging from cream, yellow, orange, gold, maroon, pink, wine and near black to purple and all shades in between. Foliage is sword-like and is described as being deciduous or evergreen. The deciduous types lose their foliage in the winter while the evergreen type retains it providing it is not killed by cold temperatures. Many new hybrids possess characteristics of both types causing their performance to vary in different parts of the country. The primary way of distinguishing between species, varieties and/or cultivars is the height of flower scape, color and shape. The many dwarf, reblooming daylilies may be most appropriate for a whiskey barrel or other container.

Daylilies need a fertile, well-drained soil and full sun (preferably six to eight hours per day). Fertilization with a 5-10-10 fertilizer in early spring along with year-round mulching is also recommended. These plants are described as being easy to cultivate, versatile, tolerant and hardy. Little weeding is needed after the plants are established since their leaf mounds shade the soil, thus limiting weed growth. Daylilies do well in partial shade. These plants should be spaced two to three feet apart, and can be grown in any soil that isn't too dry. Daylilies are almost indestructible and can be transplanted any time but fall or spring is the preferred.

Hostas: These plants need minimal care. They will need some crown protection during the winter. Hostas have leaves that range in color from solid green, blue green, or gold to leaves streaked with white or cream splotches, or with multiple shades of green. Their white to purple flowers are born on scapes which can reach 2 feet or more in height. Flowering time may begin as early as June and end as late as October in the North.

Prepare the garden bed or raised bed with plenty of organic matter mixed in the soil. When planting hostas grown in nursery containers, plant them at the same level in the ground as they were in the container. If planting bareroot plants, dig a hole big enough to allow the roots to spread out naturally. Feed your hostas with a fertilizer container a high level of N (nitrogen) for good stem and leaf development.

The main problem in growing hostas is slug control. I've had good luck with spreading diatomaceous earth or chicken grit over the soil surface. You may also use crushed egg shells or even volcanic rock to discourage the slugs.

Select the smaller hostas for your whiskey barrel. Alternatively, you may want to feature just a single large plant. You'll find listings of hostas, along with width and height sizes, in most mail order catalogs.