Planting vegetables in barrels is as easy as planting them in the ground. Proper soil, fertilizer, sun and sufficient water are the main ingredients for barrel planting. Wood holds the least amount of water of all the planter materials, and therefore you must pay extra attention to watering. You can plant any size vegetables in wooden barrels. However, dwarfs bred from normal size vegetables work best for both size and volume. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Set up your barrels. Most barrels are made out of wood, though if you have a barrel-size terra-cotta or plastic container, the process will be the same. Plastic is the most effective material for plant containers, as it retains water much longer than wood and resists rot. The advantage of a wooden barrel is that it keeps the plant better insulated from the cold and is more aesthetically pleasing. Make sure you drill three to four drainage holes into the base of the barrel.
2. Mix the soil. You will want to use a good quality potting soil mixed with a fertilizer to compensate for the lack of nutrients that natural garden beds contain. Choose a "premium" potting soil, which has water-retention properties as well as a greater amount of fertilizer. Mix additional fertilizer into the soil; you can use either a commercial fertilizer (following the instructions on your particular product) or organic compost matter or manure. Use a 3:1 soil-to-fertilizer ratio when preparing your mix. Fill the barrels ¾ full.
3. Choose your vegetables. You can choose virtually any variety of vegetable, though try to avoid the extremely tall-growing types, like full-size corn. Golden baby midgets (corn) are a good alternative, as are cherry tomatoes in lieu of full-size tomatoes. Lettuce, cucumber, eggplants, beets, zucchini, peas, peppers and squash can all be grown inside a barrel. Most vegetables today have been bred to be miniature. These versions are excellent for barrel planting and can be found either as seeds or transplants.
4. Plant the vegetable seeds or transplants. Plant in early spring for a summer crop or middle summer for a fall harvest. Before planting, thoroughly water the soil. Plant the bulb or root of the vegetable transplant about one inch below the surface. For seed planting, plant between two cm and one inch below the surface. Refer to the "depth" instructions on the back of your particular seed packet.
5. Drench the plant following planting. You can fill the barrel up to the brim with a gentle stream of water and allow the water to be absorbed. Make sure you check the soil every day for moisture level; wooden barrels will require more frequent watering, either every day or every other, depending on the intensity of your climate. Keep the barrels in a location that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day. Most vegetables will continue to produce fruit throughout the season if you pick them as they appear.
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