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Last update on April 25 , 2025

Wine barrel plantation owner are a wonderful option for container garden , to grow edibles and cosmetic plants likewise ! They ’re like the consummate mini put forward garden seam : more stocky , low-cost , and ready - to - use than a traditional raised layer , but provide greater growing space and better moisture retention than your average pot . Not to mention the attractive countryfied charm they add to any garden !

Wine barrels set on gravel hardscape, a few with flowers growing in them.

Read along to watch all about gardening in wine barrels , including point about drainage , plant spatial arrangement , irrigation , the near plants to grow in them , and how to train them for planting .

About wine barrel planters

vino barrels are used in the wine making industry ( no kidding , huh ? ) . They ’re verydurable , unremarkably made of thickoak woodplanks with metal rings around them for stability . Most kinfolk use half vino barrelful for gardening ( aka , ones that have been switch off in one-half ) . Full - size wine barrelful are n’t used as often since they ’re exceptionally grandiloquent and require a lot of ground to fill them ! You may also be able to get quarter or three - quarter vino barrels in some place too .

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DeannaCat and her Mom standing next to a wine barrel with a newly planted lemon guava inside it. There are a few ornaments that have been hung on the tree for fun. Gardening in wine barrels can be done with small trees, flowers, and veggies.

Benefits of Gardening in Wine Barrels

Where to buy wine barrels for gardening

If you live in wine country like we do , you ’re in luck ! vino barrels are generally pretty easy to find atlocal nurseries , Tractor Supply , and on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace . bighearted loge garden nitty-gritty often carry them too , especially to kick off the fountain garden season .

Here are some wine barrelsfromHome Depot . They do n’t ship to rest home , but might be able to transfer to your local store . you may also unremarkably find faux wine barrelslike these fashionable onesmade from fir tree ( though they likely wo n’t last as long as the real ones ) .

If you ca n’t find wine-colored barrel , keep an eye out forwhiskey barrelstoo!Whiskey barrelsare also typically made from oak , very durable , and nifty at retaining soil and moisture . They ’re just a tad smaller than wine cask ; full sizing whiskey barrels hold 53 gallon of liquidity rather than 59 gallons like wine-colored barrels . When in dubiousness , call around and see what you’re able to discover – let in wineries or still in your area !

Gardening in wine barrels with a feijoa or pineapple guava in one of the planters. Beyond lies two more wine barrels that are full of soil but devoid of plants. Four chickens are huddled around the planters, inspecting them with interest.

How many plants can I fit in a wine barrel?

You ’d be surprised at how many plants you’re able to fit in a wine-colored cask plantation owner ! The open area is just over 4 straight metrical foot , much enceinte than your average pot .   However , it ’s still authoritative tomaintain right spacingbetween plant – just like you would in any other garden bed . Crowded works wo n’t thrive as they compete for root space , nutrients , water , Sunday and airflow .

you could originate the take after plants in stock half wine barrel plantation owner :

Do n’t forget aboutcompanion plants!Even if your barrel only fits one or two gravid plant , you’re able to tuck a few low ones around it . For illustration , one tomato plant in the core with a couplebasilor marigolds around the edges .

Gardening in wine barrels with two blueberry bushes growing in the planters. They are in the center of two separate planting spaces that are lined with cobblestone. Various flowering perennial plants are growing around the planters.

How to add drainage holes to wine barrels planters

Before filling your wine bbl with soil , use a drill andlarge drill bitto add at least6 large drainage holesspread evenly across the bottom of the barrel . We ’ve impart ¾ ” holes in the past , which is a keen size but run out the drill battery tight . ( The bottoms are really duncish ! ) In the most recent wine-coloured barrel plantation owner we set up , we added about 9half - inch holesinstead .   I would n’t recommend anything smaller than half - in .

This is acrucial footprint ; one you’re able to not cut ! Think about it : wine-colored barrels and whiskey barrels are made to hold liquidness without leak . Sure , they may drain a piddling between the seam as they age , but overall they ’re first-class at retaining moisture . If you do n’t add plenty of drain holes , the grime will get too doughy and plant can easy submerge and moulder .

We also usually add a layer of durable water - permeablelandscape fabricto the bottom of the barrel to prevent the drainage hollow from getting clog with soil . That is a with child way to ensure trespassing root like mint runners do n’t escape from the bottom of the barrel too !

A large pink/purple zinnia plant with large flowers is in the foreground, beyond there is a terracotta planter with sage and thyme growing in it. Just beyond lies a wine barrel with turmeric growing in it, its long, tropical, banana type leaves reaching towards the sun.

Elevate before planting

Avoid coiffe your wine bbl planters directly on soil . Instead , elevate them slightly on bricks or pavers toreduce woods - to - earth contact on the bottom . This will foreclose the bottom from rotting – and extend the life of your wine barrel !

You do n’t require to elevate barrels if they ’re on concrete or crushed rock , but can do so if you wish . Even though most of our barrels are in crushed rock , we still often tuck several brick under the border to facilitate them sit level .

monitor : Wine barrel planter are very heavy once they ’re full of soil , so be sure to do this prior to satiate them up !

A tall full wine barrel has a bush of mint growing out of the top of it. There is a hole along the middle of the barrel where the runners of the mint have emerged, creating a smaller bush of mint growing out the middle of the planter. Gardening in wine barrels is great for plants that can spread quickly with runners.

Filling Wine Barrels with Soil

Fill wine barrel plantation owner withpotting soilor other soil that is specifically made for containers or raise garden beds . It should be fluffy and well - draining ( normally contain perlite or pumice ) and moderately copious in organic matter . We typically habituate quality bulge pot soil mixed with some well - agedcompost , but the compost makes up no more than 30 % of the total bulk .

Last but not least , do n’t block to top off your barrel with a good level ofmulch!Mulchwill insulate the soil , protect works roots from temperature lilt , and aid in moisture memory .

How much soil do I need to fill a wine barrel planter?

Most wine barrels holdabout 4 to 5 cubic feetof soil . Once cut in half , the mean wine-coloured barrelful is about 27 inches in diam and can range from 16 to 18 inches improbable . A prompt run of the number ( V = πr2h , anyone ? ) appropriate us to determine the intensity it holds . For reference , pot soil usually come in 2 or 3 cubic - human foot grip . So , plan on using2 to 3 bagsof potting filth per drum .

Fertilizing plants in wine barrels

Like any other potted works , wine barrels will haveslightly higher fertiliser needsthan in - ground gardens or larger lift beds . That is because there is more runoff and less overall soil volume to store food .

Plan to amend your wine barrel planter at leastannually , maybe more depending on the plant ’s indigence . For instance , one round of fertiliser in the springiness before planting shortly - lived annual vegetable crop would be sufficient . However , trees or other perennials growing in vino barrels may do good from fertilizer 2 or 3 time per class .

We amend the soil in our wine gun barrel planters with the same type of mild slow - release organic fertilizers we habituate in ourraised garden bed , includingkelp meal , neem ejaculate meal , alfalfa mealandbasalt rock dust . Or , essay this all - in - one organicall purpose plant food . Here is another great option specifically forfruit Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .

You can grow various plants when gardening in wine barrels. Various sized wine barrels are showcased at a nursery amongst various flowering plants that are inside and around the different barrels.

We also like to water supply withhomemade aerated compost teaa few times per yr , which provide gentle nutrients along with important good microbes!Mycorrhizaeis another fantabulous lifelike addition to support root growth and fruit production , and increase overall plant life health and resilience .

How to water wine barrel planters

vino barrel are designed to hold in liquid state , so even after adding drainage holes , the stain in wine-coloured gun barrel planter tend to detain damp longer than other pots ( on equality with a small raised bed ) . Irrigation agenda will vary depending on your climate and what you ’re growing . Most plants prefer consistently dampish soil , but not sopping wet . When in uncertainty , use abatic wet meterto valuate before adding more water .

There are a number of way to irrigate wine-colored barrels . We like to water ours barrels are all get in touch toautomated drip mold irrigation , which is incredibly commodious ! Here is a tutorial onhow to set up drip irrigation for containers and pots . Then of course of study there is good old - fashionedhand wateringwith agarden hoseor watering can .

Clay ollascan greatly reduce the amount and frequency you need to reach water supply ! Before setting up drip irrigation to our newest wine barrel , we ’d often practice a mediumGrowOyainside the cask and plant around it . Simply forget it in the filth , fill with water on social function , and the water slowly seeps through the porous terracotta into the surrounding soil – helping the soil delay dampish much longer!Discount code “ deannacat ” will save you 10 % atGrowOya .

A young lemon and a lime tree are planted in wooden planters, they are set against the backdrop of a blue house.

And that concludes this guide on gardening in wine barrel planters.

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A young fig tree is in the forefront in a wooden planter. There is another planter beyond that with young winter squash seedlings growing in it.

Two wine barrels for gardening as featured on top of a paver landing. One planter has turmeric growing in it, its tall green tropical leaves filling out the canopy. The other planter has a smaller cannabis plant in it, its bushiness fills out the space and beyond. A chicken is in the forefront, looking towards the camera.

The bottom of a wine barrel for gardening is shown after it has 9 1/2 inch holes drilled into the bottom. The sawdust from the holes is still visible on the bottom of the red wine stained barrel.

The inside of a wooden planting container is shown. A round piece of landscape fabric has been placed on the bottom to prevent soil from clogging the drainage holes.

A wine barrel is upside down, it has 9 equally spaced 1/2 inch holes drilled into the bottom. There are four heavy duty casters attached to the bottom as well to allow for it to be easily moved.

Lush strawberry plants spill over the edge of their wooden planter. There are a few ripe and green strawberries hanging down below the leaves. The sun shines in from behind, partially shaded by plant material.

Aaron is using a shovel to prepare a new wine barrel with fresh soil. A lemon guava shrub sits in front of the barrel, waiting for its new home to be planted in.

A wine barrel full of soil is being amended with slow release fertilizer which will be scratched into the surface of the soil.

DeannaCat is holding a clay vessel that is round and bulbous on the bottom with a short neck on the top. It can be buried in the soil and filled with water to slowly release into the soil.

Gardening in wine barrels with young eggplant seedlings . Beyond lies many wooden raised garden beds set atop gravel. A few of them have various green plants growing in them while some are left fallow for the time being.

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