What to put in this whisky barrel...

[Clorgan]

Hello all!

Aquired this pretty cool (and great smelling) whisky barrel from the mother in law.

Looking for ideas of what to put in it please! Big tree? Some of my smaller ones to grow out? Haven't got measurements but it's probsbly 60cm ish? I've had a few beers (not whiskys) so that could be an inaccurate guess!

Open to suggestions (not whisky though - it doesn't agree with me )

 

[RobC]

I've been thinking of putting this grape in a wine barrel and let it ferment...I mean, grow.

 

[Jzack605]

Maybe a niwaki style JBP?

 

[Forsoothe!]

Better start with some holes! You've got the depth for a nice ground layer for something bigger and with a graft that you don't want. There are lots of JM and JWP with ugly grafts that would be spectacular after a couple growing seasons worth of their own roots...

 

[leatherback]

We have one of these under the outside tap, with waterplants in it.

 

[Clorgan]

I've been thinking of putting this grape in a wine barrel and let it ferment...I mean, grow.

Let it ferment!! Very nice

 

[Clorgan]

Better start with some holes! You've got the depth for a nice ground layer for something bigger and with a graft that you don't want. There are lots of JM and JWP with ugly grafts that would be spectacular after a couple growing seasons worth of their own roots...

Haha definitely needs a few holes! I was thinking a JM actually, just haven't been able to find anything large enough and reasonable priced yet!

Good point about the grafts

 

[Clorgan]

Maybe a niwaki style JBP?

Would look cool! No experience with pines though

 

[Clorgan]

We have one of these under the outside tap, with waterplants in it.

Oh that's an interesting thought! Got any photos? Don't worry if not, just curious. Just googled and seen some nice examples

Edit - our outside tap isn't in a great place for that thinking about it, right behind our back gate, and I'm not sure if it'd be too heavy for the cheapo new build slabs

 

[leatherback]

Got any photos?

Did not. Now I do.

Just googled and seen some nice examples

Ours is nothing special I am afraid..:

 

[Clorgan]

Did not. Now I do.


Ours is nothing special I am afraid..:
View attachment 316969

I do like that, but yeah our tap isn't in a good place for it.

Garden centre trip brought me to this JM (acer palmatum atropurpureum), think it will look great in it

So I'm thinking - can I half fill the barrel with rocks or similar, the rest with soil (was advised ericaceous) and slip pot this into it? (after drilling holes of course)

 

[sorce]

Fill the bottom of the barrel with closed empty plastic milk jugs.

Sorce

 

[Clorgan]

Fill the bottom of the barrel with closed empty plastic milk jugs.

Sorce

Great shout, much lighter!

 

[JoeR]

I've grown bananas in barrels like that for a few years and they do well, with drainage holes. There's alot of nice cultivars out there including blue icecream bananas, some with variegated or red foliage, etc

 

[penumbra]

Though they can be nauseatingly annoying, I have seen packing peanuts used in the bottoms of large pots. Just don't use the biodegradable ones made with corn starch because they melt when they get wet. I have not tried it but I am thinking you could separate the packing peanuts from the soil using screen.

 

[Clorgan]

I've grown bananas in barrels like that for a few years and they do well, with drainage holes. There's alot of nice cultivars out there including blue icecream bananas, some with variegated or red foliage, etc

Cool idea, would never have thought about bananas!

 

[Clorgan]

Though they can be nauseatingly annoying, I have seen packing peanuts used in the bottoms of large pots. Just don't use the biodegradable ones made with corn starch because they melt when they get wet. I have not tried it but I am thinking you could separate the packing peanuts from the soil using screen.

Yeah I'd seen about using Styrofoam, I hate the stuff though! The noise they make goes right through me

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

In a whisky barrel, I would consider a mixed bamboo planting, one plant of Phyllostachys nigra, black bamboo, and one plant of Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Llama Temple' or 'Aureocaulis'. Either one has bright yellow culms. As the 2 colonize the tub, you will have a mix of yellow and black canes. Could be striking. Both should be fully winter hardy in your area.

 

[Clorgan]

In a whisky barrel, I would consider a mixed bamboo planting, one plant of Phyllostachys nigra, black bamboo, and one plant of Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Llama Temple' or 'Aureocaulis'. Either one has bright yellow culms. As the 2 colonize the tub, you will have a mix of yellow and black canes. Could be striking. Both should be fully winter hardy in your area.

I actually got a JM for it already, it'll take a long time to fill it but I love it

Do love the bamboo idea though, would never have thought about bamboo. Could have looked really interesting...may keep those in mind for future!

 

[Clorgan]

Cat seems to be enjoying the barrel! Been in and out of it all evening

Holes drilled, popped the JM in it (just resting on a box in there for now) to see how it'd look... It's definitely got some growing to do but I think long term it'll look great