At the greenhouse (Millennium Farms) where I purchase many of my heirloom
veggies, the owner has a barrel filled with strawberries, a bigger version
of the clay strawberry planter.

He used a 50-gallon barrel with the top cut out of it and several rows of
holes drilled in it in which to plant the strawberry plants. Then he put
a piece of PVC pipe down the middle of it after drilling holes in it to
distribute the water throughout the height of the barrel. He put
landscaping fabric against the sides to hold the plants in place with a
hole cut for the plants' roots. As he filled it, he put gravel directly
around the pipe to discourage dirt from plugging the holes.

It's a great idea, a good way to get a lot of yield from a small
footprint, an entire strawberry patch in a 5-foot circumference circle. I
cut the barrel for one today with two dozen 2-inch holes for plants (and
the top). I will make one with fewer holes for herbs, planning parsley or
basil on the top. I figure placing a cover over the basil as the weather
cools will prolong its growing season.

For the strawberries, once they are established (when I actually get
fruit!), it will be an easy matter to construct a "cover" to keep out
birds so we get the berries.

I'll keep you posted as to how this works, confident that it will work
very well. Any suggestions about what, other than strawberries and herbs,
might do well in this type of planter?

Glenna

(Glenna Rose) wrote in message news:fc.003d094101c49160003d094101c49160.1c4917c@ pmug.org...
At the greenhouse (Millennium Farms) where I purchase many of my heirloom
veggies, the owner has a barrel filled with strawberries, a bigger version
of the clay strawberry planter.

He used a 50-gallon barrel with the top cut out of it and several rows of
holes drilled in it in which to plant the strawberry plants. Then he put
a piece of PVC pipe down the middle of it after drilling holes in it to
distribute the water throughout the height of the barrel. He put
landscaping fabric against the sides to hold the plants in place with a
hole cut for the plants' roots. As he filled it, he put gravel directly
around the pipe to discourage dirt from plugging the holes.

It's a great idea, a good way to get a lot of yield from a small
footprint, an entire strawberry patch in a 5-foot circumference circle. I
cut the barrel for one today with two dozen 2-inch holes for plants (and
the top). I will make one with fewer holes for herbs, planning parsley or
basil on the top. I figure placing a cover over the basil as the weather
cools will prolong its growing season.

For the strawberries, once they are established (when I actually get
fruit!), it will be an easy matter to construct a "cover" to keep out
birds so we get the berries.

I'll keep you posted as to how this works, confident that it will work
very well. Any suggestions about what, other than strawberries and herbs,
might do well in this type of planter?

Glenna

My father offered up something of a similar nature for potatoes:

Buy a cheap, tall plastic garbage can, a bale of clean straw, and some
sand and plant soil. Make several drain holes in the bottom. Put a 2"
deep layer of sand on the bottom, then cover that with about 3 inches of
good, rich soil. Then plant the eyes of about 3 seed potatoes in that
soil. Make sure it gets plenty of direct sunlight during the day and
water it often, but do not overwater. Just make it good and damp. When
the Potato sprouts are about 2-3 inches tall, cover them over with a
couple of inches of straw. Continue to water just like before. In a few
days, the sprouts will poke thru. Let them grow until, again, they are
about 3 inches above the straw, then cover again with a couple of inches
of straw. Continue this process until the level of straw is about 3-4
inches from the top. At that point, let the plants grow through the straw
and continue to develop into full grown plants. Water them and let them
grow until they run their course and begin to die in the late season. At
that point, carefully turn over the garbage can and dump out the straw.
All the way through the straw you will have potatoes and if things have
been done right, they will be good sized and absolutely clean with no
dirt to wash off.


Cinnamon L - Cincinnati OH

Don't forget to rotate your barrel so it gets sun on all sides.

writes:
Don't forget to rotate your barrel so it gets sun on all sides.

:-) Yes, thank you. I did think of that and will be putting wheels under
it. In fact, last evening, I seeked the advice of a neighbor as to how I
should do it. I was thinking of attaching the wheels to the barrel (with
a sheet of plywood under the barrel). He suggested keeping the casters
separate so they could be used with other barrels which is probably what I
will do.

Glenna