Photo courtesy iStockphoto/Thinkstock
If your farm produces wine, or if you want to help a local whiskey maker unload unusable barrels, repurpose used wine or whisky barrels into transportable garden containers. Garden containers crafted from used barrels can add a whimsical accent to landscaping around your home or serve as way to edibles in spaces where you cannot otherwise dig. (If you don’t personally know a wine or whiskey maker, search for barrel retailers online, or get creative and repurpose another large container instead.)
This project is as simple as it looks. Mark the barrel where you want the cut to be made, making sure to draw a path that avoids cutting through any metal on the barrel. With the help of another adult, cut a barrel in half using a small handsaw or jigsaw. Drill holes in the bottom to promote soil drainage, then sand down the barrel where any cuts were made. To save on soil and to help soil drain properly, line the bottom of the barrel with gravel, making sure to provide enough soil depth on top to accommodate the plants you wish to grow. Finally, add potting soil and plants.
It can be fun to include children on this project, too. To brighten up plain barrels, encourage your kids to help decorate the outside of the barrel use bright, weather-grade paints. Allow children to express their inner artist by letting them paint free-form, or print off and cut out farm- and garden-themed stencils to use.
