Allotments 4 All

Yesterday in Littleover allotments open day I saw on one of the allotments had one of those blue water barrels turned into strawberry planter..loads of plants sticking out of holes that was cut into barrel sides.
That started to 'tickle' my fancy as I've got one of those spare due it has leak at the bottom.
Now my poor brain has been digesting this idea and I've been racking my brains with best way to do it.
So, if anybody does think there is flaw in my method..opinions please...
1 barrel..couple of drainage holes into bottom and plenty of planting holes on side...planting mixture: loam based compost with some MP compost added and perlite & vermiculite (plenty)for drainage and lighten up the mixture so that the plant roots growing at the lower level don't suffer with the weight of the compost..and some BFB and perharp seaweed meal as well.
I'm also thinking of inserting 3 or 4 'thin' guttering pipes with holes drilled in to ensure more even watering when watered through these..and again giving 'breathing' space/reduce compaction for the roots.
I was thinking of putting the barrel on few breeze blocks to lift it off from the ground..run barrier glue around the bottom rim to stop vine weevils crawling in..and maybe put few ordinary bricks/rubble inside too..there should be ample amount of growing space so some rubble would help with wasting compost and help with drainage... :-\
So does it sound ok?..now I just have to think of cutting through the thick 'skin',,saw was ok when I cut the tops of..but how do I do 3" circles?

For the holes you can use a set of rotary cutters that attach to your drill, an example of these are shown below. I would also fill the watering tube with gravel etc to help water the top part of the barrel


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I must say I do like this idea. 


I have been loosing strawbs to voles.  I am not sure they can climb up sheer plastic walls. 

If you cant get a drill attachment for the holes get a piece of 3" pipe and heat it up on the gas burner and then burn the holes in.. remember to have a wet cloth to hole the cold end of the pipe as the heat will travel up it.. 

Ohh..I like the idea of playing with fire..I'm good at it.. ;D Burning job sounds like my kind of thing.
I've got rotary pieces but I doubt they would tackle this plastic...it is rather thick and nothing like the usual waterbut stuff.
Yes..filling the tubes with gravel..I like that..it would stop soil coming through the holes too..
I knew this barrel idea needed bit tweekin up..and you haven't let me down.. ;)
And how easy it is going to be for just putting piece of netting over the barrel with something to hold it up..instead of stretching it over large area to keep birds away...
Now my brain is really in gear..I've got some spare barrels anyway..I could make barrel for each variety..and the bed that I have saved for my strawberry plants could be used for something else next year... ;D ;D
And there is less weeding if I got these barrels stuck on piece of ground that would not be much use anyway.. ;D
Win, win situation..
AND...if I don't have enough plants for now..I could start planting from the bottom..and as they make runners I can pin them into holes above and slowly build up the barrell..hmm..I have to think this more..poor brain...

Actually netting draped over not that easy I have a ceramic one and it is quite difficult to get at the fruit underneath because the leaves grow through the netting down the sides. 

Do be careful not to breathe in plastic fumes?  I can't remember why my OH worked in plastics and was paranoid about it.

Fumes just make you giddy and probably fall down   ;D ;D just kidding... yes do it outside with wind blowing the fumes away... like today would be a good windy day to do it!!

Like the idea of pinning the runners into the holes above - great idea  :D

You could draw circles on side of barrel and just go round the circle with an ordinary drill then use a small hacksaw blade to join the holes up.

Lottie Lou..I could do that if the plastic would be thinner..but these industial barrels are about  1/2 inch thick..too much for the hacksaw or my patience/muscles..
I've been using my gray matter..and I might drill starter hole and then poke with 'red iron' to make the hole bigger..and yes..doing it outside..don't want to start sniffing in my age.. ;D ;D
like today would be a good windy day to do it!! hah...as soon as I would take the iron from the fire it would be blown cold.. ::)..it might be tad too breezy over here..would not like to be long out in this weater..huh..
Actually netting draped over not that easy hmm..I was thinking putting a hoop over to elevate the net and just let it drape down like a big tent. I've got big pieces of enviromesh that would easily cover the lot and have plenty left on ground to tuck underneath the barrel. Net size being so small plants don't get tangled..and it only needs to be over just as strawberries are starting to ripen..otherwise they won't need covering.
I wonder if this hole thing is job for the hot poker..or if blow torch would do it..anybody has any experience of this?

YES!this is very exciting ,Ive a strawberry bed needing dug up ,I want to keep the strawberry's ,love this idea,but one problem were do I get the blue barrels from ? what are they used for?

Give it the poker!the blow torch may put it in to flames!and melted blue plastic it could land on you ,play it safe with the Poker.

Quote from: lottie lou on September 12, 2011, 18:25:46
You could draw circles on side of barrel and just go round the circle with an ordinary drill then use a small hacksaw blade to join the holes up.

Thats hard work to do 37 or so holes !!!

My barrels come from Bus depot..they had antifreeze and windscreen cleaning stuff in them.
I think it is worth of asking from local industrial units were they may have some trucks, vans and other large vehicles...those kind of places would buy their chemicals in bulk.
Farmers..some fertilizers come in them..I don't know if there is colour coding going on with the barrels with different things in them. I sometimes get odd one from work..they have liquid fertilizers in and although the barrels are otherwise same..they are different colour.
I've got some black, blue and green..but what been inside in all of them.. ???
When I get them, I always wash them with strong soapy solution and hot water following several rinses...just be sure.
You just have to start nudging some lorry drivers sleeves..and ask if they know where to get some.. ;)..barrels.. :-X ;D

you could use an old fishing brolly or garden brolly striped of its fabric and wedged in the top of barrel with netting draped over to keep it away from strawberry  leaves  i used one with netting over for my goose berry bush

Like your idea brown thumb will try tha next year. Taa.

Hello Goodlife.

Did you try this and did it work? It seems like a good winter project to me.

Regards

Bluecar

Well..I did lot of thinking and planning..but then I ended up cutting my spare barrels to half and using them as conventional planters for strawberries, mainly because I was being lazy and I wanted to get the plants in quicker rather than 'wasting' time for crafting.
I planted 5 plants per half a barrel and they've certainly grown well. BUT..now I've noticed that vine weevils have chomped through plant roots on one of the barrels..
On a good note..if it would have been full barrel with loads of plants in one I suspect I would have bigger losses.

Last spring I did go to garden show where I did see some planter systems which had watering tubes in the middle of the containers...bit like I was originally planning, so suppose plan wasn't that far fetched after all..

Hello Goodlife.

Apologies - hadn't picked up that you had replied.

Well, it seems to me that you had a good idea. If I can source a barrel I might give it a go.

Regards

Bluecar