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Do oak barrels need drainage holes?

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  • #1

    Do oak barrels need drainage holes?

    When we moved, the previous folks left 3 oak barrels. Until today (d'uh!!) I couldnt decide what to do with them! What a divvy eh?

    Anyway, those of you far wiser than me would have ALREADY known that we should have cut them in half and used them for growing veg of course!!

    So now I have 4 barrels and their use this year will be to grow courgettes/pumpkin or butternut squash.....and, at last, here is my question:

    Will the barrels drain sufficiently (if at all!) or do we need to drill holes in the sides/bottom? And roughly how many?

    And one other question, do I need to fill right up with compost - not sure how deep rooted these veg are.

    Thanks folks

    Laura
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  • #2
    You will need to put in some drainage holes as the barrels used to hold liquid!!
    You could use one as a water feature without the holes if you wanted.If they are old whisky barrels,I'd just sit and sniff them myself and buy the veggies from the farm shop.Go to your local library and get a/some books on container growing and they will give you some ideas.Remeber you will need to replace the compost/soil so maybe don't overfill them.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Scottishnewbie View Post
      Will the barrels drain sufficiently (if at all!) or do we need to drill holes in the sides/bottom?
      How would they drain unless you had holes?
      All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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      • #4
        Aye well I kind of thought that myself but then given thaqt I was daft enough to not even consider using them for growing, then it's hardly surprising that I didn;t know the answer to the drainage question! I'm not a newbie for nothing you know!

        thanks - will get Big John on the case tomorrow......poor bloke.

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        • #5
          It is possible that if the barrels have dried out they may not be completely water tight, however as soon as you filled with compost the wood would swell again and make them watertight again. So yes you will have to drill holes in them. If you fill them up with a mixture of Multi purpose and garden soil you shouldn't need to replace the mixture, just refresh now and again and replace nutrients.

          Ian

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          • #6
            Scottishnewbie, there's no such thing as a daft question. Whats daft is to not know the answer and not ask the question.
            As Gojiberry has said, they may not have been completely watertight if they had been dry for a while, but would become so as soon as you filled them up.
            Drill holes down the side and at the bottom, have a look at your average plant pot for an idea of how many holes.
            I would fill nearly to the top but leave a gap of a few inches to allow compost to be added from time to time.
            Last edited by bobleponge; 24-05-2009, 12:58 PM.
            Bob Leponge
            Life's disappointments are so much harder to take if you don't know any swear words.

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            • #7
              Defo put in drainage holes, we didn't with our half barrel which we planted a crab apple in, after a particularly heavy down pour last year it looked like a little tree in the middle of a lake! If wasn't a daft question atall, but yes drill holes in:-)
              When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author Unknown

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              • #8
                aw thanks folks. the grapevine is just brilliant for helping out with all it's great advice - many thanks to all!

                Holes are drilled and first courgette (or is it a pumpkin....no label!) has been planted....yum, yum

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