What's In Your Barrel?

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Notes from a Garden Coach: What's in Your Barrel?

by Jeannie Hanson

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Half wine barrels make great containers for the small garden. They can be tucked into a corner or stand-alone on a balcony or deck. They have enough room to hold a variety of things. Start a fall garden…sowing lettuce, onions, carrots or peas…and you’ll be bringing your own homegrown vegetables to the Thanksgiving table. If your climate permits, start with a citrus or herb garden and by next summer you’ll be ready for anything!

The Mojito Garden - Basically, a lime tree and some mint (plus sugar syrup, rum and club soda.) Mint's interesting- good in tea, mint juleps, Moroccan mojito food. What kind of mint to use for mojitos? According to one website, you need to have Cuban mint, imported. Another says each kind of mint gives its own nuance to the mojito. I say, after you’ve experimented and made a few, you’ll be the expert and people will be quoting you! Bearss Lime, “The Bartenders Lime,” is best…seedless with a strong lime flavor. Virgin mojitos are also great! Keep a pitcher full in the fridge for hot summer days.

The Lemon Barrel Garden – Lemons are really useful, as you all know. Plant them up with some perennial herbs like thyme, oregano and rosemary, and you’ll have all you need for limoncello (a highly popular Italian drink served icy cold,) thyme lemon pound cake, Chicken Piccatta or a Meyers Lemon whiskey sour.

(Note…citrus can’t take frost, so if you’re in an area that dips low, you’ll have to have a place to over-winter your barrel…indoors, greenhouse, garage (with sufficient artificial or natural light.) Or, check with your local nursery for fruit trees that will work for you…perhaps you’ll have a Bellini Garden (peaches, Prosecco, simple syrup, perhaps some thyme?)

The Garlic/Onion Barrel – This one will work in all parts of the country. Planted in the early fall, garlic will take 6+ months to completely mature. You’ll be able to harvest it, braid it up and then re-use the barrel for next year’s summer crop. If you do any of the summer barrels below, you’ll need garlic and onions, so you’ll actually be ahead (like a pro!)

Some Ideas for Summer Garden Barrels

· vegetable - The Pasta Garden: tomatoes, basil, oregano, green beans, peppers, eggplant . Try Pasta with summer

vegetables and lemon basil, or oven-roasted tomatoes...killer on bruschetta

- The Salsa Garden: tomato, cilantro, chili (Serrano or Jalapeno), garlic, lime... Ole!

- The Pizza Garden: tomatoes, basil, eggplant, peppers, oregano (sound familiar?)

Tips for the Half Barrel

· You will need drainage holes. If you get your barrel at a nursery they will be able to drill these for you. Or, get out the drill…you can do it! If your nursery doesn’t have wine barrels, check with any local wineries.

· Use potting soil, not garden soil or soil amendments. Potting soils are designed to give good drainage so the soil doesn’t get all soggy. (Plants “breathe” through their roots but can’t if their soil is waterlogged!)

· You can save money on potting soil and lighten up the barrel (making it easier to move) by adding a filler… packing peanuts, empty plastic soda bottles, etc.… in the bottom with screening wire over them. If you need the room for roots, however, don’t do this!

My Garden Coach philosophy: I don't believe in green-thumbed and black-thumbed people. Ask any seasoned gardener, they've each made plenty of mistakes. (How do you think they became such "know it alls"?) It’s o.k. to make mistakes, that’s how you learn. My goal is to help you have a successful experience and get more confident. There is truly something earthy and satisfying about growing your own food. And, it doesn't take acres to create that feeling...you can start with a half-barrel.

A Few Links

· Everything about citrus by Four Winds Growers – ships nationwide http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/

· Useful information about growing fruit trees in containers from Dave Wilson Nursery, http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/BOCpix/containers.html

· The Vegetable Garden, a Fine Gardening website - great growing info, projects and recipes at http://www.vegetablegardener.com (with recipes for Summer Pasta and Roasted Tomatoes above)

· Simple syrup is, simple! Here’s the easiest, http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Syrup/Detail.aspx

Photo credits:

· Winebarrel photo – a flickr photo from Jeannie Hanson http://www.flickr.com/photos/26635304@N02/3730846460/

· Mojito photo - a flickr photo from jspatchwork http://www.flickr.com/photos/23126594@N00/2773058420/

· Vegetable Basket - photo a flickr photo by briannaorg http://www.flickr.com/photos/briannaorg/2810115486/

jeannie

Jeannie Hanson is a full service gardener offering garden design, coaching and seasonal maintenance/planting. Her business, Geno’s Garden, specializes in small space gardens. Jeannie loves working and creating in the garden and likes to help others achieve the same satisfaction. “I believe there’s twice as much pleasure to being in a garden you’ve created yourself,” says Jeannie. “The tomato tastes sweeter, the path is more charming, the garden art more remarkable.” www.genosgarden.com

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