I’ve been purchasing the 24” Acacia Wooden Barrels from both Home Depot and Lowes each of the past several years where I’ve added 2-3 berries (and therefore containers) per growing season. They were about $50/barrel which was on the higher end but I was okay with it. I have 12 of these containers already.
This year I’m once again looking to expand my berry varieties and add containers. These same containers are now $70!!
So my question — what are you all using to grow your container berries in? And, do you have recommendations on what different container I might transition to? Or should I bite the bullet and accept the higher cost as a long term investment?
I’d prefer to avoid plastic due to chemical contaminates. Terracotta might be an option, but with how quickly those dry out I feel like a consistent water schedule (with the wooden barrels I already have) would be a mess.
by airmclaren
6 Comments
Plastic is way more convenient, lighter, easier to move. And less than half that price. Unless you are going for decoration and one or two bushes plus have money to spare… I wouldn’t go for this.
Find a local winery/distillery that is getting rid of their used barrels.
Free 5 gallon food safe buckets from the bakery at my local grocery store. Bakeries go though gallons of frosting and the buckets they just throw away. I ask, come back in a week and pick up as many as I want. They only last a few years, but free is free, and they are white, so helps keep cooler in the sun.
Poly pots IMHO are the way to go.
[Gro Pro® Premium Round Black Nursery Pot]
(https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/)
I use grow bags for my blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, which are mostly dwarf container varieties. My strawberries are in a GreenStalk and my columnar apple trees are in resin planters from Costco. (They may eventually need barrels or just to go in the ground.)
Grow bags