How to Plant Wine Barrel Herb Gardens

Sturdy, attractive half wine barrels are sold at garden centers.

If you're lucky enough to live near a wine-producing area, you'll probably have access to those wonderful half-barrels that used to store wine, but now make wonderful planters all around your garden. These barrels are especially suited to small crops like herbs, and you can place a planter right near the kitchen door so your herbs are fresh and available all the time.

Things You'll Need

• Half wine barrels
• Electric drill
• Potting soil
• Herb seeds or plants
• Fertilizer
• Trowel

Instructions

1. Place your wine barrels where you'd like them in your garden, because once you fill them with potting soil, they'll be too heavy to move.

2. Drill a few drain holes in the bottom of the wine barrels with an electric drill to allow good drainage for your herbs.

3. Fill the wine barrels with potting soil, and mix in a good all-purpose fertilizer to enrich the soil.

4. Plan your herb plantings before you fill your barrel with herb. Plant tall herbs like dill, cilantro and parsley in the center, and fill the edges with low, branching herbs like thyme, oregano, and tarragon.

5. Leave enough room between each herb so they can spread out and grow.

6. Water your herbs regularly, and harvest them as needed for use in your kitchen.

Tips & Warnings

• For a movable garden, attach casters to the bottom of the barrel before filling it with soil.

References

• Arizona State University Extension: Gardening in Wooden Barrels