Some new photo's...

So I'm gearing up to plant this week... My early spring planting was a disaster. My lettuce lived, but 8 of my 9 broccoli plants died and only 3 pea plants out of 36 and 3 carrots out of 64... and my onions, zero out of 36... Anyway here are some photos...

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]Potatoes doing well!!!

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]I took off the grid for now, It'll be back when I plant

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img] Close-up of potatoes.. Someone freaked me out with the wood barrel, anyone know if its truly safe to grow in or not?

Thanks for posting the pics! I appreciated the run down of your spring planting - I had a similar experience - zero onions (2 plantings) zero broccoli (planted at least 5 - they sprouted great and did o.k. but I eventually killed them) my peppers have done really really well but I tried to kill some of those off too by leaving them out in my unheated garage overnight...*doh*:drunken:

re: your barrels - depending upon how much this issue matters to you, I think as long as your barrels are not treated with something like creosote you'll be fine...I'm sure someone will pipe up with some solid/opinionated info regarding possible toxicity...

Great pics, philct!

elysia wrote:
re: your barrels - depending upon how much this issue matters to you, I think as long as your barrels are not treated with something like creosote you'll be fine...I'm sure someone will pipe up with some solid/opinionated info regarding possible toxicity...

Yipes! I have two whiskey barrells I was going to use for my potatoes, but I'm guessing there's some creosote as there are burn marks. Is this really bad to grow in??

I can not be sure but WHY would they make a whiskey barrel from creosoted wood? After all they left the whiskey in there to age. Do ya really think they would compromise good whisky? The burn marks are where they burned the barel to 'season' it before filling. This step imparts color and flavor , memory serving. I have been concerned about my "tater tire"(https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t11554-tater-tires ) experiment this year and the plants looking "sick" all of a sudden. I have been assured they are doing as normal for the time in the ground. FamilyGardening (fellow forum member) sent me this link to a last years experiment with potatoes ( thread is long as a year long thread will be). https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t7438-potatoes . In here several planting methods were explored including barrels.

Good luck with your project

Yes, the burn marks are most likely from the process referred to as "toasting" the barrels.

I'm not certain of the safety of growing things to eat in tires...I know that tires basically do not decompose, but that doesn't mean they won't release toxic chemicals into the soil. I DO know that the tires are likely to get very hot in the sun, so I'm not inclined to grow anything in them because I feel like anything I tried to grow would have cooked roots in no time flat down here in the Deep South.

Pepper wrote:I can not be sure but WHY would they make a whiskey barrel from creosoted wood? After all they left the whiskey in there to age. Do ya really think they would compromise good whisky? The burn marks are where they burned the barel to 'season' it before filling. This step imparts color and flavor , memory serving. I have been concerned about my "tater tire"(https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t11554-tater-tires ) experiment this year and the plants looking "sick" all of a sudden. I have been assured they are doing as normal for the time in the ground. FamilyGardening (fellow forum member) sent me this link to a last years experiment with potatoes ( thread is long as a year long thread will be). https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t7438-potatoes . In here several planting methods were explored including barrels.

Good luck with your project

This was my thought on this... If whiskey was distilled in there, how unsafe can it be?? mmm whiskey...

Anyway I'm leaving mine in the bucket, and I have 2 blueberry plants in buckets too. Hopefully no one comes on and tells me I'm going to posion my family!!

If it's a whisky barrel 'tis fine for growing. Don't forget to give an angel's share when you plant.

camprn wrote:If it's a whisky barrel 'tis fine for growing. Don't forget to give an angel's share when you plant.

That's what I was hoping to hear, too! Thanks a bunch!!

Keep us updated on how your potatoes are growing! I would love to hear if the whiskey barrels are ok to use. I thought about using some this year too, but ended up with plastic whiskey barrel planters instead, lol. Probably the wooden ones are better for my plants!

I will continue to post throughout the season for sure. Good to hear the barrels are safe, I would love to get a few more next year...

Today I re-planted pea, onion set, and carrot seeds... Fingers crossed...

Also replanted all my strawberry plants as none came up...We'll see...

Bush and pole bean seeds in the ground, and tomato and pepper hardening up with 8 hours outside and inside overnight... Almost there!!!

Re the barrels: are they even whiskey barrels? Our granddaughter lives in Maryland and has been telling us of the thriving wine industry thereabouts, Connecticut even. No one sensible is going to add creosote to a $400-plus barrel (what new French oak barrels cost). Besides, the FDA would be all over them quicker than fruitflies on a ripe peach! BTW, one of the wineries here in Oregon is even making the most elegant, and expensive, tumbling composter from used wine barrels.

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Re the barrels: are they even whiskey barrels? Our granddaughter lives in Maryland and has been telling us of the thriving wine industry thereabouts, Connecticut even. No one sensible is going to add creosote to a $400-plus barrel (what new French oak barrels cost). Besides, the FDA would be all over them quicker than fruitflies on a ripe peach! BTW, one of the wineries here in Oregon is even making the most elegant, and expensive, tumbling composter from used wine barrels.

I think I was concerned because my barrels had burn marks inside and was not sure if this was creosote related... I guess this is typical? They are most certainly whiskey barrels, Jack Daniels to be exact and when we drilled drainage holes we practically got tipsy from the jack fumes! :drunken: From what I've read here, it sounds like my plants should be safe...right?

brenda g wrote:

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Re the barrels: are they even whiskey barrels? Our granddaughter lives in Maryland and has been telling us of the thriving wine industry thereabouts, Connecticut even. No one sensible is going to add creosote to a $400-plus barrel (what new French oak barrels cost). Besides, the FDA would be all over them quicker than fruitflies on a ripe peach! BTW, one of the wineries here in Oregon is even making the most elegant, and expensive, tumbling composter from used wine barrels.

I think I was concerned because my barrels had burn marks inside and was not sure if this was creosote related... I guess this is typical? They are most certainly whiskey barrels, Jack Daniels to be exact and when we drilled drainage holes we practically got tipsy from the jack fumes! :drunken: From what I've read here, it sounds like my plants should be safe...right?

Mine were charred as well... I'll tell you, I can't imagine Home Depot selling barrels in their outdoor greenhouse section, that is unsafe for vege's without them being labeled as such. I think we're all ok.

Years ago, we visited the Jack Daniels distillery. Fascinating. Their high-end whiskey, Gentleman Jack, is poured through charcoal twice. The char inside the barrels is: charcoal. What do they give folks with some types of poisoning? Charcoal. I cannot for the life of me believe the char on a whiskey or wine barrel is a problem. Nice smell, though, what? Nonna, who has been known to sip a bit of Gentleman Jack.

They will be safe, but they might be a little tipsy as well.

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]Strawberries with straw mulch... Any tips, did I put too much on? There are 10 actual plants, and the rest are dormant roots that are breaking.

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]Just about every box planted...

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]Lettuce almost done, we've been picking every day for 3 weeks and can't keep up with the growth...

Phil - in that last photo, is that a soaker hose? How long do you leave it one, and how often?
Lee

SwampCatNana wrote:Phil - in that last photo, is that a soaker hose? How long do you leave it one, and how often?
Lee

It is, but I just took it out for now. The timer is broken and it was in the way of my planting. But, when I get a new timer, I'll do 30 minutes every other day to start and see how it works.

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]Tomato trellises are built and in place!!!

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]I've also decided to let the grass grow in around my box... I think it looks neater in the end.

Nice setup, PhilCT. Congratulations!

Hi Phil, it's looking really good! What a great start! I am envious of the flagstone path. I too have grass between my beds. Large enough to get the mower into and I use an edger around the boxes to keep it neat. Sometimes the weedwacker comes in handy too.

Looks great philct

Just an fyi, if you use the forum to upload and share your photo's, there is no need to wrap in img tags.

Example:
Here is a photo you posted with tags:

[img]https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/[/img]


Leave the tags out and your post will be much cleaner and look like this:

nice photos Phil,

what lettuce was that you all have been picking on? I am growing romaine and bibb but they are still very small.

My lettuce mix is mesculin, buttercrunch, and romaine... It's coming to the end and I suspect it's going to bolt soon, but we're still getting 2-3 salads a day from 6 plants... Amazing...

Some new pictures, with hopefully leaving out the IMG tag..

From left to right, Peas and pole beans, Eggplant, cherry peppers, and tomatoes, Broccoli, banana peppers, marigolds and tomatoes, sweet bell peppers jalapeno peppers, and cucumbers, and lettuce.. The part you can't see is: bush beans, basil, celantro, and spinach, bush beans, carrots, and tomatoes, and marigolds, onions and tomatoes..



Carrots are in. 32 in all and they all sprouted... I may plant another 2 boxes still as we LOVE carrots



I'm experimenting with trellis along the north 4 foot end and along the western border as the sun doesnt hit the box until overhead at around 1130-1200pm... no early morning sun... We'll see how it works out for everything getting enough light.