Wine barrel

[Shawn]

Our local gardening store got some whole and half wine barrels. I bought one to fill with water for the bees. Will the bees use it? I thought of buying another to plant some flowers in for the summer. Any suggestions for what flowers to plant in them? Here are some pictures of the half barerl. Cost $27.00.

[Robo]

Will the bees use it?

It depends on other water sources in the area.  Just make sure you fill it with rocks or some type of float to prevent drowning.

[Shawn]

Thanks Robo. I put cork in the barrel to float on the top. I use to have a small rubber bowl but the bees would not go on the cork. Mow the bees fly straight to the cork and get their drink.

[Natalie]

Shawn you can plant most anything in a barrel like that, it just depends whether you want to do perrenials and have them return every year or whether you want to try new things every year.
I have 2 in my front yard and I do annuals in them because I like to change plants for the seasons.
I usually do impatiens with some ivy around the edges, sometimes million bells whatever strikes my fancy at the garden store and will do well where the barrels are located.
In the fall I switch over to mums and tuck in small pumpkins and hang indian corn on the front.
Winter I put small holly or mini pine trees etc.

[kathyp]

they are great for lots of things.  this year i am doing all my potatoes in buckets.  flowers go great, or veggies that you don't want lost in the weeds. 

[Shawn]

Good ideas! We are headed off to the green house close to mothers day, maybe a little beofre so I can get some good selection. I still am looking for sea holly so hopefully they will have some.

[Brian D. Bray]

they are great for lots of things.  this year i am doing all my potatoes in buckets.  flowers go great, or veggies that you don't want lost in the weeds. 

That's a great way to grow and harvest potatoes, I call them Spuduckets.   

[Natalie]

I had planned on doing my potatoes that way this year as well but the wine barrels are too expensive around here and I needed alot of them.
I planted 13 different types of potatoes this year so I used wood frames that I got from the fence company for free.