Hope they don't have to be because I didn't. All I did was add a cloth barrier to the hole on the bottom so the dirt wouldn't filter out. Of course, I don't have any edibles growing in my barrel.

A half whiskey barrel is ready to use except for possibly drilling more holes for drainage. They will last up to about 10 years if kept full of moist soil less mix and elevated with supports around bottom edge to keep bottom off wet ground. When they fall apart the oak wood burns well in the fireplace. I have an orb made out of the metal hoops used to hold the staves together. Al

I soak mine for a day or two. Fill it with fresh water and let it sit for a couple of days to leach out any salts or alcohol-related materials. It will be fine. I have several half barrels and they are wonderful!

In addition, soaking the barrel beforehand will cause the wood to swell and keep the joints tight.

I have seen recommendations for keeping barrels out of full sun, so that the wood will not shrink, or check, and help them last for a good long time.

And ditto on drilling holes in the bottom before planting.

The following is how I do it:
Drill 6 drainage holes in a pattern that covers all areas of the bottom of the barrel with a 1/2 inch drill bit.
You can cover those holes with wire screen so the soil won't leak out, but it is not required.
For setting the barrel on, small pieces of pressure treated 2x4 or similar sized lumber works best. Pressure treated lumber will not rot anytime soon so your platform will be stable. Bricks would work too. Also, level your barrel on your supports so it looks nice.
I plant citrus in my 1/2 whisky barrels so they do sit in some sunshine, but they last quite well and as long as they are full of dirt the braces around the barrel should stay taut and the staves tight.

I just planted a couple of things into barrels and just realized that the barrels won't last indefinitely. How funny is that!

What the heck do you do when the barrel sides rot out? I can't image how I'll transfer the plant and huge root ball system into a new barrel and put it all back in the same spot without breaking my back......any thoughts?

You can bet the "whiskey" part is marketing. Anyway, the useful life of a wine barrel is 3-5 years for a winery. It isn't difficult to get these for free from small, local winemakers.

I never did anything to mine, but drill a couple of holes in the bottom. Plus, I've had a couple of them over eight years with orange and lemon trees in them and they are still going strong.
{{gwi:508917}}
this has been in for now four years.
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this is the kids strawberry barrel.
I use them for water feature, growing grape and anything else that wont grow in the ground.
Look around because you can find them cheaper than at Lowes.

O.k., everyone is talking about drilling holes on the bottom. Is it because your barrel didn't come with holes or are they in addition to the one quarter-size hole that my two barrels came with? I think I paid about $15 each; one is planted with a variety of plants and the other I added a plastic liner and turned into a small pond.

Funny,i just posted about those hard plastic pond liners for half barrels on a palm post. Punch some drains holes any they can be permanent for plants..when the old oak barrel rots..slip the "plastic liner pot" into a spankin new oak barrel.
They only cost $20.

You need more that that eloise; my husband and his friends used to drill them for me as some don't have any and some have the two you are talking about. Where I live a lot of whisky and wine is made, so you do have to soak as well. Plus there is the advantage of keeping the staves tighter. I guess if you buy them from a big box store like Lowe's, you don't.

Don't be too concerned about the barrels not lasting forever,neither does the soil in the barrel. When repotting, root pruning and canopy reduction will also be required, of shrubs or trees in half barrels. Al

Does anyone else have problems with the hoops falling down? I have a liner in mine, but this keeps the water out of contact with the slats so they dry out and shrink. Next I find the hoops have slid down. What am I doing wrong?

Without the wood being kept wet it will shrink as it drys becoming smaller and the hoops will become loose and slide down. Any wooden barrel will fall apart if allowed to dry out. Al

Terri, are you using a hard, preform liner or a piece of EPDM (roofing) liner?

If you have a preform liner, you could try using a bungee cord (or even a thicker-type string/thinner-type rope tied around, etc.) to not only keep the wood close, but also hide it under the top hoop to keep it from sliding down. Or maybe some glue, but not sure if that would work.

Brenda

That your barrel hoops are loose is a good sign the wood is not rotting. When hoops have done that I have done the basic wrap thick wire or braided cable and tighten with pliers. I'm sure there are better and better looking solutions.The thick "copper" wire sold by Bonsai nurserys could work."Copper" because it's mostly aluminum,coated with copper, wire.Not very strong but your not asking it to do much more than hold the staves together.

We have always had several whiskey barrel planters and they last more than yrs even in the sun. Need to replace two and got a great deal at Home Depot this week. My hubby brought them home but nested them to fit inside the truck cap and now they are stuck together. Any ideas as to how to separate them? He doesn't know that they are stuck YET.

Thanks
Terri

I have two whiskey barrels STUCK together. HELP.

Turn them on their sides and tap away with a hammer,better would be a sledge hammer tapping. Work around the barrel. Soon you will see one area give..then tap the opposite side. After that turn slide out or turn upside down and pull one upwards.

The vibrations from hard tapping work..No need to pound on it.

LoL Thanks for that. I thought I was the only dummy who set them inside of each other and got them stuck. Now if I can just find my hammer.

We painted the rings and put deck stain on the outside wood. We had to put small nails under the rings to keep them in place. Painted the inside bottom with water proof enamel. We planted an 8' post and filled the barrel with 3 bags of concrete. Drilled holes for drainage on the sides above the concrete. Put a layer of gravel and then soil. Added a basket hanger to the top of the pole. Put bricks under the barrel for support.