It is easily done but you will need a very large pot if you intend to keep it in a pot for some years. They get huge root systems and need lots of room and depth. And you will have to give it protection in the winter, preferably a garage but you can try mulching and wrapping it. I've done this and it's a project but it works--and looks spectacular. Just remember, the roots get much bigger than you might expect.

A barrel will work!! I've done it--26 barrels-worth!!
Here's an example of what will happen with a big one:

See the one in the center---that's 'H. Parhelion'! It's been there since 2004, I think!

Here it is the first year:

And, 'H. Powder Blue'--yep, there really is a barrel in there:

And, here's my 'H.Cutting Edge' *barreled*:

And, 'H.Titanic' last year, in a barrel:

I think they look wonderful in barrels--sort of showcases them, I think!! Go for it!!

janice

Oh, and my barrels go through the winter as they 'sit'! I only lost a few plants (in barrels) in Spring '07, but
that was truly a weird year--hopefully a rarity!!

I even had one on our front porch, (concrete) facing east, for MANY years and it never was a problem for it!

Janice, what is the diameter of the barrel? They look really nice. Do you put them away for the winter in a garage, or are they outside year round?
Pam

Nope, Pam--they stay out as they are! I don't know the diameters, (it's dark out, now) but they are
the standard whiskey barrels AND you sometimes can get them Lowe's or K-mart like I did one one year!
They were clearanced at $2.00 each!!!! Can you imagine that? They were originally priced at $24 each.

You should have seen our van--packed OUT--I almost had to leave hubby at the store!!!! hehehe

Oh wow, I LOVE this thread! I am so inspired by this I went out today and bought a barrel so I could try this idea. (I am dying over your $2 sale price - what a find! I am not going to admit what I paid for my barrel but I had to have one now lol) I do have a question though... what kind of planting mix do you fill the barrel with? Do you just use a commercial bagged mix? Also, would I run into trouble if the hosta I plant in the pot is small in size? (I am going to look on the net and mail order a large leafed one but I'm thinking it will be pretty small to be mailed. I hope I explained that ok without being too confusing. Thanks again for posting those great photos!

Great, lily--so glad you're getting into 'barreling'! :o)

I have always used largely, pine bark mulch and some composted cow or horse manure!

Chris, of 'Hallson's' showed me the planting mix he uses and it's a combination of the pine bark mulch, a good-grade
peat moss and coarse perlite!

My mix has worked fine for me, but I am interested in trying his idea, when I get another barrel!!
Like hosta, barrels really become something you want more of once you've had some success in using them.
They do such a nice job of elevating your prize hosta, and (I think) add interesting dimension to your displays!

Do, post your pics. when you get yours put together, lily!!!

Oh, and any size hosta would be fine, too! I have a situation where I have a 'June' in a barrel
with inpatiens every year! Here it is:

However, I'm finding that eventually the 'inpatiens' get taller than my 'June' so I might need to
change to a more upright hosta next year, like I have with a 'Regal Splendor' in this pic!!

Here's my 'Fire Island' mixed in with inpatiens and dead nettle--at the back of this (blurry) shot:

How beautiful! Now, I'm so excited about trying this next spring! I want to try to large leafed hosta in one. I saw barrels this past spring at Tractor Supply Company. They were about $25! I have a perfect spot for it too. Right next to my back door. The area stays pretty much shaded most of the time, and faces south. I might try Blue Angel or some other large leafed hosta. I'll probably try putting the barrel on some casters. I don't know if they make a caster base for barrels though. I have to see.

Wow! Those are inspirational! I am going to see if I can find a whiskey barrel right now on clearance somewhere.

kent-if you put your barrel on casters, be prepared to have to use them to garage it, over winter!
It needs to have contact with the 'good earth' to winter over well--as in sitting directly on it!

I have a barrel full of 'Blue Angel', too! Wish I had a pic! I have several plants of it,
and it's in it's second year and doing quite well!

Go for it--it won't be the last barrel you'll buy, once you've done it--I'm bettin'! :o)

hey j, your hostas are beautiful. I love the idea of putting them in the barrels/pots it adds a lot of height and dimension making them truly appreciated in the garden. Great idea. I am looking forward trying this myself. Most of my garden is full sun but I will definitely find some shade to sneak a few of these in.

I borrowed Janice's idea for barrels and I love it:

Earth Angel

Queen of the Seas

Journey's End

Some Mini's

Queenie

`````````

Oh wow. What an interesting point about the barrels needing to touch ground. I wouldn't have thought about that. I was going to put down newspaper and then cover that with mulch in the spot where I am going to put the pot. I am planning on putting it next to the trunk of a river birch and I didn't want that sneaky tree worming its roots into the moist soil in the pot lol. Do you think that will have any effect on how it will over winter? Since I am planting pretty late I was thinking of placing pine straw bales around it when it gets cold. I can then use the pine needles in the spring somewhere else.

It looks like you are turning a whole slew of us into barrelers! (merrily we roll along lol) Thanks SO much again for all the tips and photos. I can feel a new gardening obsession coming on like gangbusters (or barrel busters lol) I don't have my barrel filled yet as I am waiting for some hosta too arrive by mail. But I can show you the new hosta area that I just finished planting. There are also a few other things planted in there too.

Here is where the hosts are planted. My winterberry hollies have become so large that the daylilies that were planted underneath were too shaded. So this is where the hostas are now. I have a mostly sunny yard so hostas were never a choice for me before.

Here is a closer look at the hosta bed. It is a horseshoe shape that twines around the winterberries. It looks a little wimpy now but I am looking forward to seeing the plants fill out a little next year.

The pot is going to be on the other side of the yard. Here is the daylily bed with a path running through it. Up at the top, near the house, are two river birches. The pot is going underneath one of them.

Here is the pot all ready for its new inhabitants! I already have most of the soil in it - I'm just waiting for the hosta to arrive. :-)

This is going to be so great because NOTHING wants to grow anywhere near those river birches except things I don't want lol.

Hey j I just noticed that one of your barrels is a memorial to your parents. What a wonderful idea. And a beautiful combination of plants. You certainly have a great eye for combinations!

OOOO critter rider, your barrels are loverly! I like your names on rocks idea too. I was thinking of collecting some nice rocks and having garden visitors sign one and put it in their favorite spot in my garden before they leave. One of the many things we think about as we are toiling away ha ha.

Queenie--Are you sure you got your barrel ideas from me? Look how mature all your 'barreled' ones are!
You must have been at this for a good while!!! More than a name in common, I see!! :o) GORGEOUS specimens
you have--oh, and I started out with 'Journey's End' in one of my barrels last year, but lost it due to a grandson's
baptiziing it (and others) with 'Off' mosquitoe repellent. Didn't notice any mosquitoes around it, though! :o(

I love your 'mini's' barrel too, Janice/Queenie!!!!

On a side--all of my life, the name 'Janice' has been fairly uncommon in any circle of peopleI've known!
But, in the last year--I bet I've met or come to know of over 6 or 7 Janices! There's three of *us* in the
BSF study, alone, that I attend! What in the world??? LOL

Thank you, Lily--I really loved the look of that combination early on, but I'm afaid the 'inpatiens'
really performed well, and blocked the view of anything else!!!

Lily--I can see (an idea) a barrel out front of your house in the first pics (1st set of pix posted) on the corner,
to the left of the upper level pile of rocks, too!! Maybe a 'Sum and Substance'--since it appears to be located
in a fair amount of direct sunlight! Just a thought!

You have a very nice composition in your beds, too!!!

Janice, the barrels that I pictured were just planted in 2007. MLB is not the only entity using steroids...
I don't know why but these hostas took off and never looked back. By the way, also have a 15 yo granddaughter named Janice.

Queenie/Janice

OK, this is another stupid "newbie" question, but here goes...
You said that the barrel has to be sitting right on the ground. Does that mean that I would have to take the bottom off the barrel and sit it on the ground, fill it up, and plant? Or is it ok for the barrel WITH bottom on to be on the ground to overwinter?

No, kent--don't remove the bottoms of the barrels, or they will fall apart--just sitting flat on the ground
is sufficient, and even better, dug down about 2" or more below ground level! Just dig a hole to accomodate
the barrel, about the 2-4" deep and sit the barrel in it!

I've done that with two barrels, specifically--and I've NEVER had a problem with the hosta in either of them!

Here are the two hostas I've had the longest and in barrels set below grade by about 3"!

Blue Umbrellas at the bottom of this pic:

And this one:

Just posted this one on another thread:

kent: the barrel on the ground thing is similar to bridges icing before roads during winter - because you have air *under* the barrel/road in addition to above and around, the materials (plants, concrete) are more likely to suffer some kind of winter/freeze-related damage than if they are directly on the ground where the ground temps are slightly warmer than air and serve as an insulator/regulator

~ freshair

Duh! Silly me he, he ,he!

Thanks!

Please note that whiskey barrels are made out of untreated wood and will rot in a few years when kept constantly wet as with hostas. Bottoms will rot out when in constant contact with wet soil. I had barrels with hydrangeas rot in about 10 years though they were sitting on pavers and were kept much drier. My current barrels I have lined with black plastic, also the bottoms except for the drain holes, sitting again on clean pavers, they are out all year.