You don't say how big the pots are. I'd just put it down to a greater volume of growing medium if the barrels are bigger.

The plastic pots are very large, almost as big as the whiskey barrels (which are 26inches in diameter).

Hi Dave!

My father suggested that the wood might keep the soil/roots cooler...and for plants like Artichokes/Strawberries, perhaps they prefer the coolness so that's why they're doing better in wood?

Any thoughts?

agree with TomatoZesty especially if the pots are black or dark colored. When I lived in Anchorage I grew tomatoes in big black plastic pots for the sole purpose of having the soil get hot during the day and retain the heat into the evening hours. Also the wood pots/barrel will retain water and moisture longer since wood is porous like Terra cotta.

I could see using dark pots in Alaska but not down here where keeping the soil and roots cool is the goal.

As for retaining moisture, I can't see how porous pots like terra cotta or wood would retain water longer than plastic. The whole point to porosity is that it can evaporate moisture when plastic cannot. In fact moisture retention is one of the acknowledged big advantages to using plastic over clay - that plastic retains moisture longer.

The wood 'might' keep the roots cooler simply because it is thicker than plastic, has more insulating value but that is just a guess. One possible advantage for wood barrels might be that they drain faster generally so if one was inclined to regularly over-water the plants the wood barrels would better compensate for that.

Dave

I would be happier in a whiskey environment than in a plastic place!

neighbors with morning sun are planting tomato transplants today (now). Was 41 degrees @6 am. This time of year, My planting area does not get sun until 11 am, neighbor gets sun about 1 hr after sunrise, depending on clouds/fog

thanks digdirt. I got them reversed and meant to say what you did

Why don't you do an experiment and do both with the same water, fertilizer and sun? Then report back? Nancy

Hi Nancy...

I'm just about to plant my heat-loving vegetables so I'll be able to see how they do.

I was hoping someone one here already had experience in the subject though! :)

Greetings:

Many years ago when just out of college, I worked at a small greenhouse. We had plants in clay pots and plastic pots (geranium, Dracaena ect). These days, nobody would commercially grow in clay pots. To heavy to ship,move ect. However, it was interesting to see the same crop in clay versus plastic. Those in clay were just a little bigger, healthier looking and definitely seemed better compared to those in the plastic pots. Cooler roots with clay? Better root system with clay?

I wonder if the wood whiskey barrels work the same. Cooler roots? I use plastic these days too as the big plastic tubs are way cheaper and more available than wood barrels.

The issue came up again when working at a garden center years ago that potted bare-root shrubs into fiber pots. When the pots ran out, we switched to plastic pots. The fiber pots produced a nicer plant sooner.

Plastic works but is not always the best container for the plant. Just cheaper, more available and convenient since it does not rot away.