Whiskey barrels, Texas Heat, Mix Suggestions?

16 years ago

Hello,

I plan on growing tomatoes and peppers in several whiskey barrels (half-barrels) this season. I grew 3 different bell peppers in one barrel last year in 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 vermiculite. They did well.

I'm new to this forum and just read about Al's Mix. I love to experiment and would like to try it. I usually stay on top of watering needs, but some days the heat is scorching hot and beats me before I get home.

My questions:

1) Has anyone in a hot climate zone tried Al's Mix for annual vegetables?

2) Did you use the mix as written or alter the ingredients to adjust for your hot climate zone?

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Comments (4)

justaguy2
16 years ago
I am not in a hot climate so can't help you there, but wanted to ask you a question to help me, and others, understand what your experience has been like.

Are you saying that you filled a whiskey/wine half barrel with compost, peat and vermiculite (Mel's mix) and put 3 pepper plants in the barrel and there wasn't enough water to last those plants until you got home from work on some days?

I am asking this because I can't even fathom that being the case where I live, even when it's 95F out. I use Mel's mix in raised beds and I also use half barrels and putting the two together I just can't see 3 pepper plants consuming all the water that volume of that mix would hold in a single day.

A follow up question, how often are you confident you will be able to water throughout the season? Is once per day OK, or do you need every other day? Some other interval?
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roseluv
Original Author
16 years ago
Hello Justaguy,

My experience last year was; I would come home on some days and the top inch or so of mix was kind of crusty and the leaves on the peppers were a little droopy. This was more towards the end of summer in 100+ days. Is that normal? It was my first attempt at barrel gardening and I absolutely admit I don't know what I'm doing! :)

I can water once a day.
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justaguy2
16 years ago
The surface of your mix was probably crusty due to the ingredients in it. The peat particularly becomes very resistant to wetting once really dry. Pouring water on it might just result (initially) in it running off to the sides of the container.

While I, personally, have never seen pepper plants wilt, I live in the north and I actually try to do things to get *more* heat to them. I have seen many plants, veggies particularly, wilt in the heat of the day. This isn't always a sign of too little water in the growing mix, but rather a sign the the roots can't take up water from the mix as fast as the leaves are losing water.

Keeping this at a basic level, there isn't anything you can do about that and it's OK for that to happen as long as the plant perks back up as evening sets in. It is normal.

In a half barrel having the soil dry to 1-2" is nothing. Poke your hand deeper and you will almost certainly feel moisture and if not moisture, coolness (kind of the same thing in this case). The plant roots will be in this area and still getting ample water (as fast as it can take it up).

With something like Al's mix in my climate I would think a whiskey/wine half barrel would hold enough water to go 3 days between waterings for 3 pepper plants. These hold a large volume of soil (around 3 cubic feet). While I have no experience in your climate I would be really, really surprised if something like Al's mix wouldn't hold enough water for 1 day for 3 pepper plants in your heat/aridness.
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roseluv
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for your replies Justaguy, good information for me to apply this year. Lots to learn!

I'm excited to try Al's mix for the tomatoes and peppers this season.
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Whiskey barrels, Texas Heat, Mix Suggestions?

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Whiskey barrels, Texas Heat, Mix Suggestions?

Comments (4)

justaguy2

roseluvOriginal Author

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roseluvOriginal Author

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roseluv
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