Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ghoghunter

Crocosmia in a Whiskey Barrel

ghoghunter
16 years ago

I am thinking of planting my half whiskey barrel this year with crocosmia. I have never grown it before so i was wondering how many bulbs to put in it. If I put in six would that be too many? Then I would put a red turks cap type lily in the center for height and some red nastutiums around the outside. Do you think that would work?

Comments (8)

  • penny1947
    16 years ago

    Yep that would work but the crocosmia will get pretty tall too. Mine in a container last year got about 2 ft. tall. The ones in the ground got even taller.

    Penny

  • ghoghunter
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for your response Penny. I'm not worried about the height but more about how wide the spread. I've had sunflowers in my barrel and they looked nice and I've also had a Hollyhock in it before!! Now I'm just hoping they grow. Right now it looks empty because of course nothing has sprouted up yet!!!! I am hoping it will be a huge barrel of goodies for my hummers in the summer time!!!

  • penny1947
    16 years ago

    They should do really well. I just put leftovers in a small 10 inch pot and they bloomed like crazy last year. In a barrel it will be like heaven to them.

    Penny

  • yardenman
    16 years ago

    I planted some red crocosmia several years ago and they have spread "slightly". I've never noticed any hummers at them, though.

  • ghoghunter
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Well I had to put some up turned mesh baskets all over the top of the barrel. Yesterday a squirrel started digging in it!!! I found at least one chewed up bulb and who knows how many of the nastutium seeds got thrown around!!! Now I don't know what will come up but I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Boy I HATE those squirrels. I know they like tulips but I didn't know they would go after crocosmia!!!

  • penny1947
    16 years ago

    My hummers used my crocosmia 'Lucifer' as much as they used the Scarlet Sage last year.

    You can put hardware cloth over the wiskey barrels on the soil surface and the plants will grow up through the openings in the mesh. Just cut it to fit the surface of the barrel.

    penny

  • yardenman
    16 years ago

    I second Penny1947's suggestion about the hardware cloth, but use 1/2" mesh. There is a 1/4" mesh and that is too small. The shoots will grow through it, but will get strangled as they grow. I might even look for 3/4" mesh!

  • penny1947
    16 years ago

    Thanks yardman,
    I forgot to mention to look for the larger mesh size.

    Penny

Sponsored
SK Interiors
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars49 Reviews
Loudoun County's Top Kitchen & Bath Designer I Best of Houzz 2014-2022
More Discussions