landscaping shrubs, I want to plant shrubs in large barrel containers, can I please read below ?

Question

I have purchased some "privacy" bushes and I want to put them in like wiskey barrels , kind of like raised flower beds so they will quickly grow taller than my 5 ft. city ordinance fence, will these shrubs/bushes grow in a wiskey barrel for a few years or ?? I know with many flower perenials they have a very deep tap root and this won't work but I know not much about bushes and shrubs but these new neighbors are helping me learn fast, here is what I bought on sale in 1 gallon : waxleaf privet, Oregon grape, butterfly bush, ...I tried to stick with evergreen I'm zone 7 in Or and our winters rarely get below 25, but once in a while. Teach my about bushes and shrubs the basics OK ?

Answer 1

The barrel is not good for them, they wouldnt last to long in them. They will get root bound and they will not have enough moisture around them. There are privacy bushes that grow over 5' all on their own. Sounds like you need an evergreen. They have growth on them all year long. Get a American Arborvitae(pronounce, Aborative) , they can very tall, there are other variety of Arborvitae that grow to different heights. Any Christmas type tree is good too, like Blue Spruce, Fir, Cedar,Hemlock, and Pine, but pine's can be dirty. Some butterfly bushes are not evergreen. The Oregon grape is perfect. Ask lots of questions when you go to the store/ nusery, they can be a big help. Oh and you are picking a good time to plant too. Good luck

Answer 2

You're on the right track with your barrels--but you need to talk to the nurseryman where you get your plants so that he or she knows how you will be planting them. They can tell you how large the plant will be at maturity and whether or not a barrel will accomodate that plant's root system.

The trick to container gardening is to have good drainage so that you don't get root rot, and careful feeding of the plant, tree or shrub. The plants will not live if they don't have food as they can't branch out into the surrounding ground because they are in a container. Watering is important also. You can overwater plants very easily in containers, so be careful.

One of the biggest challenges I see with your plants in barrels is that you will need to secure the barrels so that they don't go over if there is a strong wind--once your plants get fairly tall, they can make the barrel top heavy. Perhaps there is a way that you can secure them to your fence?

I would suggest that you buy more mature plants than what is usually sold in a one gallon container--otherwise, you're going to be waiting awhile for your "screen" to grow.

Also, look for perennial plants not deciduous plants (which lose their leaves in winter).

Good luck!

Answer 3

Not to worry, you can grow just about any thing in large containers. You will need good potting soil.....my husband and I use bags of Miracle-Gro with the added plant food in it.

Mix in water crystals that you can buy at nurseries and gardening centers. Water well and wait a couple of days before planting. The crystals need to swell up with water. This will help you not to have to water so often.

Next spring, mix in slow-release fertilizer. Be sure to read the container and follow directions.

Once per month feed with liquid fertilizer.....Miracle-Gro has a good one. Read directions on the container.

Keep a close eye on dryness. Don't forget to water deeply and well.

1.
waxleaf privet:

http://cals.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Ligustrum_lucidum.html
http://www.hedgingandtopiary.co.uk/product.asp?cookiecheck=yes&numRecordPosition=28&P_ID=234&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=77

2.
Oregon grape
http://www.monrovia.com/Plantinf.nsf/Infosheet/387D163DC06717B08825684D0071D55C


3.
butterfly bush
http://www.monrovia.com/Plantinf.nsf/Infosheet/229AB6DE3CBE9AC588256F5E00677930

Answer 4

As reported, it rather is definitely fake. it may be particularly the different of quickly and healthful boost, as something left in a field like that would desire to certainly die finally. you sometimes want a outstanding huge hollow for a shrub to be waiting to boost out.