I Found A Marvelous 1/2 Whiskey Barrel For Sale In…
Rose Asked
I found a marvelous 1/2 whiskey barrel for sale in my town for only $10.00. It’s heavy, and I know I will have to put it in a place in my patio that is permanent and raise it up. I will have to drill holes too, and clean it. But I didn’t realize how big it was till I picked it up from the seller. I have decided to plant a tree in it. I wanted to plant a tree that will bear fruit. I have decided on the ‘Improved Meyer’ lemon tree after much research. However, the sun we get on our patio lasts from sunrise till only about 11 a.m. Then the patio from the floor above ours blocks the direct sunlight to our patio. So the tree will only get four to six hours of direct sunlight a day. The rest of the day it will get light, but it will be shaded. The next issue is I am in zone 6. Not a typical zone for tropical fruit, but I hear this particular lemon is hardy and I can bring it indoors before winter. If I put it out this summer, and bring it in this winter, I only have the patio doors that will really bear any light, and it won’t be direct sunlight. Is it wise that I invest in this tree at all? Also, will my cats be affected if they eat the leaves, or will any thorns on the tree prevent them from going near it indoors?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Rose: You got a great deal on your whiskey barrel! Yes, you will need to drill holes for drainage if you want to plant in it or the roots will be very susceptible to root rot. Another option would be to not drill holes and place a saucer in the bottom of the barrel and then drop a plastic nursery container down into the barrel. This would make it easier for you in terms of bringing it in and out during the winter months. So, yes, it would be nice to have home-grown lemons for lemonade and the ‘Meyer Improved’ is indeed a nice dwarf lemon tree to plant in a container. Like all fruit, it does require full sun for best production. Technically, full sun means a minimum six hours of direct sunlight each day and ideally we would want this to be more than just morning light. The more sunlight a fruit tree receives, the happier it will be. That being said, I do not think you should completely rule this option out since it will get filtered light throughout the rest of the day, and if fruit is what you are after then this would be a good choice. This lemon is hardy to zone 9 so it will need to be over-wintered indoors. Light levels are much lower during the winter months, so we do not expect our plants to put much growth during that time of the year. Mostly we are just trying to get them through the winter and then put them back outdoors for the summer. You are borderline in terms of light, but sometimes we just have to try plantings to see if they will work or not. You might consider purchasing a smaller plant and then choose some annuals to plant around the base to fill out the container. This way you will not have to invest so much in the fruit tree, and if it is not very productive you have not lost too much. As far as your cats go, according to the ASPCA the oils this plant produces are toxic to cats so you may have to check with your vet if this is the route you want to take. If you decide to go with a cold-hardy shrub instead, you will not need to bring it in during the winter months since they require a dormancy period. As with any containerized planting, you will want to fill it with a high-quality, peat-based potting medium such as Pro-Mix. Avoid using topsoil or any soil that you dig up from the garden. Check with your local garden center to see what they carry.
