Around the Home: #2 Making a Garden Barrel

In this episode of Around the Home, I show how to construct a garden barrel capable of housing 50 plants in a four square foot area. It includes a worm composting tube as well. I originally found this idea in the below video and it is well worth the watch. I am hoping it is a compact way to grow organic vegetables and compost at the same time.
Check out the June 2014 garden update video.
• Around the Home: #14 J...
The Half-pint Homestead Video
• Half-Pint Homestead Ga...

[@professorb7054]

This was by far the most comprehensive and easy-to-follow demonstration. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@Xochitlgarden]

Great video and you make it look so easy! I do have a suggestion, if I may. If the bottom part of the hole isn’t stretched out to form a lip, there won’t be enough room for the thicker stems like a basil plant or a squash plant. Also, the plants need a smooth area to rest on and hang from otherwise the straight bottom edge of the hole will eventually cause a tear or callous on the stem from the weight of the plant. This can cause bacteria to enter the plant and pests could find a open area perfect to chew on, especially like the tender, crisp and hollow stems of squash. Haven’t built mine yet but I’m looking forward to it and it sure beats buying a ready made one. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, it’s much appreciate it!

[@jellyg.8961]

Some things you can use to make the holes rounded: - an aluminum bat - metal round fence pipe like the one used for cyclone fence - two inch iron pipe - probably the easiest to come by: cans of food. I remember an article where the author used a 15 oz can of beans. Obviously the can can't be open, it has to be filled and sealed to prevent it from crushing. She had a water bucket nearby to cool down the can because it gets hot fast. If you heat the hole enough and press the can straight it will make a perfectly round hole with both a nice pocket to the outside and a curved shape to the inside. The plants will have more space.

[@George1mac]

Scott, I made one of the planters today.....I did not have a heat gun, but the propane worked ok. I had some old 2 inch pvc pipe laying around, so I cut several pieces and cut the ends at 45 degrees.....used a heavy pair of gloves after heating the plastic and could pry the slits apart with fingers then stick in a slanted 2 x 3 to work the slot and then put in the slanted pvc piece.....this allowed me to have several slots cooling while working on a new one. It actually went pretty fast.. I did the worm tube, and it worked out great. Many thanks!!! Project was for my wife to plant strawberries.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

So glad the project worked out for you. Strawberries would be very cool. May have to toss a few in mine. Hope your growing goes well. Thanks for watching.

[@JamesCouch777]

I've got a bunch of those plastic barrels and plan to make some of those planters. My plan is to cut them in half, set them up on cinder blocks and plant in the pockets and in the tops. Thanks for sharing your experience. 👍👍

[@mariannenicklaus3037]

I saw several videos on this type of project. Each one showed an effort to jam the 2x4 into the hole. I tried and found to be better, making 1" vertical slits on each end of the horizontal slit, forming sort of a tab. I found it to be so much easier to slip the beveled 2x4 in place. Also, I plan to make a platform out of treated 2x8 pieces on 3 sides with scraps of T1-11 or plywood and just set the barrel on top. One side would be open for access underneath. May also put pieces of 4x4 post I have in the inside corners for added support and to use up the post pieces that have been reclaimed from earlier work. but any other scrap treated wood in the corners would work. This appeals to me more than creating legs and I think it would offer overall more reliable support.

[@johnfranklin4038]

7:30... once you have the 2x4 in there and the shape is what you want, use a garden spray bottle (can get them for like a dollar at a dollar store) filled with water and a few ice cubes. Spritz around the edges to cool it down fast then you can pull out the 2x4 to use for next spot right away :)

[@ShapeleszCreature]

I've been wanting to put a series of these in my greenhouse. I looked at the commercially available ones but I just can't drop that kind of money to grow my own food. So I began looking at DIY's, your video helped fill in the gaps for my own project. Thank you so much for sharing this, it has been a huge help!

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

ShapeleszCreature Glad it was helpful. Good luck on your project.

[@HMFamilyLife]

It would be nice to see you when its time to pull out the worm castings from the bottom opening, and see how that looks or works out...

[@evilrobotics1]

This is a very useful video for making a vertical garden barrel.

[@TheOrcasRule]

FYI: You can can get 4 inch PVC covers for less than 50 cents that will work just as well. That cover you have is over 5 bucks in most places. Just giving tips to people to say even more money. I bought 12 PVC covers for less than the cost of ONE of the type you used.

[@karenchakey]

What an awesome idea! I would really like to try this! I have a very small yard and have to be creative when it comes to gardening to get the most out of my small space!

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks. Be sure to check out Halfpint Homestead which is where I got the idea. kzbin.info/door/AW7cBwIa1Qri3-IIg3Q0wQ

[@karenchakey]

I just went over and watch her channel, what an awesome channel she has!

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

She has some good content. I am looking forward to see how her barrels fair this year.

[@karenchakey]

me too! i am looking now on ebay for some barrels to make one!

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I found mine on Craigslist. You may also want to try some local soda distribution places like Coke or Pepsi. May have some cheap.

[@PaulCrickLyon]

This is the perfect Idea, for the continued use of plastic barrels that are likely to end up in land fill waste dumps. Makes them productive and very useful. I live in a very small house with a tiny garden. I'm already growing lots of flowers in 150mm dia Poly Pipe on top of the 2 metre high privacy/security wall. Now I am going to make some vegetable growing barrels.

[@otellahobson7341]

I have 2 barrels my friend give to me .And your tutorials are clear enough for me to try.thanks

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Otella Hobson Glad it worked out for you. Mine is doing great.

[@rosehebrewable]

You are a great builder and you made a wonderfully helpful video. Thank you so much!

[@ricgray9259]

Nice and simple. Not trying to sell anything. I am going to do this, since I got no yard space. I am thinking of adding wheel so I can move it around but not sure yet. Thanks for making this.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

ric gray Thanks. If you can put wheels on it then I would. I have been thinking about modifying mine to add some ability to turn it. I can see a difference in the plant growth. Good luck.

[@adrianciu]

Excellent! Specially the part with the tube and fixing it to the bottom of the barrel. Congrats!!! You could of course do this can be done with smaller containers and then cut round holes say of 2 inches and it would require much less effort. Thank you so much Scott.

[@1mtstewart]

use a deburring tool (machinist) carbide will smooth those sharp edges for hand safety. nice video

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks for the tip.

[@raypontious8395]

By H

[@joanpar4685]

5 years ago? Wow this kind of gardening is actually getting trending now, 2019. Here in our country.

[@gateauxq4604]

This was in the states (the original came from MO) so this isnt new, its just that people are starting to grow their own stuff more and more.

[@johnfranklin4038]

Bottom hole, make it slightly less than the diameter than the center pipe. When installing it, barrel upside down, heat the edges of the hole, get it good and soft then shove in the center pipe, keeping it as vertical as you can to avoid making the hole oblong and no longer matching the shape of the pipe.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

That is a good idea. Thanks

[@a1930ford]

If you flip your barrel over and cut out the bottom instead of the top, then the two plugs you show can be used as water drain plugs and the barrel will be stronger with the top on the bottom like that. That top is actually stronger than the bottom of the average olive/pickle barrel.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Good suggestion. May try that on my next one.

[@Xochitlgarden]

a1930ford , my thought also. The only thing that might be a draw back on that idea would be, how you would keep the composted organic from falling out before it’s ready to use when the plug is removed, when you only want to drain the compost tea? Maybe make holes in or around the plug for draining the tea? Still trying to work things out before investing the time making it and then thinking, “Oh, maybe I shoulda, coulda, woulda, if only....”. Cheers!

[@johnshilling2221]

"I concur, captain!" In addition, just like your compost worm pipe, you will be able to have both ends open that will make it so much easier to clean and/or change out your soil.

[@Rod-uw8ud]

RodRodr... Maybe if you caulked an upside-down 3" net cup inside the barrel over the drain plug?

[@indigochild7936]

@@SpiffyguyAdventures So how many pieces did you have to cut those onions in to get them out?..... snickers

[@briansmithenergy248]

Respect love and gratitude 🙏

[@TheOrcasRule]

Scott, did you think about maybe flipping the barrels and using the TOP of the barrel as the BOTTOM of the garden barrel??? I"m about to make 6 of these, and I was thinking the top of the barrel would actually be smart to use at the bottom. You can use the existing bung holes for drainage. (Maybe put a little screen or something there). Plus the top of the barrel has that lip on it, which I'm thinking might work better to put the legs on? What do you think???

[@rockyjjones8989]

Great idea of the upside down. The rigid top would support a lot more weight and you could cut to 2x6 at right degree angle. The bung holes would work great for the drains too. That way is would drain from both sides.

[@JacobsOompa]

Great system and "How To" video demo....really wish you luck...I believe this will be a BUMPER success story...One of the BEST concepts I have seen, Barrel Gardening, wished I had done that when I was your age...love gardening, but have no means as in place to do it now....GOOD LUCK.!!!! Suscribed and Liked... Ken - Orlando, Fl.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I am hoping the system will work out well. Covered in snow at the moment. Few more months and I will find out. Thanks for watching.

[@1ilgrillo]

great work on the barrell and the video, Scott. I see you are referring to Larry Hall....great videos there too. On my list of winter projects...definitely. Thanks.

[@mattuk1310]

Nicely done ..thanks for sharing.....i made some worms towers for my garden, basically just the tube parts in the center about 2ft long buried which i put a sm flower pot over to keep cap it to rain & critters out...I put food scraps & compost in them along w/ worms to start out i also have worm bins so just planting them all over the yard is agood thing worms visit for food and get out under my plants to do their business....I would suggest more holes in your tube make it easier for worms to go back n forth ...i think i may just have to make a couple of these for strawberries

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks for watching. Be sure to check out the version I made with a water reservoir. Worked out well for strawberries.

[@THESHOMROM]

This is a great project. Thank you for the video.

[@DiegoLinde]

this gives me the idea of attaching or have misters come out of the central column instead of filling the barrel with earth and creating an aeroponic system. The root system would be intruding from the periphery and the misters would spray nutrient-water at regular intervals. Thoughts?

[@peterbreis5407]

Don't drill a drain hole in the bottom. 1. Fill the bottom of the drum with 150mm of 5mm round gravel. Drill a hole 150mm from the bottom and fit an irrigation tap to the outside and irrigation tube running to at least the centre of the drum or coil the tube inside with plenty of holes on top of the stones to allow excess water to drain into the tube. 2. Add a PVC watering pipe to the side of the drum from the top down to the top of the gravel. 3. Cover the 5mm round gravel with hessian sack or Agmesh and then pour a soil/vermiculite mix on top to within 50mm of the top of the drum. 4. To discourage snails and slugs, split a large diameter irrigation tube, heat it to widen the split and hot glue it to the inside of the lip of the drum so it forms a large overhanging lip. 5. You can water/fertilise the drum from the top via the PVC pipe and the water/fertiliser mix will wick up from the bottom. 6. This not only reduces watering, the water keeps the barrel cooler during the day and warmer during the night. 7. You can cap the barrel with a protective mesh hood against raiding birds and other animals. 8. When planting keep in mind that there is a sunny side and shady side to the barrel and it will be too heavy to move.

[@trwagner1]

This is what I'm going to have to do based on parts I found at Lowes. Great video. I'm making a barrel myself and have all the parts, just need to assemble here in April.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Awesome. I plan on making a 2nd one myself.

[@bluemoongypsies]

I like the heat gun rather than the propane and your method for making the worm tube! Thanks.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

The heat gun really helped out. I think it will work nicely on some other PVC related projects as well. Looking forward to spring to really see how well this system works. Thanks for watching.

[@miguelg4006]

Awesome job!

[@GregDeLonais]

Great video! I was talking to my wife about one of these growing barrels I saw on Facebook which sold for over 200 dollars, I told her I would look on KZbin and see what's out there and found your video. Well done!

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Glad it was helpful. I have some self-watering planters that are made with similar materials. Vid in the playlist. Might be helpful too. Good luck.

[@PrairieJournals]

Great idea, thank you. Alberta Canada

[@MrHappycyber]

thanks for sharing your knowledge, Greetings from Venezuela

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+Jose Navarro glad it was helpful.

[@heavymechanic2]

Its interesting that @burpeegardens just published a video promoting a similar garden tower with the same idea. The price is unbelievable for a pre-made garden that has been around for a while.. Your video shows people how to build this on a budget which may appeal to any DIY because gardening equipment is expensive just like baby stuff LOL

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+heavymechanic2 I can't believe the price of some of these pre-made versions. This is really easy to make cheaply. I am happy with it and glad the project has helped out so many folks.

[@raephmcdowell1325]

Thanks, ..glad you are here...raeph

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks. Glad you are here too. Good luck gardening.

[@sun6v546]

V good job , Mate . Can I suggest one good info is that , instead of the air-tight cap on the top , its better a piece of nylon / cotton cloth mesh for aeration , good for the worms , roots and final output will be better when these two important agents are improved , :)

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Cool. thanks for the suggestion.

[@johnshilling2221]

Love the end where you obviously used a plastic paint to block the sunlight. Too many videos put out by people that don't seem to be aware that you can buy inexpensive aerosol plastic paint at any of the box stores. (Krylon Fusion is one brand) It also makes standard PVC pipe irrigation that is exposed to the Sun, last for years and years. Standard white PVC has no UV blockers and will become brittle in a short time from exposure to the Sun.

[@natassialei9724]

Just a quick suggestion: when you're creating the holes, rather than slitting a straight line across, try making the slit in a semi-circle (like a frown). It's easier to open the hole and slightly angles it out to stop the escaping dirt.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+Natassia Lei Thanks for the suggestion. May try that on the next one.

[@rockyjjones8989]

Nice idea there.

[@azintrepid1]

Great video. Well done.

[@TheShelbyruss]

excellent presentation. Russ Cataldo from Knox, Pa.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks for watching.

[@JohnnyC10071959]

Super cool

[@paadakkoodam5094]

Very nice amazing

[@nonawanda1]

Great idea !

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks

[@bharathik3911]

Super nice to explain

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks.

[@bassamal-youssef267]

Thank you so much for your well managed video , it is interesting really as it shows all details with the camera follows every single sentence. I enjoy it and I subscribed in your website to see all new videos from your end.

[@amen1853]

Bravo majstore

[@Paradoxataur]

This video is the best thing ever! I am so ready to make mine. Where did you find that specific plug? I can only find the kind with the square part.

[@douglaswindsor120]

Used to wonder were you could get these 55 gallon drums then I found out how much smaller your gallon is than ours almost a quart that is why up here al we have is 45 gallon drums

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I got mine off craigslist. Although some cities will provide them as rain barrels for a fee.

[@chan108dra]

you are a nice chap-nice video

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+Chandra Dasa Thanks

[@nayrenae-ree9029]

Greetings! This is such a wonderful project what is the estimated cost of all the materials?

[@scrago100]

One of these would be great for my townhouse. Not much room to grow plants here. About how much did the entire project cost you? And spring has arrived so I look forward to see how yours does. Take care.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

The barrel was $10 I think, maybe $15. The tube I had already, and that is the expensive part really. The plug was less than $5. I forget how much the wood for the legs were, but it could not have been that much. I did buy the heat gun for this project, which increased the cost, but I will use it on some others as well. I plan on planting with seeds soon, waiting on the official last frost to pass.

[@scrago100]

Awesome. That's really not much at all. Looking forward to building it.

[@valfrez3786]

Great video thanks

[@truthjoypeace]

awesome DIY.This costs upwards of $250 in the market.

[@mermaid3152]

Neat concept...have you had a chance to grow anything? Dying with curiosity. I'm sure you'll be able to produce many things.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Unfortunately not yet. Winter set in. I was a bit behind it seems. I have ordered up the seeds for spring. Few more weeks and I can get planting. Planning salad greens mainly, top will be kale and green onions. Should tide me over until I can get the raised bed in.

[@steveraman4562]

super cool thanks for the info

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching.

[@MyBillygene]

great video. Thanks...

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks for watching.

[@chrisdokken2]

thank you for sharing!

[@UNOSEEUM]

Well put together video~! Thank you, I am going to make me some of these~

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks. Glad it was helpful.

[@lenering1084]

You need to make wholes under the container for the water to get out.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Drainage holes are drilled at 8:40 in the video. As the container aged the seal around the pipe did leak a little too.

[@heatherthyne2307]

Scott thanks for the answer. I will try to use my Rotozip -- it is quite a bit more powerful than a Dremel. Now there were a couple things I thought of that could be helpful. 1) You could add heavy duty casters to the bottom but there would be the rust issue if the casters are not made of galvanized metal for the outdoors. 2) Another comment included a request for info on what you used for "soil." I recommend not using 100% compost but instead, use a soil-less potting mix. Larry Hall has instructions for making that on his KZbin Channel, his kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4WXqJibYs-ph5o. It will be much lighter weight, even with the water. 3) I saw this on the Rain Gutter Grow System FB page (also founded by Larry Hall), a member of the group posted his barrel. He answered my query about how he bent the holes (before I saw your video which he also linked) and he used a wine bottle (or two or more!). This gives a more rounded pocket and you could also use the heat gun or torch once the wine bottle is inserted in the pocket, and gradually pushed down as you are heating the slit in the plastic. A rounded hole makes it easier to plant and plants are naturally rounded, anyway!

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Heather thanks for the info. I think that adding casters would be nice and something I may think about in the future. Of course they need to be outdoor quality in order to last. I have seen Larry's video on potting mix. Some good stuff there. I replaced my mix with something similar to what he is using. It is called Mel's Mix. Check this video out for more information. Around the Home: #7 Garden Barrel Relocation and Soil Mix Also very cool about the wine bottles. I had seen a comment about using 2 inch PVC pipe to make a nice rounded hole. Very similar. Will try one of these techniques on my next barrel.

[@heatherthyne2307]

***** Well, the wine bottles, being glass, would be pretty fireproof...so you (if you were so inclined and in a well-ventilated area) could use a torch rather than a heat gun with no worries of setting your plastic stretching tool (the bottle) on fire.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

For my clean plug at the bottom I used one of these. You can get the 4 inch pipe at home depot as well. www.homedepot.com/p/NDS-4-in-PVC-MPT-Clean-Out-Plug-Solvent-Weld-Fitting-in-White-41P8/100164594

[@scottb3637]

You are not making this to sell so how could it be a patent violation? I can make any thing that I can even if I saw it in a retail store, but as long as I'm not selling it there's no violation.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+Scott Barras That is my thinking as well.

[@ekaurashishkumar]

Nicely explained, thanks. 1 question though on compost tube. When earthworms starts eating the food scrap, it will start becoming semi-solid & eventually become liquid. Am I right here or not? If yes, then worms might get stuck inside the tube. And also food scrap at the bottom of the tube will always be there whereas at top it will not, so worms will move within the soil only at the bottom & not at the top which will make quality of soil good at the bottom & bad at the top. Is there a way to handle this situation?

[@stanleyvo5198]

nice work !

[@Roombacare]

Hi: I hope you will answer this question: Why would you drill holes in the bottom and silicone the pipe on the bottom? Why wouldn't you keep the pipe hole open and not drill holes so the excess water runs past the pipe on the bottom into a bucket?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

The pipe is designed to work as a composter so putting the plug in the end keeps the food scrape from falling out so the worms can eat them. Removing the plug is how you get out the compost once the worms have done their thing. I drilled some holes in one corner to allow access water to drain out. The silicon around the pipe was just to keep that opening sealed so the water would come out the drain. The seal has since shifted and it does leak a little. Hope that helps.

[@Roombacare]

yes, that I understand but instead of silicone, keep that open, so excess water leaks out around the pipe through the 4" hole that the pipe is stuck in and that way you don't need the drain holes? So not through the pipe, but around the pipe :). I don't see the difference why you should drill drain holes instead of using where you now say it leaks a little. Make it to leak a bit more? Thank you Scott

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

squashkarakal Yeah you could do that. I think the original plans had the silicon to help seal in the pipe too. But whatever works to get things growing. There are lots of variations. My next one I plan to skip the compost tube but also have it as a wicking bed. Might work might not. But I shall find out this spring.

[@Roombacare]

***** Thanks Scott and good luck :)

[@JimBeshears]

Scott, I am going to be making two of these this weekend. What have you grown in these successfully? I live in NW Indiana, our last frost was last Monday, off to the garden.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Jim, I had great success with leafy greens like Dwarf Siberian Kale, Spinach and various lettuce. This year I plan to do the same and add in some Swiss Chard. Check out this video from July 2014 with an update. Make sure to keep the watered, they can dry out in the dead of summer. One issue I had last year. Good luck. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nombfKeAptSfrMU

[@JimBeshears]

OK thanks Scott, I'm actually out in the garage now getting some seedlings started.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Jim Beshears Great job. I am actually finishing up the rabbit fence for the new U shaped raised bed. Look for that video soon.

[@JimBeshears]

Will do thanks. I just rewatched your barrel vid, and I stopped to make a template with a bigprint program. I'm going to make something that you can mark a row of pockets, then shift the template, like making boxjoints on a tablesaw. I also want to make a vid of building the second one, but I would be pretty nervous and I think it would be a train wreck, so i don't know.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Jim Beshears making a template would be helpful to get everything lined up. beats doing math :)

[@chenelson185]

nice work

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Thanks.

[@antoniobarra9923]

hello, try with a glass bottle 1 liter or 0.75cl to form the holes

[@evelynmonrad]

How did it go this year with growing veggies? I am at the point with doing this same project and cannot find the 6" composting pipe without paying 80 bucks for a 10 foot stick, so I am stuck at the moment. Thinking about doing what you did and use the 4" pipe. Thanks for the alternative idea.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

it worked quite well this year. I still need to clean out the compost and see how the worms did. My Siberian Kale went all year with no bolting. Had a ton of lettuce in the cooler months and some Rat's Nest Radishes here in the fall. I plan to make a 2nd for strawberries next year but will skip the compost tube in favor of trying to create a wicking bed for the barrel. Should be interesting. I would not get too hung up on the compost tube. It is a nice thing to have but could be skipped if you have other composting means.

[@evelynmonrad]

***** thank you Scott for such a quick rely :) The compost tube is important to me, I don't have good material for regular composting as it's so dry around here, but do make a lot of green juice and this creates a lot of pulp from the greens which I think would make good food for the worms. Worms! another learning curve for me :)

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Evelyn Vollmer A 4 inch tube will be much cheaper and should work out. I ordered a 1000 worms online once it got warmer in the spring. Stuck half in the garden barrel and half in my composter. Next year I will probably stick them all in the garden barrel. Be sure to water though, i did have issues with it drying out a bit in the dead of summer. I will post up a video some time soon showing what the tube looks like after the worms did there thing. Hope there is something nice in there for me. :) good luck.

[@evelynmonrad]

***** thank you Scott, I will definitely think on using the 4" pipe. I look forward to the next video.

[@boyahdoggielane6033]

Save your self a bit of money and call plumbers and sprinkler companies THEY have scrap lengths. Soon pool builders have the 4" pile as well. Just a thought

[@iraricell2918]

Mr,..ni dari indonesia. Makasih ilmu nya

[@joedasilva38]

"Bead of silly-con!" LoL I'm DEFINITELY making this!!!

[@geraldinegranado3386]

Food safe!

[@deborahjabara2614]

Could you rig it so that it could be turned? I'm thinking that one side won't get much sun if it is stationary. I'm thinking of a lazy susan type contraption.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

You could mount it on wheels, although it is heavy. I have since moved locations to an area that should get a little more coverage. If I have issues I can plant things that do not require full sun on the shaded side.

[@brucelipnickas3968]

Did you have to paint it green? I bought 5 white barrels. I am in florida and figured white would reflect the sun,. How did the 4" pvc work out?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I painted it with Krylon Fusion. Held up for a few seasons. 4 inch pipe worked fine.

[@brucelipnickas3968]

@@SpiffyguyAdventures can I use the white ones as is? or should I paint them?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

@@brucelipnickas3968 They are fine as is, just really white.

[@jasonwatson951]

Good video but have a question on the pvc in the middle I thought pvc shouldn't be used cause it can leach bad chemicals when constantly exposed to heat and cold isn't cpvc the grey pvc stuff better it's only a few bucks more correct me if I'm wrong

[@brianmi40]

PVC is only bad if you heat it, which he didn't other than the small retaining ring he made which could be excluded in the design easily. Those food safe containers should all be PET, which was all that truly needed to be heated. Here's a reference: waldenlabs.com/are-window-farms-safe/

[@susanbarney9645]

Do you have any thoughts on building a dolly for it so that you can spin it around and allow light to get to all sides of the tower? I also live in an area with a very very short growing season (28 days) and would like to be able to wheel them into a garage on cold nights.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Susan Barney I would think that you could. keep in mind it may be heavy and hard to move. But having wheels or the ability to turn would be nice to get even light on all the plants. Another option for cold nights is to make a small cold frame out of plastic and pvc? like a mini green house. Good luck.

[@jime.1116]

Nice and dirt cheap

[@rorionstar]

I have question I live in Indiana we had a harsh winter will the worms stay alive in the garage ?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Honestly I am not sure. I did not add any worms last fall. I plan on adding them towards the end of April closer to our last freeze date here in Missouri. I would think in the garage the dirt should not freeze all the way through. It would be hard to move though, would be heavy I think.

[@kaewpapromin6469]

How do you make your legs fit so perfectly?

[@AKitty-rn7nl]

does one really need to make the worm tube go through the bottom of the barrel? I would think it would work okay just set inside the barrel since the worms can come in and out. Just seems like a lot of extra expense and bother to have it open at the bottom if that's just to get at the small amount of compost they make. I'd just as soon leave it in there. Or maybe I'm totally missing something?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

There is no need that I see to add the worm tube if you do not want to. It is an extra way to get composting and add back nutrients into the barrel. I may make a few more of these in a 30 gallon size without the tube. Just get growing :) Thanks for watching.

[@AKitty-rn7nl]

***** thx good to know. We have very happy worms where I live, I'm sure they'd be happy to live in it either way. We also have very happy slugs...I bet wrapping some pokey strips of metal window screen around the legs would discourage them. I have 2 sacks of strawberry plants looking for a home, I'll have to give it a shot.

[@trishamerrill6623]

is there an update video as to how successful the growth inside these were?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+Trisha Merrill Check the Around the Home playlist for garden updates from last year. Did very well in my opinion. I have a hold over Kale from last year that is a over a foot high and last frost date is not for another week. Hope to have it planted with Kale and Spinach this weekend. I am also building another for strawberries so keep a look out for that video.

[@SuperOldbassman]

Scott Hayden Thanks for sharing. The cost of Garden Tower offered for sale is prohibitive for us, but this project will allow us to build several of these as a summer project. It might also be a great project for our grandchildren to build as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout project. Great job!

[@rorionstar]

thanks for replying, well this past winter we got down to negative 15 so I am not sure if it would be safe for the worms unless we can insulated it somehow .

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I am not sure how the worms would weather temps like that. Perhaps using a water heater insulator to keep it warm? I am not sure. Personally I think I would just order another batch of worms each spring or raise some inside during the winter. But I have not dealt with worms yet.

[@admiadmimardin8317]

Good

[@tracyhawescoaching4460]

Hi @Spiffyguy I am not that handy however am attempting this. Would you consider a list of supplies? I am also wondering how long the PVC Tube is cut. Thank you for the video.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Pipe length would depend on the barrel length. Would add a few inches for top and bottom over lap. The wood was just scrap so don't really have dimensions for that. But really it was barrel, the pipe and something to raise it of the ground so you can empty the pipe. You can skip the pipe too if you want. I made a version of this that was self watering. It is on the playlist.

[@tracyhawescoaching4460]

@@SpiffyguyAdventures Thank you

[@sonakbi]

Wow! It's stunning! I should try this in KOREA :-) 💖 💖 💖

[@Naiemaa]

what type of plastic for the barrel should I be looking for? is there any type to avoid, I mean in regards to health concerns, since it's going to be in touch with edible plants for years possibly, with constant moisture and sun heat and light, are there any concerns about the possibility of certain materials to degrade or dissolve into the soil?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+Naiemaa look for food grade. one that had soda syrup or something along those lines.

[@JK-vp2ux]

You're going to throw worms right into the compost? You need to drill holes in that tube so the worms can get out of the compost into the soil.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Yes, there is holes drilled in the tube for access.

[@1mtstewart]

with the weight that the barrel will be holding, I would have at least four legs, or I would have a dolly with casters to carry the weight.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

The barrel is quite stable. The soil mix I use is quite light. mix of peat moss, compost and vermiculite. I think having casters would be nice to turn the barrel daily so all sides can get the same lighting. That is one issue I have seen. The north side plants are not quite as big.

[@1mtstewart]

wood tends to shrink and swell depending on moisture level. Ultimately if the bottom of those feet are not tied together with a strut they will act independently if the barrel is bumped or run into. Harbor freight will sell caster s that can be attached to a light angle iron frame to give the barrel mobility and revolving capability to balance light. I, like you enjoyed the half pint homestead video. I use coconut coir, perlite and soil in most of the non-garden projects I grow in. it is lighter than just soil, but in that volume there is still plenty of weight and kinetic energy/energy potential if things go south! good luck, keep innovating!

[@otellahobson7341]

Awesome

[@DesertDigger1]

Whats to say all the worms wont try to escape out the grow slots?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Worms don't like sunlight. Also they are above ground. I suppose there may be a few Steve McQueen worms among the bunch. A bigger concern is them surviving winter.

[@newimaging]

How well do things like strawberries grow on the North side of the barrel ? Do they get enough sun/day since they will be shaded partially ?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Things on the north side of the barrel did tend to be less tall. I can't comment on strawberries. I plan on doing those next year. Once option is to turn the barrel every few days. I may try to add wheels to my next one to make it easier to turn.

[@Happyfingcampers]

Scott Hayden using a reflective material behind your north edge would help with not having to rotate the barrel

[@aleyalan2010]

So water thru the pipe would ve enpugh for the plantas? Add water when feed only? Ty

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Water around the edges of the top to let the water soak down the sides by the pockets.

[@pf1950]

how do you get the worms out so they wont freeze in the winter

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+pf1950 Well you don't I guess. Mine stay in there. I add more the following spring. Depends on where you at if they will survive. I am sure there are some that have made it through the winter. I don't think it ever froze solid.

[@jboymah]

How long are the legs on the garden barrel?..... great video btw 👍🏿

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

Off the top of my head I think the legs had a clearance of 18 inches. 5 inches went up the side for the bolts. You can make it any height you want, just make sure that whatever container you plan to use to collect the compost can fit easily underneath. keep in mind the tube does extend below the barrel. May container had to be tipped to get under the tube.

[@joylipski794]

how would this work for in the desert? Dry and very hot, thanks

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I am not sure. I would guess it would do ok as long as the soil was a good water retaining mixture and it was properly watered like other containers. Drying out would be my concern.

[@JamesFraley]

How do you handle watering? I'm going to build 1 or 5 of these (never say I don't jump in with both feet). But, how do you water them without having the bottom 1/3 of the barrel much wetter than the top 1/3 of the barrel? I know the excess water will drain, but the soil will hold some. Thanks Jim

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

The soil will dry a bit quicker than other containers. I hooked mine into the irrigation system and dialed in a good flow for daily watering. I also made a version that has a wicking bed in the bottom and no compost tube. That seems to hold water a bit better during the summer months.

[@JamesFraley]

Interesting. I was thinking about burying a soaker hose as I fill the barrel with soil. That should evenly distribute the water as it goes in. Have you ever seen that tried?

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

I have not messed with soaker hose. I used drip emitters. I would wonder if burying it would cause it to get clogged up.

[@nighthiker8872]

How many years do you think the barrel will last.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

As long as the legs don't give out I can see this lasting quite awhile.

[@joe8schmoe]

PVC isn't food grade, so be careful. If you can get the right parts made from CPVC it would be safer as CPVC is food grade.

[@SpiffyguyAdventures]

+bcool I am not sure if they make CPVC in those diameters. It is something to consider. Thanks for the input.