Urban garden: a spirited use for whiskey barrels

Brittany Gilbert, of Brown-Forman, wrote to me about an awesome use of a vacant parking lot and recycled whisky and bourbon barrels.

The company employs more than 4,000 people worldwide and is one of the largest American-owned spirits and wine companies, with more than 25 brands in its portfolio including Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort and Fetzer Wines.

Here is more from Brittany, including directions for creating a barrel planter:

Brown-Forman Corporation, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, has created an urban barrel garden which provides fresh food for employees daily and can be translated into something people can do at home.

Here in Louisville in a vacant parking lot on Brown-Forman's campus are 200 recycled whisky and bourbon barrels, which are home to a 100% organic urban garden. Most of the items planted are rare and endangered varieties of heirloom vegetables.

The barrel garden is in its fourth year of growing and as far as we know it is a totally unique, one of a kind garden. In a food desert, it is a food oasis. A practically abandoned parking lot in an industrial, urban location has been transformed into a habitat for songbirds and insects, and added beauty to the neighborhood.

Some employees have even taken the idea of a barrel garden home and started their own from the company's used whisky and bourbon barrels. Anyone, anywhere can grow a garden in barrels and we can tell you how to do it successfully. Growing plants, produce and herbs in a barrel cuts down on weeds, can host a large number of seeds and simply makes gardening much easier.

Steps for creating a barrel planter:

1. Drill two drainage holes, one in the bottom and one on the side, 2 inches from the bottom.
2. Cover holes with small pieces of window screen or weed blocking fabric, to keep soil from washing out of barrels and blocking drainage holes.
3. Fill barrels ¾ with untreated wood mulch
4. Top barrels with a 50/50 mixture of organic topsoil and organic compost, about 40 lbs.
5. Add organic fertilizer and worms.
6. Install drip irrigation or develop watering plan to keep soil moist.
7. Plant with organic vegetables, fruit, flower seeds or plants.
8. Enjoy!