A disused wheelbarrow doesn't have to end up in the garbage. With a few simple steps, it can be prepared and planted to become an eye-catcher in the garden.
Have you discovered an old wooden wheelbarrow in the attic or at the back of the tool shed? Then you have found a little treasure that should experience a renaissance. Planted wheelbarrows quickly become an eye-catcher in the garden. Wheelbarrows fit perfectly into the bed and, lovingly restored and attractively planted, can quickly become a real eye-catcher. We would like to tell you below how wheelbarrows can best be planted and what needs to be considered.
Prepare wheelbarrow
The decision has been made, the wheelbarrow should no longer be left to its own devices and will be freed from its hiding place. Now some preparatory work is necessary before you can actually start planting.
First of all, you should consider whether the wheelbarrow should be given a completely new coat of paint or whether it should remain in a completely natural shabby look or whether it should only be treated with a wood stain to show its natural grain. First clean the wheelbarrow thoroughly with a brush and some soapy water. Let the wood dry and roughen the surface with sandpaper so that the paint will cover better afterwards.
Tool:
- Brush
- bucket
- Brushes
- Slide
- Gloves
Material:
- Sandpaper
- Paint or Glaze
- Slide
- Substrate
Set Location
Wheelbarrows that are filled to the brim with soil are extremely heavy and sometimes cannot be moved without great effort. It is therefore advisable to place the wheelbarrow in its place before filling it with soil and planting it.
The choice of location depends on the plants that are to be placed in the wheelbarrow.
Tip: Most flowering plants prefer a sunny spot.
If the plants are to bloom profusely, they usually cannot do without the sun. The location does not have to be in full sunmost flowering plants tolerate partial shade very well. The blazing midday sun, on the other hand, is a thorn in the side of many plants. If you place the wheelbarrow in the semi-shade, you save yourself repeated watering even on hot summer days. The supply of substrate in the wheelbarrow for the plants is rather limited and can dry out quickly. Therefore, plants in the wheelbarrow, like the plants in the tub, require increased care.
What is the ideal location for the wheelbarrow?
- sunny to semi-shady
- wind protected
- no blazing midday sun
Planting a wooden wheelbarrow - step by step
❶ Set up the wheelbarrow
Find a suitable location. Please note that the planted wheelbarrow can no longer be moved to another location so easily.
❷ Line the wheelbarrow with foil
Before the wheelbarrow is planted, it must be lined with foil so that the wood remains protected and is not attacked by fungi and microorganisms in the substrate. It is best to use thin pond liner for this.
❸ Insert drainage
The biggest enemy of most flowering plants is waterlogging. To prevent this from occurring, the soil must be well drained. The irrigation water must not accumulate in the vessel, but should always be able to drain off easily. To do this, puncture the foil on the bottom and put a layer of gravel on top.
❹ Fill wheelbarrow with substrate
Now fill in the substrate. Conventional potting soil is suitable for this. For this you can also use commercially available potting soil that is already pre-fertilized and provides the plants with sufficient nutrients for the summer months. Fill this to just below the top of the wheelbarrow.
Tip: Instead of a wooden wheelbarrow, you can also plant plants on an old handcart.
What is the ideal substrate?
- loose
- permeable
- nutrient rich
» Tip:The potting soil can be upgraded by adding compost. Even if you use garden soil, adding compost is advisable. Then the plants are supplied with natural fertilizer and can grow well.
❺ planting and watering
Now you can start planting. First of all, the various plants should be arranged in such a way that they create the most coherent and harmonious picture. For this, spread thePlant out on the lawn first or place in the wheelbarrow with the plant pots and arrange accordingly.
In order to get a coherent and appealing picture, the growth height and growth habit of the plants should be taken into account. The higher-growing plants are placed in the middle, smaller and rather flat-growing or overhanging plants are placed at the edge of the wheelbarrow. Sufficient space must be left between the plants so that each plant can develop independently. Once all the plants have been planted, all you have to do is water them.
Planting tips for wooden wheelbarrows
In order to be able to enjoy the planted wheelbarrow all summer long, flowering plants should be used. For example, anemones can form the center and be framed by small alpine asters or daisies.
You can of course enhance your cottage garden with a herb wheelbarrow. Herbs with the same requirements in terms of location and nutrients can also be cultivated together in the wheelbarrow. Basil, garlic, parsley, dill or chives get along well as neighbors in the herb bed. To bring some color into play, lavender can also be planted, which in turn gets along very well with thyme.
The most beautiful plants for the wheelbarrow
Cup primrose (Primula Obconica) - © Elina Leonova - Fotolia.com
With the cup primrose you get a permanent bloomer in the wheelbarrow. The flowers come in white, pink, salmon pink, or purple.
Garden anemone (Anemone coronaria) - © Sehbaer_nrw - Fotolia.com
The wheelbarrow with the garden anemone is already in bloom in May. Anemones are popular cut flowers and come in pink, blue, purple or white.
Alpine aster (Aster Alpinus) - © Maglido-Photography - Fotolia.com
Here you can bring variety into play, because white, reddish or blue color variants are possible.
Capaster (Felicia Amelloides) - © Summersum - Fotolia.com
With its more than half a meter long shoots, the capaster is very suitable for planting on the edge of the wheelbarrow. The violet flowers are oneadditional ornament.
Caring for flowers in the wheelbarrow
There are few differences compared to the plants in the bed. Regular watering is very important. Because, as we have already mentioned, the plants in the wheelbarrow are at a disadvantage compared to outdoor plants due to the limited supply of substrate. Compensate for this with sufficient water and nutrients. The earth must not dry out. The flowering can be supported with a liquid fertilizer.
If you regularly remove faded flowers, this encourages the plants to flower again. So you can enjoy your planted wheelbarrow all summer long.