Suitable Fruit Trees for Wine Barrels

For resourceful and stylish outdoor gardening, consider using recycled old wine barrels as planting pots. Because wine barrels differ in design and volume, large wine barrels -- like those latched together with galvanized steel -- can fit tree root systems. When choosing which fruit trees to grow in the barrels, go for miniature or dwarf trees. With smaller root systems, the trees still produce the succulent fruits in spring or fall but have enough room to stretch their roots inside the barrel.

Miniature versions of large apple trees, like dwarf Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Yates, mature comfortably in full or half wine barrels, containers that have been sliced in half to recycle. Be sure that the barrel has a hole at the bottom so rainwater and hose water can drain through the bottom.

Avocado trees, when given the right amount of moisture, sunlight and space, can live for years in wine barrels. Hass avocado trees, for example, grow comfortably in wine barrels in outdoor gardens, greenhouses or home atriums.

Normal-sized fig trees have enormous root systems that sprawl inside the earth. Dwarf fig trees, with a more compact and manageable root system, can slide and grow inside a wine barrel container. Almost all fruit trees come in dwarf sizes, and the fig is an special treat, given the task it would be to plant the full size version in a garden.

Peach trees, also available in dwarf sizes, thrive in potting containers like half wine barrels. When planting the tree, take care to use high-quality, well-drained potting soil. Setting the plant at the same depth it was at the nursery is also important, so it can resume growing roots inside the wine barrel at ease. As the tree grows, it will need increased pruning: picking the fruit regularly yields quality crop each year.