Gardenia in iron barrel,suggestions please!

[GodGaveMeTequila]

Greetings from Greece

My parents have a flower shop and they left for vacation so I'm running it although pretty inexperienced.A good customer ordered a gardenia in iron barrel,approximately 55-60 cm in diameter and 1,10-1,20 in height.The thing is that if I fill it up with soil,it will be impossible to carry it to the customer's house.And moreover,it will be quite expensive for the customer and-due to my inexperience and his pleas-we already agreed the price.I wouldn't like to change the price...

So is it safe for the gardenia to fill the barrel with light ballast(such as polysterine,eps) up to 70cm and up from there with 40cm of soil?

Should I open some holes at the bottom of the soil to avoid extreme humidity?

The gardenia is currently planted in a (30cm diameter/30 cm height) flower pot.

[rainbowgardener]

I don't know about the polystyrene, I'm not sure I'd want to grow any food crop that way, in case chemicals leach out of it. But yes, people frequently do fill up the bottom of large containers with something light, so the container won't be so heavy. I haven't done it, but I've sometimes seen aluminum soda cans mentioned as something for the bottom of containers. Your polystyrene should be ok for the gardenia.

The other thing you want to be careful of (that again doesn't apply to gardenia) is growing something top heavy like a tree in a container that doesn't have weight at the bottom; can just tip itself over.

[applestar]

Taking the barrel, soil, and the plant to the customer's site, and planting it THERE isn't an option? (I mean I can understand if you want to make sure that the plant is established in the new container first.)

I've also seen empty aluminum soda cans mentioned as "fillers". This has the advantage of being recyclable later on.

[GodGaveMeTequila]

I 've put polysterine and on top of it an iron disc of the same diameter as the barrel,so it's pretty sealed up and no chemicals will blend with the soil-although polysterine doesn't react with water.I've opened a few holes to avoid extreme humidity,and I've plant it at the customer's site.The thing was that even by planting it at his site,filling the whole barrel with soil would cost him extra 70 lt of soil.Anyhow,it seemed quite good and he's satisfied.

Thanks for your replies.

If anyone wants to ask any tips for barrel planting,I'll be glad to help.I consider myself an expert in this subject from now on.

[Green Mantis]

I have an in-door gardenia, we live in Alberta, Can I put it outside in the summer, in it's pot? It just got re-potted in a larger pot, but wondered if I can do this?---Any suggestions? Thank You.

[rainbowgardener]

If you can provide it the right conditions; they are pretty fussy. It wants morning sun but shade from hot afternoon sun. It doesn't like hot or dry or windy or to be next to something like a concrete patio that is going to bounce heat back at it.

[Green Mantis]

Well I won't be doing that then. ALL the conditions are wrong for it. Thanks for telling me!