I'm going to plant a Northcountry in a whiskey half barrel, it grows in a mound 18" to 24". I got the barrel last year cheap b/c the garden center was using it to place potted plants in it and at the bottom is an alternating stack of nailed 2x4s to add height. I left the wood in there as filler, put rocks too, then filled it with potting soil and peat.

A garden center owner on YouTube re: blueberry plants in barrels said do not put filler, soil top to bottom.

Should I remove the 2x4s and rocks? It fills up the bottom 8 to 10 inches I think. I thought blueberry plants are shallow rooted?

Also, that soil mixture is always moist, almost too wet...last summer the petunias turned yellow in it and this spring it was too wet for the pansies. Would it also be too wet for the blueberry plant? Some recommend all peat in a container, sounds like that would retain too much moisture. I was going to add to the peat/potting soil mixture some black composted leaf soil and xmas tree mulch.

I also have Organic Traditions Soil Acidifer but that isn't the issue. Why does the soil stay so wet? I do have three small holes on the bottom.

Thoughts?