Peter Hall

crockery.hall

Is it safe to grow vegetables from seed in the wooden ex beer barrels that you can buy in garden centers?

JennyJ

I don't see why it wouldn't be. Wooden containers will last longer if lined with plastic (old compost bags or similar) with holes added for drainage, and it would also help if you're worried about anything  leaching into the soil from the wood.

Obelixx

Choose well and it'll look very good.   Do as @JennyJ says and line the sides and base with black or green plastic stapled inside the rim and make sure you have plenty of drainage holes and crocks in the bottom.  Polystyrene packing is good for this a sit also insulates the base in winter.

I've seen very attractive displays of veggies using, for example, red onions, ruby chard, red kale and beetroot planted together but a well planted tub fileld with just one veg can look good too - feathery carrots, curly kale, onions, salads.......