Bucket Garden

[eveled]

Planted differently this year. Drilled a bunch of small holes and a large one for a basket and another for a piece of pvc pipe. It is meant to sit in a second bucket that holds the water then the water gets sucked up into the dirt because the basket is in the water. You water through the pvc pipe.

 

[eveled]

Pretty interesting what we found. The roots grew all the way down into the second bucket to reach the water. Amazing.

 

[eveled]

 

[eveled]

the roots Grew through the water and made a Matt on the bottom of the second bucket

 

[marchone]

Nice set up. I assume no gravel bed? What are you planting?

 

[eveled]

No gravel. We had 15 set ups. Tomatoes peppers eggplant cucumbers cayenne peppers green beans.

an upside down tomato cage snaps on to top rim of the buckets

 

[22-rimfire]

No gravel. We had 15 set ups. Tomatoes peppers eggplant cucumbers cayenne peppers green beans.

an upside down tomato cage snaps on to top rim of the buckets

So, how did they do this season?

The city pickers container works on the same principle (but store bought) with the fill pipe and wicking action from the bottom or reservoir. I have two of those for smaller stuff.

Is there a way for excess water to drain off from the bottom bucket? I could see a big rain storm or if you get carried away with the garden hose where the bucket might well fill half full of water and the plants won't like that much.

 

[Ourorboros]

"Life finds a way"
This seems like a similar idea to those soda bottle (liter or 2 plastic bottle) set ups where some fabric wicks water up to the top level.

 

[Midget]

I think this system is often defined as a "sub irrigated planter."

Is there a way for excess water to drain off from the bottom bucket? I could see a big rain storm or if you get carried away with the garden hose where the bucket might well fill half full of water and the plants won't like that much.

When I had this set up, I simply drilled a tiny outlet hole (in the outer bucket) at the water level that I wanted the irrigation reservoir to drain out. The downside of this was that now there is another exposed hole to a reservoir of standing water, and my fear was that mosquitoes would breed in that area (but I never had that problem). Also drilling a hole in the bucket kind of ruins it for use of anything else other than for the planter.

 

[eveled]

Yes a small hole was drilled in the bottom bucket right at the bottom of the top bucket. It worked really good.

It would be neat if you could daisy chain them all together. And only have to water them from one place. Then figure out an an auto feeder.

 

[skyhorse]

I use buckets too.

 

[22-rimfire]

Lowe's and Home Depot buckets seem well represented! Yes, "do it right."

 

[eveled]

Some say not to use them because they aren’t food safe. I can only worry about so much. Lol.