Tubs and pots that are overflowing with flowers definitely add charm to any garden, but did you know that you can also grow your own vegetable garden at home and have an unlimited source of fresh produce straight from your backyard. You do not need to worry about having a big backyard or pretty pots because you can use or recycle a bucket and place it in your small yard, balcony, or anywhere in your house that receives a patch of sun every day. Next thing you know, you have chives, basil, tomatoes, and chives growing conveniently in the comfort of your own home. That is why in this article, we are going to talk more about bucket gardening and how you can achieve it.
What is Bucket Gardening?
Bucket gardening is really as simple as it sounds. It is all about growing your plants in buckets. Bucket gardening is a subset of container gardening, and most people who do this like to use 5-gallon buckets. This type of container gardening provides you a deep enough soil to accommodate various kinds of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. It is also sturdy so that you can move your containers around quickly. Not only that, but bucket gardening is also very inexpensive because the buckets are made of heavy-duty plastic, and they can last for years.
How to Start Bucket Gardening
All you need to get started are light, soil, water, plants, and of course, buckets. We suggest using a five-gallon bucket with several holes drilled in the bottom so that the excess water could drain. Set your bucket up for planting by adding a layer of gravel at the bottom to help with the drainage.
Once you set up your buckets, it’s time for you to get some soil. Keep in mind that different plants like different kinds of soil. That is why it is best if you do a little research on the fruits, vegetables, or flowers to grow. Some vegetables like certain fertilizers, while others thrive on a particular soil pH. This is a good thing with bucket gardening because it allows you to customize each soil according to the individual plant that you’re going to grow in it.
When you get your buckets, soil, and fertilizers ready, you are now prepared to plant your plants and kick off your bucket garden.
What are the Benefits of Bucket Gardening?
Because buckets are small and portable, you can literally start a garden in almost any space at all, whether it is tiny urban yards, apartment patios, or small sunny patches in your heavily shaded yards. Buckets are easy to move. That is why when you decide to move your plants to a different location to get better sun exposure or just rearrange them to be aesthetically pleasing, all you have to do is pick them up and move them wherever you want.
Bucket gardens are also perfect for people who have a living situation requiring frequent moving. Planting your vegetables, fruits, or flowers in buckets allows you to take your garden with you anywhere you go and easily set it up when you’re at your new home. Bucket gardening also means that you have fewer weeds to deal with.
The downside for bucket gardening is that your plants will lack access to groundwater. That is why you might need to water your plants more often than when they are planted in-ground. Aside from that, plants with extensive root systems planted in pots and buckets may not be happy living in a bucket home. Perennial plants often have this problem because their root systems grow every year.
What are the Common Problems When You’re Bucket Gardening?
It does not matter what type of garden you’re growing; you cannot avoid running into some problems when it comes to gardening. Probably the most common problem you’re going to face when you’re bucket gardening is the lack of proper drainage. You have to make sure that you add drainage holes and you add enough, not too little but not too many. Make sure that you give your plants adequate drainage opportunities. The best way to achieve this is to add a layer of gravel at the bottom of the bucket to prevent the drainage holes from plugging up.
Another common problem when you’re bucket gardening is soil depletion. If you use the same soil after a year and don’t take care of it, chances are it will eventually become depleted of nutrients. That is why it is best if you mix in some fresh compost after every growing season to keep your soil nutritious and healthy for your plants.
Lastly, just like in any garden or farm, pests can be one big problem. Do not let your guards down just because there’s a bucket between the ground and your plant because pests still can get to your plants. That is why it is best to take a look at your plants every day for any pests problems and quickly remove these pests once you see them.
What Kind of Vegetables Can You Grow in a Bucket?
Most vegetables will grow well in buckets, but it’s still essential to find out how many vegetables you can plant in one bucket. For example, planting four squash plants in one bucket is not really feasible. While growing a single onion per bucket means that you’re wasting valuable space.
That is why it is essential to remember the rule of thumb per bucket is to plant one eggplant or tomato, two peppers, one melon or squash, or four lettuce, onions, radishes, carrots, or beets. Aside from vegetables, you can also quickly grow herbs in buckets; you can also move them indoors to a sunny window during winter.