What can I grow in 5 gallon buckets?
missemerald
11 years ago
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Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
11 years agodigdirt2
11 years agoRelated Discussions
5 gallon bucket vs 5 gallon nursery pot?
Comments (5)Those are what's referred to in the industry as nursery "trade sizes" and are not intended to duplicate a true liquid measurement but rather to standardize the sizing of plants in the commercial nursery industry. So comparing sized nursery containers to a 5 gallon bucket is really like comparing apples to oranges - one has absolutely no relationship or bearing on the other!! And FWIW, I would consider a 5G bucket an absolute minimum size for growing tomatoes. Might work OK for some smaller determinate varieties but I grow indeterminates in 20 or 25G containers and the root system will completely fill the container by the end of the season....See MoreWhat can I grow in 5 gallon buckets?
Comments (9)First make sure you do not use regular soil. Use potting mix. With some research you can make 5-1-1 mix for yourself if you have the components available. It would be less than half the cost of the bagged potting mix. Avoid anything that says soil for use in the buckets. It will compact, it will not drain well. Your plants may start off looking great, then they all start to look sick, then die. Ok that part is done. Now onto the what you can grow in them. Well just about darn near anything will grow in potting mix in the buckets. If you grow tomatoes in them stick with the bush types they will do great. Any peppers will do well in the buckets as well. Cuces, and squash will do fine in them. It may be helpful to put some pea gravel that covers the bottom of the pot to keep the drain holes from plugging up. Also set them on something that allows the water to drain out of the bottom without the water pooling up in them....See MoreAnyone growing garlic in 5 gallon buckets?
Comments (5)gaentenol, garlic is meant to over winter. Here in NH I grow a stiff neck variety purchased locally and now I save out some heads that I harvest in early Aug for planting in October. It should do fine in your raised bed. I would not try to grow it in the garage. I'm sure there is a better explanation someplace but I think outdoor plants that self seed and winter over know when it's the right time to start growing again. That wouldn't happen to garlic grown in a garage....See MoreWhere can I find a sturdy 5 gallon bucket?
Comments (17)Grizzman, I don't think I am overthinking it. I think you are thinking this problem through with a regular 5 gallon bucket in mind. A regular 5 gallon bucket for paint is highly unlikely to collapse like tbaleno's is collapsing under the described circumstances. Instead, it would cause a vacuum and not let the water out. I've not seen Home Depot's buckets, but Menard's (another big box store) buckets are practically translucent because they are so thin. I wouldn't be surprised if the manufacturer for both companies is the same. With flimsy enough walls, the walls will collapse before air entering the tube moves far enough. Once the walls are collapsed the pressure is stabilized as the air in the bucket is compressed. Unless the air coming in the tube is forced air (unlikely), then it won't make it up the tube if the bucket has begun collapsing. At least not enough to stop further collapse the next watering. As the collapse starts it will put positive pressure on the tube and not allow air to enter from there. You are absolutely right that a larger tube will speed up stabilization, but it first speeds up destabilization. It is then just a matter of whether the bucket walls can withstand the initial destabilization or not. Just judging from what was originally written, that the bucket is collapsing already, the walls are very thin and I have those Menard's buckets in mind. Maybe I'm incorrect and tbaleno has thicker buckets than Menards provides. Another thing that could be contributing to the collapse is the length of the tube. If it is too long AND the wall of the bucket is too thin, then that will also cause collapse before air can travel up the tube. Personally, I would be inclined to go with both, a sturdier bucket and a wider diameter tube....See Morewoohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
11 years agoGary_Snail
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11 years agoOhiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
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11 years agowoohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
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11 years agojapus
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11 years agowoohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
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11 years agoOhiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
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11 years agowoohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
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9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOhiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agowoohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
9 years ago
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