Even plastics designed to hold food items leech stuff. I read a report about Nalgene water bottles leeching stuff even though they are regarded as one of the best plastics to use for water bottles. The question isn't 'will it leech stuff', the question is what will it leech and should I be concerned. Actually storing a food item in a container is another subject. Here we are talking about using plastic containers to grow edible plants in. To be worth worrying about the substance leeched would have to be taken up into the plant and we would have to consume enough of the substance for their to be a toxic affect whether immediately or long term from accumulation. This really isn't something I worry about. Many types of containers sold for the purpose of growing plants leech something. Cleaning a container previously used to hold something toxic, like paint, is a good idea, but beyond that I doubt there is any true health concern in using 5 gallon buckets made out of the same plastics as food containers are. If it has a number 1-7 in the recycling triangle it is a plastic used for food storage (and other purposes). This is my opinion.

I'm also a bucket nut, because I have dozens of them. I picked most of mine up while working at a high school (I'm an electrician). The have pallets and pallets of 5g buckets of wax stripper and floor wax. They also have a garbage can washer that you set the cans upside down on top of, clamp down, and turn on. It blasts the inside with high powered jets of water. It workes great with buckets too. Now obviously everyone doesn't have this available, but I would suspect a nose nozzle on jets mode would work ok, as would a pressure washer. As for other uses, Val pretty much sums it up. I have many of buckets at any givin time with something in it, from dirt, rocks, weeds, mulch, firepit ashes, you name it. So, add schools to the list of places to get free buckets. You can never have too many buckets! Joe

I forgot about my bucket of cuttings in a totally dark area of the basement. When I found it (after 6 - 8 weeks), every cutting had long roots and there were a few very pale green shoots. The water was disgustingly smelly but after I dumped it and refilled with fresh water, the cuttings went on to be decent plants this year, with lots of flowers.

Hank, I have enjoyed your designs and freethinking much. Of the three designs you have posted, this one seems likely to be the most familiar (in components), and perhaps the most predictable for water level maintenance. But I think any of your models would work great. I take it the fig tree (nice) is in a recovery drip system, for now? Thanks for the pics.