Homemade potting mix for 5 gallon buckets?
muskymojo
13 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (18)
bigpinks
13 years agodigdirt2
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Homemade mix for tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets?
Comments (9)I have been using peat/perlite to add. I am currently thinking of adding bark to my soil mix for a filler. But with your access to compost just add 20% perlite/50%peat moss/30% compost. You could always top dress with compost so make a nice drainage mix. I have been growing cherry tomatoes in containers for years. Using those 5 gal. buckets you will need to keep feeding them. Also Use tomato cage or trellis. I have found that using even 50% perlite or more can grow plants faster but require more food and watering and if you add too much perlite ph ballance will need attention so stay with peat/perlite mix to add....See MoreMy 5 gallon compost bucket is hot!!!!
Comments (2)Funny story: it's not even close to 5 gallons. It might be 2. It doesn't stay hot for long before I have to aerate &/or add to it, so I'm going to transfer it into a 5 gal. Its especially funny to me since I was thinking about upsizing when I saw 20+ gal barrels for sale. That would probably be a bit big for my space. Lol....See MoreUsing 5 gallon buckets as pots
Comments (15)I live in Virginia, zone 7. Last winter was really bad for here and this winter is supposed to be worse, though obviously neither will be as bad as up north. I had two tiny roses last year and they didn't get much "frost bite" so I'm confident these will live just fine if I keep them in the ground until spring. I might have to think of something next year if they'll still be in pots then, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. We don't know exactly where we'll live yet (we've picked 2-3 towns as possible, but the house itself is the deciding factor) but it won't be more than 15-20 minutes from where we live now, still in Virginia, zone 7. I'll try to update my info to say that all the time. This post was edited by Rosecandy on Sat, Oct 18, 14 at 9:28...See MoreIs a 5 gallon bucket big enough to grow tomatoes in?
Comments (13)I agree that its possible and that it takes more work in feeding and watering and that choosing smaller utlimate size of plants will help a great deal. A couple other suggestions. Rather than drilling holes in the bottom, try making just one horizontal saw cut, maybe 2" long, a couple inches up from the bottom. Much better water retention and it will still drain if you used a potting mix. If you can get 20 gal containers for anything like that price, I'd get several. Pots that big, in my climate serve lrg indeterminates very well. I dont even cut drain holes in them but if you have a very rainy spell you might need to build a mini well point to syphon excess water. If you don't have that rainy spell though, they'll be just dandy and your watering chores are much reduced. Again, only with potting mix, which confused me quite a bit when I started hanging around here. It must be regional thing. We have many products, and always have, labeled "potting soil" but has a light texture due to compost, humas, vermiculite etc. Many refer to this as soiless mix and can get kinda touchy about it :-) We do also have a few products that are labeled potting soil but you can tell from the heft, that un-ammended, are much too dense for containers and will not drain properly....See Moretokizy
13 years agokorney19
13 years agogardenvt
13 years agomuskymojo
13 years agotaz6122
13 years agojon_z6b
13 years agotaz6122
13 years agozabby17
13 years agotaz6122
13 years agozabby17
13 years agotomncath
13 years agocbrunelle50436_roadrunner_com
12 years agonordfyr315
12 years agoterrybull
12 years agoBets
12 years ago
Related Stories
OUTDOOR PROJECTSBring In the Birds With a Homemade Bubble Rock
An avian expert from Southern Indiana shows how to make a burbling fountain that migrating birds will love
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARDHow to Grow Vegetables in Containers
Get glorious vegetables and fruits on your patio with a pro’s guidance — including his personal recipe for potting mix
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESVegetables and Flowers Mix in Beautiful Edible Gardens
Ornamentals, meet your edible garden mates. We know you'll get along just beautifully
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: Mixing It Up in a Century-Old Edwardian
Different eras, patterns and textures mingle beautifully in a Canadian interior designer's home and 'design lab'
Full StoryFALL GARDENING5 Fall Fruits You Can Grow in Containers
Brighten your porch or patio with a potted pomegranate, kumquat, blueberry bush or another great fall fruit
Full StoryKIDS’ SPACES5 Teen and Tween Girls' Rooms With Fresh-Faced Style
Youthful and light, these girls' bedrooms show an age-appropriate mix of playful spirit and design-savvy sophistication
Full StoryLIFEThe Top 5 Ways to Save Water at Home
Get on the fast track to preserving a valuable resource and saving money too with these smart, effective strategies
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGN5 Home Cooks Share Their Favorite Family Recipes
Peek inside the kitchens of these Houzz users and learn how to cook their time-tested, passed-down dishes
Full StoryEARTH DAY5 Ideas for a More Earth-Friendly Garden
Consider increasing the size of garden beds, filtering rainwater and using plants to reduce energy use
Full StoryPLANTING IDEASStretch the Budget, Seasons and Style: Add Conifers to Your Containers
Small, low-maintenance conifers are a boon for mixed containers — and you can transplant them to your garden when they’ve outgrown the pot
Full Story
terrybull