Everytime I say our garden is going to be small, people laugh at me. It’s all relative I suppose. For us, it’s a small garden this year. Most everything we’re planting is going to be in tubs. One great advantage of the tubs is that IF anything is still alive after summer, we can carry those 5 gallon buckets into the greenhouse and continue harvesting the veggies. Also, I’ll be able to plant my own tomatoes, peppers and probably everything, in the buckets in late winter and have a great start on next year’s summer garden.
We’ve planted all the tubs we have on hand but have more ordered. The big red tubs have four tomatoes in each tub. The 5 gallon buckets have either two tomatoes or two peppers, except there’s a bucket with parsley, one with sage and one with thyme.
We still have the keyhole and will be adding more but probably not this year. I have two raised beds with asparagus and it’s going gang busters right now. I’m having to cut asparagus morning and evening and we’re getting way more than we can eat so I’m freeze drying it. I’m not sure how it will rehydrate but it will definitely be good for asparagus soup.
We’re going to add one small raised bed for planting turmeric. In the buckets that are coming, I’ll plant cucumbers and eggplant. I’m going to replant spinach and lettuce. I’ll be able to get enough for a few meals before it bolts.
Every garden is an adventure. As always, we’re hoping for some yummy fresh veggies in a few months.
Frieda says
Do you drill holes in the bottom of the buckets?
Judy Laquidara says
No.
Joan says
It’s too late for your bucket garden this year, but check out the wonderful watering system developed by a gardener here in Alaska: alaskagrowbuckets.com
I’ve been using the system in my greenhouse for several years now and the results have been amazing. Such a watering time saver! I’m sure Vince would love to set it up and may even develop his own improvements to the system. The plans are easy and free!
Judy Laquidara says
Interesting. Thanks! I’ve sent it to Vince.
Liz says
I checked out the process – interesting to add air holes for circulation, a cloth bad to hold soil, and a colander on the bottom as a drainer. I don’t think I would add that many air holes in Texas or Oklahoma since the soil would dry out so fast, but it might help draining after rain storms.
The cloth bags are cheap, especially compared to paper gift bags, so I know places that get them printed up and use them. And since they really aren’t that good for groceries, I guess you could recycle any on them on this project. I checked prices on the net & a 5 gal bucket and colander can be had for $3 each (Walmart and a dollar store).
For us folks with smaller gardens, a possible modification for the watering could be adding a plastic pipe on the inside of the bucket and a plastic soda bottle as a funnel. You would still have to move the hose or watering can around from bucket to bucket, but it might be an option. I still have a month or so before before serious planting, so I might give this a try. Cheaper than some of the self watering pots.
Liz says
And I just looked up at your picture and see that you do have the pipe in bucket watering system.
Joan says
I make a “lid” out of a plastic garbage and secure it to the top of the bucket with twine or a super size rubber band. It helps keep the moisture from evaporating from the potting soil and would also keep rain out should you place the buckets outside.
All parts of the system can be used year after year. I do sterilize everything at the end of the season by washing the buckets, colanders, and bags down with a diluted bleach and water mixture.
Joan says
Meant to say the lid is cut from a plastic garbage BAG.
Judy Laquidara says
Here, where it gets so hot, covering the soil with plastic would bake the roots. Once the plants grow, they’ll shade the soil and since it’s a water wicking pot, they won’t dry out.
Teri says
Looks very nice. Where did you order more buckets from?
Judy Laquidara says
Home Depot. They arrived today.
shirley swift-bruner says
I am skeptical of 4 tomato plants in one tub. we planted in tubs and only had 1 plant per tub. i’m thinking you might squeeze 2 in there. they get huge and there is no room for more. good luck with that. i’ll be watching to see how yours do.
Judy Laquidara says
The four are planted in the huge tubes. We’ve watched numerous videos and that’s what they all did. When you pull up a tomato plant, the roots aren’t very deep or wide and the plants can be thick so long as they can get plenty of sun and here in Texas, that won’t be a problem. Also, if the leaves often got wet, there might be a mildew problem but we won’t have that here either.
Diana G says
I planted some garlic, onions, peppers and tomatoes in buckets.. We also are giving up the raised beds. Took the soil from the beds and added some nutrients to the new soil, mixed them all together; now just gotta add a few worms to each bucket and off we go ! We also want to plant some poblanos, jalapenos for salsa and the poblanos for chili rellanos. We like the poblanos the best next to Anaheims.
The garlic planted 2 weeks ago is starting to come thru the soil. So more mulch on them as its supposed to get down to 32 degrees here tonite.
Judy Laquidara says
That’s funny because we’ll be harvesting our garlic soon. We never mulch ours and it gets down into the teens during the winter. But . . don’t listen to me!
Nelle Coursey says
Check with Underwood’s. I think you can buy 5 gallon buckets for almost nothing there.
Judy Laquidara says
Thanks. Right now we’re having no interaction with people so that wouldn’t work but once this is over, we’ll check with them.
Susan Nixon says
Here’s a small garden. Mine. 1 tomato plant in a planter. =)