How to Grow Vegetables in 5 Gallon Buckets

Overview

Five-gallon buckets are the perfect size for growing vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and others, and the best part about them is that they are usually free for the asking. Most restaurants and deli stores use them for pickles or cake icings, and toss them in the trash when they are empty. If you collect 5-gallon buckets for your container garden, you can grow more vegetables and save space in the landfill as well.

Step 1

Clean the bucket thoroughly. Salt and other residues could harm your vegetables. If you have several buckets, take them to the local car wash for a power wash and rinse.

Step 2

Drill three or four drainage holes in the bottom of the bucket, near its edge, using a 1/4 inch drill bit.

Step 3

Throw rocks into the bucket to cover the bottom. This will help with drainage.

Step 4

Fill the bucket to about 6 inches from the top with good quality potting soil. Add a few inches of well-rotted compost on top of that.

Step 5

Insert a bamboo cane or wooden stake near the center of the pot if the vegetable you are planting will need to be staked. Push it all the way to the bottom for maximum strength; plants can exert tremendous force on a garden stake. Alternatively, attach a tomato cage to the sides of the bucket after you plant the seedling.

Step 6

Dig out a small hole in the center of the pot for your seedling plant using a garden trowel. Make the hole slightly wider and deeper than the seedling's pot.

Step 7

Pop the plant into the hole so that it sits slightly lower than the level it occupied in its original pot. Firm the soil around the stem.

Step 8

Water the soil around the plant to force air bubbles away from rootlets and help seat the plant firmly in the soil. If necessary, add a bit more compost to the top of the pot around the plant, so that the soil level is 1 inch from the top of the rim.

Step 9

Water the plant well, but do not drench the soil. Check regularly, and water any time the soil feels dry 2 inches below the surface.

Step 10

Place buckets in a sunny location. Most vegetables like a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day. In very warm climates, you may need to provide partial shade during the hottest hours.

Step 11

Feed the plant with dilute aged compost or manure tea once each week, in addition to regular watering, to maintain nutrient levels.