I should probably search a little longer but=== does anyone have experience with growing their veggies in the 5 gallon bucket with the lid on to help keep the moisture in.................kinda like the topsy turvy idea of holding the moisture in----but up right and letting tomatoes and cukes just fall over and hang down and also hanging the bucket/pot so you don't have to have stakes or cages?
I have seen a few tomatoes grown in five gallon buckets sitting on the ground with cages.... and there was never a lid used to help hold the moisture in and they were never hanging either.
And also the topsy turvy markets that the hanging veggies don't have as many insects to deal with......is that true from your experience?
Would hanging a squash plant lesson the amount of squash bugs===personally I wouldn't think it would cause they fly. Along with White flies.
What is your opinion and thoughts. I know the bucket is not pretty but I need less work and more production.
5 gallon bucket gardens/planters.
There is a thread here some where which discusses Eco-buckets.
Some discussion is in the Tomato Forum.
Also discussion of ePlanters conversion is under Self Contained Box Containers Forums.
This message was edited Jan 6, 2012 10:43 AM
This message was edited Jan 6, 2012 10:56 AM
This message was edited Jan 6, 2012 11:11 AM
eBuckets.....
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1188608/
My current winter garden picture....
My strawberries in a homemade eBerry Bucket...
Look at you go, girl! ;-) Strong work, Linda!!
Al
Thank you Gymgirl......that subject goes wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back. That is gonna take some time reading. I love the colander watering system. I can't aford it for 50 buckets but I can try it with a few. And you have beautiful healthy plants. A job Well Done.
I grew tomatoes in 25 gallon pots and I only had to water them once a day= mostly cause they had a lot of moisture holding growing mix in the pot......but I had to water the Earthbox twice a day to keep the tomatoes watered. Then I had a tomato plant in a 5 gallon pot that had to be watered every day but only once a day........I had to water the EB twice a day. I truely believe that the soil holds the same amount of water as the reservoir does which means the reservoir is an unnecessary cost expense .. Might as well set up a direct watering system for less money.
Cricket,
Everything you see is growing in mostly 6.5 gallon pool chlorine buckets. They are free-draining, without the reservoirs in them. And, yes, my intent was to hook them up to the direct watering system that I've had in the box for 2 years now (aaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh).
But, since I like being among the vegetation, up close, and personal enough for lizards to hitch a ride into my kitchen (that's for another post...), I don't mind having to water more often. The proof is in the picture.
I'm using Tapla's 5-1-1 container mix in all the buckets! In this case, it's a 3-1-1 mix, because I recycled the old MG potting mix from last season. Read up on this on the Soils and Composting thread. There's a sticky at the top! Al has saved me $$$$ on growing mediums, and I'm free to spend that $$ on fertilizer. Been using MG Water Soluble Plant Food (24-8-16) once a week. Watering "weakly, weekly".
Al and I are PBF-BFF's forever! He's an exceptionally loving and patient expert in the field of soils and minerals, et al, and a wonderful teacher, too.
^^_^^^^_^^(Linda and Al doing the pine bark fines stomp)
Hey, Al!
Linda
Hm.....well....I like to mix 1/2 compost and 1/2 promix bx which has the perlite, peat, and vermiculite and I don't recall having a drain problem and I never checked to see if I had a deep perched water table in the bottom of the pot.
I am after information on growing tomatoes up right in a hanging bucket.......and wanted to know if hanging the pots provides some insect control for veggie plants. I feel like I am searching a dead end street .
anybody?
Something has to be done about these squash bugs. They're like armored trucks that multiply.
Well cricket, it seems to me that if you hang the buckets the insects won't be able to drop "down" on the soil to lay their eggs so I would think they would self destruct eventually especially if you kept the top of the bucket covered by screenwire or something. Just an opinion.
I would use the bucket lid . I will be trying a few in the hanging buckets just to see how things work out......especially squash. I can't keep the bugs off my squash and I really hate using insecticide. I will be trying two things with the squash......the hanging bucket...which i really dread cause it is up high. And the other is a 3x3 grow box with a 3 foot high frame lined with screen. The top will hindged to open. If I had the money= I would have a screened in garden.......been wishing it for years and not totally out of the question.
The bees wouldn't be able to pollinate your squash blossoms in the screened in planters, could they?
no they cannot but I can. It is easy and simple. I grew some squash plants in the greenhouse early one year and I hand pollinated the 8 plants and had a nice early production.
Good idea, thanks!
Love the berry bucket Linda. I am collecting bamboo again and stripping the side shoots to prepare for the season. I don't think I am going to do the teepee trellis again. Not so sure about the driveway clutter either. Starting fresh and small with peas right now. Maybe some greens. Will follow you and Al anywhere with great interest. :D
A.
Well, I guess a "follower" deserves an update, huh? LOL!!!!
Looks like a bird has discovered the strawberries. It'll be EZ enough to just throw some bird netting over the bucket. I don't mind sharing with the wildlife. They work for me by eating my bad bugs and grub worms!
Linda
O wow. Yum! :)
I'd be screwy and probably let the birds eat most of them. Dang, it's gorgeous! Do you only have one berry bucket?
Still sluggish here with the hand. Hurt it again in a different way by cutting a nice chunk out of my palm. It is healing nicely, but I have it all wrapped up and have been wearing the brace and now and then a sock to remind me not to use it. :D
I'll put the sugar snap peas in buckets and probably start some haricort verts there too. I started my trionfono pole beans too late in the season last year, but even then I was still pleased with the results. Is this the thread for this season's buckets?
Thanks for the update. ;)
A.
p.s. I still have not shipped off that other computer for repairs/replacement and I MUST save all that information on knot tying!
Yes, AmandaEsq, You MUST save that info on knot tying!
Especially since I've started my very first KY Wonder Pole beans and they need to go out like two weeks ago! Was gonna make a "boo" run this weekend, but the storms held me up. Gonna harvest some stout poles soon, and start making the teepees!
Linda
Please Read My Contest Submission: "Preparing for Spring"
Hi,
Would like for you to read my submission to the 1st annual Dave's Garden Writing Contest. Not soliciting votes. Just would like you to read my article.
Hugs!
Linda
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3620/
Linda,
I read it. Loved it. Voted for it! You're really talented and I hope you win first place.
Good luck (fingers crossed for ya girl)!!
--
Bev
Thanks, Bev!
Loved it Gymgirl. Hope you win.
Linda, I was wondering what, if any, problem you had with residual chlorine leaching from the plastic buckets. I thought about the 5 gallon buckets for my tomatoes and didn't think about the chlorine buckets. With this little tidbit I may be able to snag some buckets from a friend who has a pool cleaning business.....
How are going to set up your watering system??
Kevin
This message was edited Mar 29, 2012 12:48 AM