Bottomless Bucket Ground Garden Is Born
Pictured are three zucchini plants that were ready for transplanting into the ground
Last week I was reading a post by @walkerland about how she took some bottomless buckets gifted to her from a neighbor and used them to make an in-ground greenhouse. Well, I took the idea and instead of making a greenhouse out of them, I started a bottomless bucket ground garden around my homestead.
The reason I decided to use these dollar store garbage can style buckets is for a few reasons...
- They are cheap- $1- no loss of money here really and I had a stash of them for some reason
- I didn't want to weedwhack the ground cover at the back of the property because there are some great wild edibles and foraging plants there (burdock, garlic mustard, raspberry plants, etc) but yet I wanted the zucchini to be able to grow in their own little garden area
- This technique actually saves me the time to dig holes for the plants but still allows the roots to get strong and big
- I didn't want to disturb the natural environment in this creek bed drop off area
Once the plants and stems start to grow, I can take some stakes and push into the ground for the vines to attach to and keep the zucchini up off the ground. I may end up making a small trellis back there for more support than the stakes can offer; but I'll wait and see how they plants do as I have never utilized this area of the property before.
While I was at it, I did the same for my last Luffa gourd plant too. It was looking a little resentful in the planter I had it in inside the greenhouse and I was afraid the roots were overloaded and didn't have enough room to grow properly; giving me a not-so-good harvest. So I applied the same principal in an open area near the shed. There are some underground electrical wires here and I was NOT going to ram a shovel into the dirt; so this was the alternative.
Using a razor cutter, I cut out the bottom of the bucket
As I said, these are cheap plastic buckets/containers from a dollar store, so the razor was more than enough to cut through it.
Hole cut out and bucket is ready for use
Find the location to put bucket and fill with appropriate potting soil and add the seedling. Easy work
ha I like that name "bottomless bucket" it reminds me of this sign.
thanks @goldendawne, very interesting post!
This is a really good solution! I may borrow your idea for a few of my plants! Saves me a lot of backbreaking work to dig up an area that I really didn't want to do this year, but this would make it so much easier.
Oh yes!!! I have so many plants to care for, and so many chores to do outside so if I can find a quicker way to be productive, I will use it.
Very cool! I was just thinking last night it is about time for an update to my posts I have been doing about my modified bucket garden. I need to take some pictures tonight when I am out grilling. I love me some zucchini bread!
I'll have to keep an eye out for your post!!
Zucchini bread, zucchini muffins... all good!
I think this would allow me to plant some extra tomatoes and peppers around the yard, and still be alright able to weed eat around them safely. 👍👍
My thought too... I really didn't want to dig up the natural environment and I was worried the plants would get lost with the ground cover plants, but this way I can keep them sort of separate.
That's not a bad idea! I'm curious to see if they need as much water as a bucket with a bottom (and drain holes) or if they need less, like a regular in-ground garden. Thanks for sharing!
I am thinking watering will be much easier this way too as the roots can get water from the ground just as other plants do but for the next week I'll be watering myself; the shock of a new home and to acclimate the plants to their new location.
Well I can't wait to see how it works for you! We have lots of barrels. I use them cut in half longways for my planters in my greenhouse. We also have them cut in half the other way as waterers for the sheep and the other animals. There are plenty of tops left that I've been wondering how to utilize. I did think of planting in them but I was afraid the water would just run out from beneath the sides. I'm interested in seeing how yours work!
I'm loving the bottomless buckets! Keep us posted on how well they do!
That was great! Planting is one of the Anti Stress and haedache relief, especially if your plant that you take care for 2weeks have flowers and for the 3 to 4 weeks have fruits or vegetables. 😊
Absolutely love this idea. I've got insane clay soil here and prefer raised beds but it's gets expensive to fill a whole raised bed. These would be like mini raised beds just for the plants themselves. I'm gonna have to head to the dollar store.
Yes it can get costly real quick. Glad I could offer you up a possible new idea!!
Thats a novel idea I had not seen before looking forward to see how they go
What a great idea. Why did I never think of that?
I have a zuchini plant that is too big for the spot I gave him in my square foot garden (what on earth was I thinking while I was planting him in that spot, lol)
I hadn’t found a good solution yet, and here you are, offering it to me on a golden plate.
Thanks for this very useful tp, @goldendawne!