Backyard Gardens are popping up across the country as people look for ways to save money and grow fresh food. A cheap bucket garden is simple and can be a very inexpensive way to get started… Essentially, a small bucket garden can be created with little to no expense. Whether it’s a tin garden bin, plastic trash can, or old cardboard box, any container you find can meet the basic requirements and act as a container for your garden. When you decide to start your bucket garden, it’s more important to spend your money to get the best return on your investment; seeds, seedlings and potting soil, etc.
Your container garden can be made from literally anything that makes up a box, pot or container you have lying around that can hold soil and your vegetable crops. A 5 gallon plastic bucket used to grow vegetables and herbs can be very beneficial in several ways:
1. One of the benefits of a container garden is its portability. If you live in a home that doesn’t provide the optimal conditions for a stationary garden, cube gardens can give you the flexibility you need.
2. A bucket garden is a bit more difficult for animals to access and can be surrounded by fencing if necessary. Because bucket gardens are raised a foot or two above the ground, they are harder for rabbits and other trespassers to reach.
3. If you live in a condo or apartment, you may not have access to private land to grow vegetables. The large 5 gallon container can provide a small area for you to have your own garden for your desired herbs and vegetables.
4. 5 gallon plastic buckets are durable and can be used to hold various crops. A pizza cube might contain basil, onion, and a tomato plant. Everything you need to add to a fresh pizza when it’s ready for harvest. A great project to get your little one involved in gardening.
Some of the easiest ways to get started are listed below when thinking about your own garden projects:
How to make a hanging bucket planter for the price of a cup of coffee – A hanging bucket planter is easy to make for growing tomatoes upside down. You don’t need fancy infomercials to grow a tomato upside down and it can be done in 10 minutes with a standard bucket.
How to find items in your shed or garage to make a bucket planter: Your garage or shed is a great source for items from buckets and bins that are lying around. You may have some large containers already stacked in a corner somewhere that work well in the garden.
Make a Freestanding Bucket Planter – A freestanding cube planter can easily be made out of empty 2-liter soda bottles that you use every day. Cut off the bottom, attach it to a free-standing post, add some soil, and you’re ready to grow some herbs or other plants like jalapeno peppers.
How to Make a Simple Compost Bin Every bucket garden needs a source of rich compost. Making a free compost box from discarded pallets is one way to do this. In less than 30 minutes you can have your own compost box. You can also make a compost bin out of a simple trash can. If you have a large trash can lying around, it’s easy to turn it into a compost bin in less than 5 minutes. Self-contained and ready to use for storing grass clippings, rotten leaves and kitchen scraps.
Most of the organic material can be added to your compost to create “black gold.” Stinky rotten vegetables are the best items to aid in the decay process. However, there are things that should not go in your compost bin. Items like meat, bones, and dog feces are taboo items to put in your compost. These things can bring unwanted pests into your garden and cause unnecessary trouble.
In short, making a bucket garden is easy and very cheap. You can create it from existing materials found in your shed or garage, and paired with a simple compost bin, you can grow amazing greens for your table.
