Make use of old buckets by growing individual bucket plants.
If you think the only way to grow a vegetable garden is on a plot of land in your expansive backyard, think again. Urban gardening and xeriscaping techniques have expanded the way people garden in their homes, and containers have plenty to do with it. Grow some delicious food, and get rid of your old buckets at the same time.
Salsa Vegetable Garden
Plant yourself some ingredients for a fresh salsa or salad fixings all in one bucket. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and pole beans all share a home in this bucket garden.
For bucket gardens, cherry, patio or bush tomatoes work best. The tomato is placed in the center of the bucket and staked to "train" the tomato vine to climb up as it grows. This is done by placing a 4-foot pole in the soil (tall enough for the plant when it's mature) about 3 inches away from the plant. A piece of fabric is used to gently tie the plant to the stake. You can have one tomato plant per bucket.
Cucumber seeds should be planted toward the front of the bucket and trained to grow over the front of the bucket. Once they're long enough, gently place them over the side. Peppers are bushlike plants and should be placed on either side of the tomato plant. Pole beans will be happy near the back of the bucket. A string is tied from somewhere above the bucket to its edge. Train the beans to climb the string by gently tying them to it.
The bucket lives in a secure place where it can't get knocked over but also gets plenty of sunshine. It's watered every few days.
Hanging Wall Herb Garden
A hanging wall herb garden works well for someone with very limited space and limited time for garden maintenance. Herb seeds or cuttings are placed in tiny bucket planters and mounted on a wall that will get plenty of sunshine and partial shade. It's best to watch the sun throughout the day in a given area before placing your garden there. Even a person living in an apartment or condo with a small balcony can accommodate the tiny garden.
If you don't have outdoor space, try hanging your herbs on an indoor wall that gets plenty of sunshine. The herbs need drainage, though, so it's a good idea to keep them in your bucket planter (with drain holes) inside a slightly larger bucket that doesn't have drain holes. You could also create a platform for the planting bucket and place an overflow dish beneath it.
Squash and Melon Hanging Garden
If you don't have a large enough yard to grow some delectable squash and melon, grow them vertically by planting in buckets and training the vines over a trellis system. An arched metal trellis works well, so the veggies will hang from overhead when mature.
It takes just four plants to cover the trellis frame. Plants also get more sunlight and air with this technique, which makes them less susceptible to pests and disease. The fruits also rot less often, since they're not in contact with the ground. The trellis can hold squash and melon fruit, but it's best to use pieces of cotton to support them by tying both ends to the trellis and cradling the fruit in a sling. Trombetta squash is a good variety to try with this garden.
Tags: plenty sunshine, drain holes, front bucket, gets plenty, gets plenty sunshine, squash melon, tomato plant
