| How to make your Own Vegetable Bucket Garden | | | | 4. Fertilizer |
| As food costs increase and families look to save | | | | Most 5 gallon buckets come in white, but you can |
| money in creative ways, home vegetable gardens | | | | buy different colors to accent your garden theme. |
| are becoming more popular across the country. In | | | | You can add a little pizazz to your bucket garden by |
| some situations, one of the major challenges to | | | | dressing up the 5 gallon containers with some paint. |
| growing your own food is to find a suitable design | | | | Pastel colors and designs might be a bit corny, but |
| that is inexpensive and can provide portability, if | | | | white buckets may be a bit plain and this may help |
| needed. | | | | dress up your growing space. |
| Portability is an important aspect if you live in a home | | | | Once you have everything you need, follow the |
| that does not provide optimal conditions for a | | | | process below to build your first bucket garden: |
| stationary garden. Some of the issues that may | | | | |
| require portability may include minimal access to | | | | 1. Drill several holes in the bottom of the 5 gallon |
| sunlight, strong wind conditions or animal control. A | | | | bucket for drainage |
| bucket garden is a very simple way to begin your | | | | 2. Fill the bucket 2/3 of the way with the potting soil |
| journey toward food independence. | | | | 3. Create several divots in the soil about 3 to 4 |
| If you are unsure whether or not you even want to | | | | inches apart |
| venture down the path of becoming a self made | | | | 4. Place plants into the holes and cover with |
| vegetable grower, you can start small with one or | | | | remaining potting soil |
| two 5-gallon buckets. Most begin with the basic | | | | 5. Add Water and place in partial sunlight |
| vegetable plants; tomatoes, peppers, peas or even | | | | Having vegetable buckets sit on the ground or up on |
| green beans before they go full bore. You can even | | | | a table can provide the basic portability you need. |
| start small with herbs like basil or parsley before | | | | Another option for your bucket garden is the ability |
| tackling real vegetable plants. | | | | to suspend them off the ground so you can grow |
| To get started, you can go to any home | | | | your plants upside down. This option can allow |
| improvement or hardware store to get the following | | | | tomato or pepper plants to grow out the bottom |
| materials: | | | | without having to worry about staking your plants to |
| | | | keep them upright. If selecting this approach, the |
| 1. 1 or 2 five gallon buckets | | | | overall planting process would be slightly different to |
| 2. Potting Soil | | | | create the desired effect. |
| 3. Tomato or Pepper plants | | | | |