Hey Yvette!

[AbbeyLehman]

I can describe for you how I did the upside down buckets, although I don't have pictures right now.....Will that work??

[Yomolove]

yes... I will do a visual in my head.

[AbbeyLehman]

Okey dokey! Here goes:

1. Start with any 4+ gallon bucket, handle is not important as you can add one.
2. Turn the bucket upside down and cut a 1-2" (approx.) hole in the center of the bottom. Use your best jugdement on the size of the hole, based on the mature size of the main stem of the plant you will be growing in the bucket. I've used a door knob drill bit thingy, a good utility knife or even a regular drill bit to make the outline. BE CAREFUL--it's slick!
3. Take 2 chairs or sawhorses or something similar and set their 2 level surfaces about 4 inches apart and place the bucket right side up on top--center the hole you just cut over the opening between the 2 chairs.
4. Take several coffee filters (or landscape fabric, etc) that are at least twice as big as the hole and use them to cover the hole inside the bucket. Cut a SMALL "X" in the center for the roots to pass through.
5. Put about 2" of potting soil in the bucket, creating a ring around the "X" in the filters.
6. Take the plant/seedling and GENTLY wash off as much soil as you can.
7. Turn the plant upside down and again, GENTLY thread the roots up through the "X" in the filter.
8. Holding the roots upright with one hand, gently but firmly pack the potting soil around the roots, adding more soil as needed to support the roots well. Pack as firmly as you can without breaking the roots.
9. Once you have a little soil covered root mound in the bottom of the bucket, MIST the soil with water. If you just dump water into the bucket, it will wash the soil out from around the roots and you'll risk the plant falling out of the hole.
10. Continue to add soil about 2" at a time, misting each layer well.
11. Hang the bucket in full sunlight and give the roots time to adjust before watering thoroughly. Hang it higher than you think you'll need. Five feet is not high enough :)
12. You can plant in the top of the bucket, as well, but keep in mind that if the top plant gets very full that rain will be unable to water the bucket for you. I like using hanging plants for the top, which keeps the top a little more open. Don't use parsley--ask me why :)
13. Mulch if desired--you'll still probably have to water at least every other day when it's hot.

The ONLY problem I have had with my buckets is powdery mildew. If you see what you think might be it, spray with baking soda water ASAP. It works really well, but every leaf that has mildew will wilt and die, so you want to catch it before every leaf has it.

I did cucumbers, yellow squash and tomatoes in buckets this year. The cucumbers didn't do as well as I'd hoped, but that could have been the mildew. The tomatoes did AWESOME. 'Nuff said. The squash has done well--I like that it take MUCH less space in the bucket than it does in the ground. You can do 2 squash plants in one 5 gallon bucket (both out of the same hole, like a hill) and it take up just the hang space--hang them HIGH though. The zucchini I have in the ground is trying to take over and yet the squash just hangs there all well-behaved-like. LOL

Now, ask me questions so I can clear this up!

[Ani]

That's a great description! If we put in a deck at some point I will have to give that a try.

[AbbeyLehman]

Here is a (somewhat blurry) picture of the "stand" I made out of PVC for my buckets...

http://www.gardengirltv.com/messageboard/picture.php?albumid=4&pictureid=12

It's too short, although it worked otherwise.

[Yomolove]

So you just used pvc's, Did you glue them? or do they just pop right in... HMMM.. may be a plan otherwise

[AbbeyLehman]

I drove the vertical pipes into the ground with a sledgehammer somewhere around 12-18 inches (measure up from the bottom and put a mark on the pipe-drive it in until the mark is at the ground). The horizontal connectors are glued with PVC glue (the regular stuff in a gold can) side-to-side in the "L" shape. The tops are NOT glued to the verticals so I can slide the buckets' handles along. The weight of the filled buckets holds the top down on the verticals. They're all 1-inch pipes, cut at the 7 foot/3 foot mark. You may want to change that measurement, though, since they came out too short for the plants.

[Yomolove]

Wow, I can live with these instructions... Thank you so much!..

[AbbeyLehman]

I was just thinking of a way to improve my design....Cut the 10-foot pipes at the 8/2 mark...drive the 8 footers into the ground in a square shape, roughly 2 feet and 3 or 4 inches apart. Glue the 2 footers in a square with elbows to connect (which adds the 3-4 inches). Glue the square down onto the verticals if you want, since the completed square has no breaks to thread on the buckets. Use swingset chain and "S" hooks to hang the buckets.

This would give a somewhat shaded center for lettuce or spinach or some other cool-loving plant....Maybe a play spot for children--briefly, since the plants will get too big quickly. Harvesting can be done from the outside. This shape would be more stable than the "L" I used. You could also make an octagon using 45 degree elbows instead of the 90 degree elbows....

[Yomolove]

Enough already, Your making me want to go to home depo and pick up a few things...LOL. I will have to do some craigslisting soon.

[AbbeyLehman]

That's pretty much a constant state for me :)