How To Make A “Self-Watering” Wicking Pot For Your Container Garden - Using A 5 Gallon Bucket.

Wicking pot growing systems are a great way to grow vegetables in containers, but most store-bought self-watering style planters are a bit expensive. It’s much cheaper to make your own self-watering pots, and in this video I show you the method I use to make my own diy wicking containers. This is my preferred type of container for growing my cucumbers and peppers since it helps them to get a more steady supply of water.
I learned this method by watching this video on a TH-cam channel called Gardening With Leon: • Using 5 gallon wick bu...
Also, here are links to my other videos that were mentioned:
This is my video about how I make my potting mix: • How To Make Potting So...
This is my video about growing tomatoes in grow bags: • Growing Tomatoes In Gr...
Here are links for many of the products I use in my vegetable garden.
Jobe’s Organic Fertilizer (4-4-4): amzn.to/3EdxeV2
or
Espoma Organic Fertilizer (3-4-4): amzn.to/3EbvJ9P
or
Sustane Organic Fertilizer (4-6-4) 20 lb Bag: amzn.to/3lztPHJ
For Berries: Espoma Berry-tone Organic Fertilizer (4-3-4): amzn.to/3jlD8dA
In addition to the above fertilizers I occasionally use these seaweed and fish fertilizers to give my plants a boost of nutrients. I also use some of the seaweed fertilizer (half-strength) on my seedlings right after I transplant them (Note: I don’t use fertilizers with fish in them for seedlings):
Maxicrop Seaweed Fertilizer (Powder): amzn.to/3uWO9ak
Maxicrop Seaweed Fertilizer (Liquid): amzn.to/37uA0JJ
Neptune's Harvest Tomato & Veg Fertilizer 2-4-2 (Note: this formula is best for first few weeks of plant growth, as it encourages lots of green leafy growth. For fruiting/flowering plants, I switch to the Rose & Flowering formula after the first few weeks. Also, this contains fish and the smell attracts animals, which will dig up the plants trying to find the source of the fish smell, so I use it early in day and water it in just before dark to minimize the smell). amzn.to/3r8OJ40
Neptune's Harvest Rose & Flowering Formula 2-6-4 (Note: This formula also contains fish so everything I said above about attracting animals applies to this formula too). amzn.to/3KqBino
The Following Organic Soil Amendments Add Trace Minerals To The Soil.
Green Sand (Organic Soil Amendment Adds Trace Minerals): amzn.to/3z5uG7B
Kelp Meal (Organic Soil Amendment Adds Trace Minerals): amzn.to/3tz2lFH
Dolomite Lime: amzn.to/3CbclIl
Self-Watering Grow Boxes:
Patio Pickers: amzn.to/3vrhHhW
Drip Irrigation: amzn.to/3uzbhuV
7 Gallon Grow Bags: amzn.to/2XaJ1mp
5 Gallon Grow Bags: amzn.to/3ht2wNP
10 Gallon Grow Bags: amzn.to/3k4WpkB
14 Inch Diameter Grow Bag Trays/Saucers: amzn.to/3tAkzqc
16 Inch Diameter Grow Bag Trays/Saucers: amzn.to/3AiP724

[@seazestyt]

The best video of wicking pot I have watched. Keep the good work.

[@shalomtoday]

You are an excellent teacher. Thank you for this information. Shalom

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you! 😊

[@guermeisterdoodlebug7980]

You had a good script and delivered it nicely. Appreciate the clarity, lack of repetition and redundancy.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you! 😊

[@JamesEnTennessee]

Very helpful...thanks for sharing!

[@1boortzfan]

Thanks for your channel from Plant City, Fl. Keep up the great work.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you! 😊

[@barbr9662]

Great teaching video! Love this method more than others I've watched. Thanks so much.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it! 😊💜

[@jimfitzgibbon5492]

Very well done

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you! 😊

[@samf8405]

I really appreciate you including the non-plastic alternative! Sticks and peat moss is a great idea.
As for an alternative to plastic buckets, would something like a repurposed untreated wood pallet work? If you have the tools available to cut them up to size and assemble them, of course. The inside could be lined with a light fabric, like burlap or even something like an old cotton shirt if needed. Just a thought.
Edit: typo

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thanks for the suggestion! In the past I have used pallets with plastic liner to set fabric grow pots in and they worked with the plastic liner, but they also deteriorated pretty quickly out in the elements, so I wasn't too happy with them. I think they only lasted a year before they started falling apart. I like your thinking about repurposing things though. Thank you! 🙂

[@mersonkv3765]

Very good 😂❤

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you 😊

[@xaviercruz4763]

I do it with soil, mama and do the halfway or 1/3 up the way drainage but just fill it completely as not to waste soil space that holds extra water but also more space for roots to grow but the soil usually has worms that create extra paths within the soil. What temperatures do you have in winter and how does garlic do for you? Thanks (would be nice to try a bucket like yours and the one I told you with a jalapeño in tandem to see what works great

[@floridavegetablegardening]

We have very mild winters. It doesn’t go below freezing every year but we usually have at least a few nights when it’s predicted to frost or potentially freeze. Some years we will get a few freezes. Last year we didn’t. Nights will typically drop into the 50s and 40s during the coldest couple of months, but a lot of nights it’s only in the 60s. Garlic has done fairly well for me but it’s because I put the bulbs in my refrigerator for 10 -12 weeks before I plant to vernalize them.

[@fishingpinky3165]

First, I love your videos and wish you had time to post more. Question, I am having difficulty understanding the purpose of the plastic bottles in the bottom of the bucket. Can you please explain. I have seen videos with just the pvc tube in a gallon jug but not sure about all the bottles. Thanks from Central East Coast Fl, Port Orange

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thanks! I wish I had more time to post videos too! I have so many ideas and even a lot of stuff recorded that I've been too busy to edit yet... The purpose of the plastic bottles is to hold most of the soil up out of the water. A little of the soil goes down into the water and wicks it up to where it can spread to the rest of the soil, but not all of the soil can be in the water, or it would be saturated with water. If the soil was just in the bottom of the bucket with no airspace in between, then it would be totally waterlogged and the plant roots would ultimately get no air and rot. I have seen various other things used in the bottom of wicking pots - like a big colander turned upside down, or soda cans, or a big piece of tubing. Regardless of what is used, something has to hold most of the soil above the water so there is some oxygen in there. I liked the re-used water bottles because they are free and are food grade. I hope this makes sense.

[@fishingpinky3165]

Thank you so much. Now I get it! Again, love your channel. @@floridavegetablegardening

[@pamelacorkran8172]

Yes I've seen where they put the pipe into the gallon container it then pours out of holes into the 5 gallon bucket and fills the small water bottles any excess pours out of the 5 gallon container through the hole. I'm getting ready to try this

[@danabinaz3173]

So interesting! I wonder if you could use rocks instead of plastic bottles? I have grow bags for my Toms but might try these buckets for my squash and peppers

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Yes, I think rocks would be great to use. The only drawback would be that they are heavy if you wanted to move the container around. Otherwise, I think they would be perfect! 👍😊

[@hjjackson05]

No. The plastic bottles have holes drilled into them to allow water to wick up the soil. Rocks won't work. All water will drain out drainage holes

[@thelcagibbs835]

❤

[@thelcagibbs835]

Brilliant

[@darlingmyo2]

What about the plastic leaching into the soil and plants?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

That is a concern I have too. I only use food grade plastic buckets and drinking water bottles, so given that I am already drinking water out of the bottles (and presumably eating food that gets stored in food grade plastic buckets), I wouldn’t think it’s any worse for me to consume something that was grown in these containers. However, in general, it doesn’t seem especially healthy that we store food and water in plastic containers, even if they’re food grade. This is the main reason I mentioned at the end of the video that I would like to find alternatives to using plastic for these types of self-watering containers. I would love to hear about safer (affordable) alternatives that can function as well for this same purpose, but I have not heard of anything yet. One person suggested using rocks in the container instead water bottles and I think that is a good idea if you have a cheap (or free) source of natural rocks. However, that only replaces the water bottles and not the bucket. I keep trying to figure out some way to use a grow bag for a container and some other natural material to set it in that holds water, but I haven’t really come up with any solid ideas yet. If you have any suggestions for an alternative to plastic, please feel free to share.

[@Jacq892]

Very helpful. I wonder how a zucchini would do

[@floridavegetablegardening]

I have grown zucchini in one of these containers and it worked out ok but zucchini plants get so big I usually prefer to grow them in the ground. It’s been a few years since I grew zucchini in a bucket but if I recall correctly, I think I wasn’t completely happy with the results. For one thing the zucchini plant starts falling over the side of the bucket when it gets big so it would be helpful to have a way to stake it up or have something to lean it on.

[@char8a291]

I noticed your pvc pipe is placed between the bottles but have you ever placed it into the water jug? Also, where did you get the Spanish moss? Thanks!

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Hi. No, I’ve never put the pipe into the water jug. I think it would be harder to fill the bucket if the pipe was in the water jug, but maybe not. I collect the Spanish moss from my yard. We have lots of it. 😊

[@char8a291]

@@floridavegetablegardeningthanks! I live in north Tx and have no moss here but I too am looking for other type containers besides plastic. I’m saving to purchase the higher raised beds because the buckets are ‘work’ and my family doesn’t like the white color so I painted them. Your videos are easy to understand and I hope you can make a few more as time and life permits. 👍🌻🌿

[@springflowerdark2137]

I just use straw

[@floridavegetablegardening]

That sounds interesting. In what way are you using the straw? Do you mean that you just plant directly into straw as your container? Or are you using it as part of some type of wicking system? I've heard of people planting directly into straw, but have never heard any personal experiences with it. I'm not sure where to buy straw in my area, but maybe I should attempt to hunt some down and try it. Thanks! 🙂

[@DB-gd4us]

You forget to say hi you fertilized after the first month or first week the most important

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Right around the 6:55 mark I showed that I added 2 cups of an organic fertilizer. That’s is all that is needed for pretty much the whole growing season. Sometimes I will add a little fertilizer near the end of the growing season if the leaves start to get pale or the fruits are getting smaller but that’s usually only for peppers since they can live for several seasons. If add additional fertilizer at a later time then I usually just sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the same organic fertilizer around the top of the pot and lightly scratch it into the top layer of soil. Occasionally I might fertilize with some liquid fish and seaweed emulsion mixed in water, but I don’t always do that and I don’t do it often.