I so appreciate the fact that you are kind enough to show folks like myself how to start gardening on a small scale with no land to plant in. I have a patio and I’ve got buckets so I’m ready to roll!
That potting mix is soooo important just remember that. You'll want to get some peat. Somthing like black Kow compost and a potting soil of your choice. Mix it 1:1:1 and get some perlite and mix it up. Heck just look up video of making your own potting mix.
my only issue with this is the amount of (non-food-grade) plastic you'll have up against your roots, with the intense sun and temp changes breaking down into micro-plastics for toxic trace-element uptake..
4 years later you still got people learning from your videos, I just started a bucket garden early April and it's coming along well! Can't wait to incorporate this amazing hack myself! Thanks for the awesome video
Genius!! I was collecting wine bottles from friends and neighbors to fill with water and invert, to avoid having to water everyday. But this..Total game changer and so simple!! Thank You!!
I use 2inch pvc pipe with lots of drain holes on the bottom of the pipe that sits on the bottom of the tub with an elbow and pvc pipe coming up to the top of the dirt. Works GREAT!!
May God bless people like you who learn things and immediately want to inspire and pass on the wisdom. Some folks just need the nudging to try it for themselves.......May blessings come back to you that you cannot contain as you keep sharing your wisdom and love of planting....... :)
Daniel I've been watching Leon's Channel,his knowledge always blows me away on gardening. I like the five gallon method that you're using, it works good for me.
Great tips for growing in the city with no land. I'm growing 7 tomatoe plants in five gallon buckets. Just because i don't want a garden just a dozen buckets for a few things i want and tomatoes are the best off the vine. Five beefsteak and three cherrie tomatoes will do for me. Thanks Daniel!
Hi, Arms Family! i just "discovered"your You Tube videos. Thank you So much! i love watching them, learning things to pass on to my grown kids (human). i homesteaded many years ago and miss the life. thank you, ALL of you, for inviting me in. Sincerely, Lori J. Maine/Wisconsin/Tennessee
I can't understand for the life of me how Dutch got to 100K before you? Your video was so inspiring this morning! Thank you for keeping it real! Stay safe!
This is a great help for those in wheelchairs who can't get into the garden. My husband loves his "garden" on our driveway . Last year was tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, onions, and strawberries. Maybe this will decrease our water bill this year. Wal-Mart also carries these timers.
I saw people use burlap sacks in Africa with multiple holes. They grew enough food to feed their family with extra to sell. This was where there was no grass. All dry.
Check out your local donut shops & bakeries (including grocery store bakery) for the buckets. I picked mine up for $2 each. Mine are labelled icing, chocolate filling, bavarian cream, etc. So any place using those should have some.
Hi Daniel and Arms Family. My wife and I have a farm in the Philippines and everyone there has Moringa (Malungay in Philippines) trees. The leaves are used in soups and also fed to pigs. It is nutrient and protein rich. I put Moringa powder in my bullet proof coffee as well as juices and smoothies. Super good for you. You will probably have to transplant it as they are a tree and will outgrow the bucket fairly quickly. God Bless. ~Mike and Ester~
Such a good idea! I'm going to have to try this since all my gardening is mostly large containers. In the hot dry windy climate of Albuquerque, you need to water every day, and you do loose a lot of the water out the bottoms. Say thanks to Leon for good idea. Hope he's feeling better.
I have a 10th of an acre and I put a tarp down and wooden pots (8) and placed chicken wire around them because my community is over run with cats. It actually looks pretty. It's the best food ever and I feel good about using what God gives me. Great video!
For people asking why in a tub & not in the ground, I can answer one of reasons is that the area that gets the most sun on my property is the driveway. We've had vegetable plants growing in regular pots on our driveway for years. We have a lot of big trees on the property that shade the property at different times of day. With the driveway, there are no trees and no shade, so we've always put big pots of vegetables on the driveway.
Also, you can raise tubs so your back gets less strain...I put totes on old lawn chairs...work well. Paint them up in pretty colors before you plant...beautiful!!
Daniel Leon would be happy knowing your passing his self wicking tubs idea along with your viewer's he's doing the same on his channel too! I think that is a brilliant design and see that making it possible for a lot of people to garden right where they are... whether an apartment or a small home with very little ground it's possible for anyone to do that.
I've been growing in kitty litter buckets ( the kind they're bought in) & 5gal buckets for years and this year trash cans and 20 gal tote. It always surprises me that more folks don't do this.
My dogfood comes in a fabric nearly the same as the landscape fabric and I save the bags and use them. They work great for this and all kinds of gardening uses. Of course my dog uses a large bag of food being a St. Bernard, but ask your neighbors, they may have bags they don't want, and they are useful, even for cutting up and sewing into produce bags!
hand watering is a meditation in itself:) it can be a hassle for huge garden areas...but for home gardeners it is the best stress reliever:) lot of good tips...thank you:)
Love the 5 gallon pail idea. I have already started them and they are doing great in my greenhouse. I am also going to plant cucumbers in some also. Great video. Thank you.
I will say , a few years back ,about 6 years to be exact....I did my first self wicking buckets....it was my most abundant harvest ever....less insect issues and definitely less mold mildew and fungus issues....that I normally have to fight and deal with, because of state I'm in and area I have to plant...(ie, in a hollow between mountains). Sun is very limited here....this was 2015-16...I am still using stuff I caned from that harvest(wicking buckets)...I normally, even though having a full tilled garden, had to buy vegetables from my local farmer market to get enough for canning. Not so with these buckets.!!amazing just amazing.!!
Between watching you and Leon, I've decided to try changing my entire container garden to self wicking buckets this year. I already have everything I need in the basement and garden to make the change this year so it won't cost me a cent for materials, I just need to buy some good fertilizer. Thanks for doing what you do both with the videos & the OSP!
@@randyman8984 I DID! My harvest these past two years was the most bountiful I've had in over 20 years of container gardening. I used the time off in the spring of 2020 due to the shut downs to get a dozen self wicking buckets set up. I made some more self wicking buckets in the spring of 2021 after seeing the harvest from the first 12. I still use some drained containers for things like potatoes and a tower style planter similar to the two Daniel has on his patio for lettuces and herbs. The self wicking tubs I use for peppers, tomatoes, squash, eggplant. All do better than they ever did in the traditional drained pots. I eat a lot of peppers... Every day at bare minimum there is at least a pepper in my omelet, and most days I eat peppers at every meal. I used to get just enough peppers for my own use. This year, I have trouble keeping up with the pepper harvest. We have been begging friends and family to take some... We have given away several pounds and still have been freezing and canning a bunch in addition to the large amount I consume on a daily basis. The only crop I've tried that I don't have very good luck with is butternut squash. They grow like crazy, have plenty of flowers but the female flowers have trouble successfully getting pollinated. I hand pollinate and they still don't take and the little baby squash on the female flower just shrivels up and falls off. I got 4 BN squash in the 2020 season and just 1 in the 2021 season. I won't waste space with them next year.
Thank u for taking the time to share these bucket and tub container gardens. Leon is also a great place to learn about setting up these bucket planters for sure. Hi to the family hope all of u have a great day.
Perfect timing for me! I'm starting "porch gardens" for the older and lower economic folks in my county. I was using the 5 gallon tubs but didn't know how to do the reservoir. Thanks!
Monica, would you kindly update your post here, on how your "porch garden" project went? Realky excited to hear! Or private message me via FB. Thanks!!
I'm doing this project, which was inspired by your earlier video. I have the 5 gallon buckets so I appreciate this video too. I like what you said, "Just grow something," so that's my goal for this year.
I did my first self wicking tub last week. Planted some Swiss Chard seeds I was excited they are already coming up. Thank you and Leon for the information on these tubs.
Leon shows you to mound the top and put plastic over it to keep from getting it rained out. The plastic keeps it moist, like mylch. I plan to use landscape material for mine.
@@sandeshketaki Landscape cloth or fabric is woven black plastic fibers into a single layer of flexible fabric sold in various widths & by the rolls, or by the foot length for small amounts. It lets liquids & water flow through it but blocks plant growth. It is used mostly to block weed growth in gardens, around landscaped plants & flowers. Also, to prevent erosion along sloping soil. And on top of soil in potted plants to keep out cats, dogs, squirrels, etc. I've read that using red colored landscape fabric for growing tomatoes increases yields. Do a search of 'landscape fabrics' for more info & retailers.
Greeting from New Zealand! Wow! Definately the best video I have seen on making self-wicking containers. In most videos it looks terrifyingly complex, not mention expensive, yet as you have just shown, it is really so simple, easy, and affordable to do. Thank for such a fab video 😊
I grew a lot of veggies in sub-irrigating solid plastic buckets similar to these that you show here. Had some good years with them and some not-so-good years. In a solid plastic bucket in full sun, the soil temperatures can get quite high, and even with air space in the bottom, the plants can get quite root-bound. I ended up switching to porous grow bags in sub-irrigating tubs with great success. The plants really thrive when the soil gets more air and is able to sink off much of the heat from the sun. I was glad to see this video, and I encourage further development with variations in sub-irrigating containers. These will allow people to grow food ANYWHERE there is full sun, such as apartment balconies, apartment/office building rooftops, etc.
Our property is full of Walnut trees. We HAVE to grow veggies in a high tunnel and in tubs so the plants don't die. These videos are essential to my situation.
That is a great video. I to have plenty of land to plant. My problem is, too many ground squirrels and my goats, and free range chickens, eat everything up if they happen get into the garden area. So I have set up several of the buckets in my back yard where nothing can reach them.
I have to say...iv watched lots of videos about THIS but URZ is THE ABSOLUTE BEST!! LEONS is really good👍 but but yrs is much improved👍👍👍so thankQ🌱🌱🌱🌼🌼🌼🌱🌱🌱
Hey Daniel! We love this method and your mentor Leon. So much knowledge! I want to share an idea I am considering. We love to plant so many different varieties of each thing but it makes saving seeds difficult because of cross pollination. The solution I think is to plant your seed saving plants in buckets placed elsewhere. I think I will place them in flower beds, on the deck, well you get it. Another great video. 👍
Thank you for this demonstration. You do good. I had large 4'x4' bottomless boxes built because I only have dust and sandstone here. A guy from some foreign city in Delaware was available. I'm grateful. Instead of 4'x4' I have interesting geometric shapes.But they hold soil. Don't even ponder the soaker hoses.
Thank you for the information. I was just thinking about the self watering. I have a nice size backyard but I just prefer growing in containers or raised bed.
Awesome video. Thank you. Found this size tub at target in children’s linen department for $7.99. Found out Lowe’s and home only carry 4 inch corrugated tubing. Went to plumbing supply store. Last year I was unsuccessful with container gardening. Hopefully this year will be better
These were first used for pot 😂 known as a “hempy bucket” I used expanded clay and gravel in the bottom up to the level of the drain hole. Then whatever soil medium/fertilizer to the top. You don’t really need the coffee can. You should see explosive growth once the tap root reaches down into the reservoir area
The self wicking planters are brilliant. I've put together a few for myself and a few for friends as well. But here's the kicker. We all know the impact that plastic has on the environment right? Well hats off to you all who re-use plastic in these planters. This world is drowning in the over production of plastic so this is just another way to help concur this global issue. Cheers to all who take this problem seriously and to those who strive to make a difference. 👍
The plastic MUST be a food grade plastic or it will leach chemicals into your food. Most containers from the grocery store are safe like the coffee jug used here. Be careful on the 5 gal or farm buckets, not all are safe. Look for the recycle markings on bottom, a 2,4,& 5 are good to go. A 1 or 7 are OK, AVOID 3 and 6. Landscaping fabric must also be safe and if made out of HDPE it is. PS, I use mineral buckets from my animals and mine are food safe.
I chose poorly. My bucket didn't survive the Sun's UV rays for even one season. I created plastic waste and felt horrible about it. Any advice on containers that can be used a long time?
@@samuraioodon Most paint is NOT food grade and thus the bucket should not be used for vegetable gardening. They are ok for flower gardens. Paint has a VEP rating for safety but I know of none that are food grade.
For folks that can't squat or bend over for very long a keyhole garden is fantastic! They are 3ft tall and 6ft across. We used cinder blocks then put matching rectangular paving stones to close off the wall top. Google keyhole garden for details on layering and planting. Counter top height is great on your back.
Can you do a video on what/how/when to "feed" the plants? In the other video, you said to feed daily? With what? how? THANK YOU for the amazing content! My fave channel!
Awesome video!!! What I like about your channel is your always teaching by sharing info with us and of course occasionally making fun of your stalker 😂😂. Thank you for the time you spend with us. God bless you and be safe
Leon is a hoot! Thanks for the link to his channel. I found your channel recently and enjoy your content. I'm self-wicking all my containers before planting this year. I will keep it simple!
Another thumbs up Daniel I'm how to grow are vegetables your plants your fruit trees whatever you want and tubs and a water drip system is the best in the world with a timer you don't have to have all your time out there doing it just remember like Daniel said don't overthink it it's simple great video Grace educational video thank you Daniel for taking the time to share this with us you're the best be safe out there
Hi, Dan. When we lived in Turkey, we lived in an apartment ( four kids, my husband and I) and all we had was a balcony. I was able to use pots to grow, tomatoes and peppers. I used broken Terra Cotta pot pieces in the bottom of the pots to let air flow and to keep the soil from compacting. It worked pretty well but I think this system would have even been better. Thanks for sharing it.
We have many plants in pots and some in tubs that are doing great. But we also just built raised bed gardens. Because what’s in the pots versus in the ground are doing great. Great video many blessing from our channel to yours The Goss Family ❤️🙂
I have the opposite problem in my heat, it’s awful keeping plants in pots I have a hell a time with moisture, either too much or too little things in ground do so much better for me- BUT- FIRE ANTS are a pain in my ass lol and we have the worst clay it’s like cement- so it’s a process to amend all the garden areas vs what I want to grow. This year I’m sinking pots with lots of drainage holes in the ground and the ground will wick away all my excess moisture and keep roots cool (my pots cook in this sun) for tomatoes and peppers. Here’s hoping 🤞 it works fabulous for my plumeria and angel trumpets Or other tropicals Incase i have a cooler winter or a frost streak.
i use 5 gallon bucket put stones in the bottom then a couple of 2 litre pop bottle then soil then plant as i live on the second floor i cant put holes in it as the person underneath me will get wet so the rocks hold the water fine and it workks
You can also put a float stick in the feed tube and not drill any holes in the bucket if they are in a covered aria Pulled from some hydroponics set ups I have seen
Drill holes in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket 4 or 5 about 1/4 inch. Put some gravel in the bottom. get a Flo Tool 7 Quart Drain Pan from walmart Put the bucket in the drain pan and your done.
First, someone may have already suggested this, as a truck driver I will voice to text but I don't get a lot of chance to read all the good comments! Anyway if someone is having trouble cutting the whole in a plastic container that is tight enough to keep dirt from falling into their water well a good feed of kitchen quality caulking or even hot glue around your PVC pipe and against your plastic would just give enough barrier to keep the dirt from falling in. I am loving this idea of the self-wicking pots, I have a lot of plants at home which of course means someone else is doing my watering part of the time. With two different people watering it's easy to have over watering or underwatering going on. Looks to me like if I start transitioning the most sensitive of my plants into self-wicking containers, maybe we can avoid that problem. Second, I had a question on what Leon said about feeding your plants. Commented to the effect of they want fed everyday that you eat. Which makes sense on the one hand but I'm assuming that he's not adding fertilizer everyday I'm assuming he means what he's using is time release, or that you want to make sure the nutrients/fertilizer in the soil aren't depleted at any given time, so to stay on top of your timing on that? Thanks for all the good info you're sharing!
we do some square foot gardening, and these buckets (18" diameter) will be ideal for up to 4 plants if you keep them fed. I use a moisture meter to check soil moisture so I don't over water or underwater. I use timers on my irrigation pump which feeds my drip irrigation and soaker hoses, and times on my yard hydrants and outside house faucets.
Buffalo also use the mineral totes. My husband manages a herd of Buffalo and I get the empty tubs for our family garden. Check with people who have Buffalo as well as Cattle.
I love the idea of using containers like and with 5 gallon buckets anyone can do it. We went down and met Leon last year. He is very gracious and like you say, full of knowledge. He stressed that having an airspace was important. I was just observing that if you put the PVC through the top of the coffee can it appears to me that you can lose that air space because the coffee can will fill completely. Although it should drain quickly from the hole on the side of the bucket. Maybe I am overthinking it. Great video.
I use a digital timer to fill the reservoirs of my self watering containers on my deck. I water once a season to get the wick started and then it is all automatic.
Thanks Daniel that might be all I find, sure there are big pots but most have holes. I so am going to do this for sure. Grew container gardens b4 but all had the holes in the bottom.
Definitely will try this next year!! Thanks for a great video. Seen the Oklahoma Highway Patrol car. I'm also from Oklahoma, small town of Rush Springs 😊 Thank u for keeping us safe.
I have 2 maringa trees I eat or tea every day..I'm in south Florida is growing weather for the trees..I'm also drying them out and making powder to sprinkle over food..I'm still learing about them hoeing to improve my health with this plant ..trying to get off meds for blood pressure and Cholesterol
Love your blogs(?) Infomational. Took your advice to check out Leon as well. You are are a bright spot to my day as you have such enthusiuam great outlook on life. I have a pepper plant I purchased 3 springs ago. In a 12 inch pot. I am still getting peppers off of it. It was so hot the year I bought it I brought it in and put in a south facing window. It worked fine just had to remember to give it a quarter turn of the pot at least weekly. Anyhow, I waited for it to die that fall, peppers are listed as annuals right, but it didn't. I kept watering wirh weak miricle grow water and waiting. Pulled fresh peppers off for the Christmas snack tray, then for New ayears and then Easter. By this time I was guessing my plant was time sensing challenged. So figured would see how long it would live. I did add a pinch of epsom salts to the surface of the pot once a month as somewhere I gathered peppers and Tomato plants needed it. Right now have 5 small peppers setting on the plant that just turned 3. Aside from shedding a few leaves, big oldest ones, it seems to be going strong. Hasn't had to contend with 100°F+ summer temps, nor with lack of rain or snow nor the dust storms or the 75mph winds. I wonder if it thinks it is a person? Anyhow thank you for bringing a cheerful attitude and face with humor to my day. I'd say your family is very blessed to have you.
Awesome we have tons of 5 gal buckets left over from mudding/sheetrock. Clean em up and use them, but we have 10 acre farm, but moved out here last Aug, lots of cleaning up dead trees etc, so need other options. Perfect. Thanks!! God Bless from ND!
I drill a hole about 3.5 inches from bottom and fill with wood chips to 4 inches a layer of news paper then potting soil with wood chips on top. No pipe,just water on top.
I so appreciate the fact that you are kind enough to show folks like myself how to start gardening on a small scale with no land to plant in. I have a patio and I’ve got buckets so I’m ready to roll!
Me too!!! Awesomeness and I can't wait to see how it turns out!
That potting mix is soooo important just remember that. You'll want to get some peat. Somthing like black Kow compost and a potting soil of your choice. Mix it 1:1:1 and get some perlite and mix it up. Heck just look up video of making your own potting mix.
Me too🥰
my only issue with this is the amount of (non-food-grade) plastic you'll have up against your roots, with the intense sun and temp changes breaking down into micro-plastics for toxic trace-element uptake..
@@pobedapatsfanyou buy food grade buckets and lowes and home base is that type if plastic.
4 years later you still got people learning from your videos, I just started a bucket garden early April and it's coming along well! Can't wait to incorporate this amazing hack myself! Thanks for the awesome video
Wonderful how you give Leon the credit.You are a true gentleman!
Actually makes me think that I should be watching Leon’s videos not this guy’s.
Genius!! I was collecting wine bottles from friends and neighbors to fill with water and invert, to avoid having to water everyday. But this..Total game changer and so simple!! Thank You!!
I use 2inch pvc pipe with lots of drain holes on the bottom of the pipe that sits on the bottom of the tub with an elbow and pvc pipe coming up to the top of the dirt. Works GREAT!!
May God bless people like you who learn things and immediately want to inspire and pass on the wisdom. Some folks just need the nudging to try it for themselves.......May blessings come back to you that you cannot contain as you keep sharing your wisdom and love of planting....... :)
Honest and honorable of you to give Leon a lot of credits for this watering system! I appreciate the clear and simple way you explained. Thanks.
Daniel I've been watching Leon's Channel,his knowledge always blows me away on gardening. I like the five gallon method that you're using, it works good for me.
Firehouse Subs sells their 5 gallon buckets for $3 each and the money goes to support your local fire department so that's where we get all of ours.
I bought three. They are pickle bucket. It smells so garlicky. I guess plants won’t mind.
Thanks for the reminder
Sweet how you explained everything without saying "look dummy!" Way cool!
Great tips for growing in the city with no land. I'm growing 7 tomatoe plants in five gallon buckets. Just because i don't want a garden just a dozen buckets for a few things i want and tomatoes are the best off the vine. Five beefsteak and three cherrie tomatoes will do for me. Thanks Daniel!
Hi, Arms Family!
i just "discovered"your You Tube videos. Thank you So much! i love watching them, learning things to pass on to my grown kids (human).
i homesteaded many years ago and miss the life. thank you, ALL of you, for inviting me in. Sincerely,
Lori J. Maine/Wisconsin/Tennessee
I can't understand for the life of me how Dutch got to 100K before you? Your video was so inspiring this morning! Thank you for keeping it real! Stay safe!
@@Mikaiah72 Now I'm hungry...
Daniel what a kind thing you did for Dutch .... he is one happy guy . Your a real Gentleman with a lovely family . Best wishes from me in the UK 🇬🇧
This is a great help for those in wheelchairs who can't get into the garden. My husband loves his "garden" on our driveway . Last year was tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, onions, and strawberries. Maybe this will decrease our water bill this year. Wal-Mart also carries these timers.
You really are very considerate of others.Thanks for doing this video for people who dont have the luxury of space!👍
I saw people use burlap sacks in Africa with multiple holes. They grew enough food to feed their family with extra to sell. This was where there was no grass. All dry.
Sounds like a precursor to potato grow bags.
Check out your local donut shops & bakeries (including grocery store bakery) for the buckets. I picked mine up for $2 each. Mine are labelled icing, chocolate filling, bavarian cream, etc. So any place using those should have some.
Asian food restaurants are a good source also. Most get all of their sauces in
5gal buckets.
Hi Daniel and Arms Family. My wife and I have a farm in the Philippines and everyone there has Moringa (Malungay in Philippines) trees. The leaves are used in soups and also fed to pigs. It is nutrient and protein rich. I put Moringa powder in my bullet proof coffee as well as juices and smoothies. Super good for you. You will probably have to transplant it as they are a tree and will outgrow the bucket fairly quickly. God Bless. ~Mike and Ester~
Just got my buckets, pvc pipe and have saved up my jugs! I’m ready to Rock-n-Roll!! Can’t wait to try this system!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Such a good idea! I'm going to have to try this since all my gardening is mostly large containers. In the hot dry windy climate of Albuquerque, you need to water every day, and you do loose a lot of the water out the bottoms. Say thanks to Leon for good idea. Hope he's feeling better.
I have a 10th of an acre and I put a tarp down and wooden pots (8) and placed chicken wire around them because my community is over run with cats. It actually looks pretty. It's the best food ever and I feel good about using what God gives me. Great video!
Wow, wooden pots like the cedar or wine barrel type pots?
For people asking why in a tub & not in the ground, I can answer one of reasons is that the area that gets the most sun on my property is the driveway. We've had vegetable plants growing in regular pots on our driveway for years. We have a lot of big trees on the property that shade the property at different times of day. With the driveway, there are no trees and no shade, so we've always put big pots of vegetables on the driveway.
My garden needs deer fencing. Rather than buy more fencing I can place containers in the isles and just move them if I need to get to those beds
Also, you can raise tubs so your back gets less strain...I put totes on old lawn chairs...work well. Paint them up in pretty colors before you plant...beautiful!!
Daniel Leon would be happy knowing your passing his self wicking tubs idea along with your viewer's he's doing the same on his channel too! I think that is a brilliant design and see that making it possible for a lot of people to garden right where they are... whether an apartment or a small home with very little ground
it's possible for anyone to do that.
I planted 6 blueberry plants in self wicking tubs and they are my most successful growing plant of all....
Thanks for sharing that. That what I’m gonna put in a big tub.
May I ask what you do with your blueberry plants during the Winter? I have a basement - can the buckets be stored there during Winter?
I've gotta try that for my next blueberry plants!
This Follow Up video with the "Low-Tech" Solution is Phenomenal. Keep Posting!
I've been growing in kitty litter buckets ( the kind they're bought in) & 5gal buckets for years and this year trash cans and 20 gal tote. It always surprises me that more folks don't do this.
Leon is adorable. Thanks for introducing us to him.
My dogfood comes in a fabric nearly the same as the landscape fabric and I save the bags and use them. They work great for this and all kinds of gardening uses. Of course my dog uses a large bag of food being a St. Bernard, but ask your neighbors, they may have bags they don't want, and they are useful, even for cutting up and sewing into produce bags!
What brand of dog food is that?
hand watering is a meditation in itself:) it can be a hassle for huge garden areas...but for home gardeners it is the best stress reliever:)
lot of good tips...thank you:)
Love the 5 gallon pail idea. I have already started them and they are doing great in my greenhouse. I am also going to plant cucumbers in some also. Great video. Thank you.
Daniel Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. I don't live there but I still appreciate what you do every day.
We used old feed sacks. For the wicking material. Works great! We made ours this past weekend. Thanks for the tutorial...we love your channel.
What kind of feed sacks?
I will say , a few years back ,about 6 years to be exact....I did my first self wicking buckets....it was my most abundant harvest ever....less insect issues and definitely less mold mildew and fungus issues....that I normally have to fight and deal with, because of state I'm in and area I have to plant...(ie, in a hollow between mountains).
Sun is very limited here....this was 2015-16...I am still using stuff I caned from that harvest(wicking buckets)...I normally, even though having a full tilled garden, had to buy vegetables from my local farmer market to get enough for canning. Not so with these buckets.!!amazing just amazing.!!
Between watching you and Leon, I've decided to try changing my entire container garden to self wicking buckets this year. I already have everything I need in the basement and garden to make the change this year so it won't cost me a cent for materials, I just need to buy some good fertilizer. Thanks for doing what you do both with the videos & the OSP!
did you get good results with your garden in these self wicking containers?
@@randyman8984 I DID! My harvest these past two years was the most bountiful I've had in over 20 years of container gardening. I used the time off in the spring of 2020 due to the shut downs to get a dozen self wicking buckets set up. I made some more self wicking buckets in the spring of 2021 after seeing the harvest from the first 12. I still use some drained containers for things like potatoes and a tower style planter similar to the two Daniel has on his patio for lettuces and herbs. The self wicking tubs I use for peppers, tomatoes, squash, eggplant. All do better than they ever did in the traditional drained pots. I eat a lot of peppers... Every day at bare minimum there is at least a pepper in my omelet, and most days I eat peppers at every meal. I used to get just enough peppers for my own use. This year, I have trouble keeping up with the pepper harvest. We have been begging friends and family to take some... We have given away several pounds and still have been freezing and canning a bunch in addition to the large amount I consume on a daily basis. The only crop I've tried that I don't have very good luck with is butternut squash. They grow like crazy, have plenty of flowers but the female flowers have trouble successfully getting pollinated. I hand pollinate and they still don't take and the little baby squash on the female flower just shrivels up and falls off. I got 4 BN squash in the 2020 season and just 1 in the 2021 season. I won't waste space with them next year.
Thank u for taking the time to share these bucket and tub container gardens. Leon is also a great place to learn about setting up these bucket planters for sure. Hi to the family hope all of u have a great day.
Perfect timing for me! I'm starting "porch gardens" for the older and lower economic folks in my county. I was using the 5 gallon tubs but didn't know how to do the reservoir. Thanks!
Monica, would you kindly update your post here, on how your "porch garden" project went? Realky excited to hear! Or private message me via FB. Thanks!!
Just the simple fact that you filmed with the camera in the correct position (horizontal) makes me trust what you're talking about!
I'm doing this project, which was inspired by your earlier video. I have the 5 gallon buckets so I appreciate this video too. I like what you said, "Just grow something," so that's my goal for this year.
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You and the old timer Leon are true legends Daniel!!! the wicking tubs are the greatest
On the sad day when Leon passes on, I sure hope you pick up his torch and carry on these fine messages of gardening.
This is best so far. Most of the DIY's I've seen requires a lot of effort and materials. Thanks for this idea.
I started doing this last year in some old totes. It worked great!
Should not use empty Tide jugs like he said for this since the containers must be food-graded!
I did my first self wicking tub last week. Planted some Swiss Chard seeds I was excited they are already coming up. Thank you and Leon for the information on these tubs.
Great video. You're right, people are hungry for this information and it is liberating to learn how to feed yourself. Thank you!!!!
You are making it easy to garden! No excuses! Thanks! Be safe! 💕
Leon shows you to mound the top and put plastic over it to keep from getting it rained out. The plastic keeps it moist, like mylch. I plan to use landscape material for mine.
What is Landscape fabric?
@@sandeshketaki Landscape cloth or fabric is woven black plastic fibers into a single layer of flexible fabric sold in various widths & by the rolls, or by the foot length for small amounts. It lets liquids & water flow through it but blocks plant growth. It is used mostly to block weed growth in gardens, around landscaped plants & flowers. Also, to prevent erosion along sloping soil. And on top of soil in potted plants to keep out cats, dogs, squirrels, etc.
I've read that using red colored landscape fabric for growing tomatoes increases yields.
Do a search of 'landscape fabrics' for more info & retailers.
@@carolynchadwick7867 Thank you very much.
Greeting from New Zealand! Wow! Definately the best video I have seen on making self-wicking containers. In most videos it looks terrifyingly complex, not mention expensive, yet as you have just shown, it is really so simple, easy, and affordable to do. Thank for such a fab video 😊
I grew a lot of veggies in sub-irrigating solid plastic buckets similar to these that you show here. Had some good years with them and some not-so-good years. In a solid plastic bucket in full sun, the soil temperatures can get quite high, and even with air space in the bottom, the plants can get quite root-bound.
I ended up switching to porous grow bags in sub-irrigating tubs with great success. The plants really thrive when the soil gets more air and is able to sink off much of the heat from the sun.
I was glad to see this video, and I encourage further development with variations in sub-irrigating containers. These will allow people to grow food ANYWHERE there is full sun, such as apartment balconies, apartment/office building rooftops, etc.
Thank you Daniel. My tub garden is growing. God bless you.
❤❤❤❤❤!!! Every time I watch it becomes clearer. Thanks!!!
Appreciate the videos Daniel. Keep it up and stay safe out on the streets brother.
Our property is full of Walnut trees. We HAVE to grow veggies in a high tunnel and in tubs so the plants don't die. These videos are essential to my situation.
That is a great video. I to have plenty of land to plant. My problem is, too many ground squirrels and my goats, and free range chickens, eat everything up if they happen get into the garden area. So I have set up several of the buckets in my back yard where nothing can reach them.
I have to say...iv watched lots of videos about THIS but URZ is THE ABSOLUTE BEST!! LEONS is really good👍 but but yrs is much improved👍👍👍so thankQ🌱🌱🌱🌼🌼🌼🌱🌱🌱
Hey Daniel! We love this method and your mentor Leon. So much knowledge! I want to share an idea I am considering. We love to plant so many different varieties of each thing but it makes saving seeds difficult because of cross pollination. The solution I think is to plant your seed saving plants in buckets placed elsewhere. I think I will place them in flower beds, on the deck, well you get it. Another great video. 👍
You can also put mesh bags over the flowers
Thank you for this demonstration. You do good.
I had large 4'x4' bottomless boxes built because I only have dust and sandstone here. A guy from some foreign city in Delaware was available. I'm grateful. Instead of 4'x4' I have interesting geometric shapes.But they hold soil. Don't even ponder the soaker hoses.
Thank you for the information. I was just thinking about the self watering. I have a nice size backyard but I just prefer growing in containers or raised bed.
Awesome video. Thank you. Found this size tub at target in children’s linen department for $7.99. Found out Lowe’s and home only carry 4 inch corrugated tubing. Went to plumbing supply store. Last year I was unsuccessful with container gardening. Hopefully this year will be better
These were first used for pot 😂 known as a “hempy bucket” I used expanded clay and gravel in the bottom up to the level of the drain hole. Then whatever soil medium/fertilizer to the top.
You don’t really need the coffee can. You should see explosive growth once the tap root reaches down into the reservoir area
Why not? Where's your video? I want to hear more. This is better than Leo's idea with all those bottles etc. I'm going to try this this year.
The self wicking planters are brilliant. I've put together a few for myself and a few for friends as well. But here's the kicker. We all know the impact that plastic has on the environment right? Well hats off to you all who re-use plastic in these planters. This world is drowning in the over production of plastic so this is just another way to help concur this global issue. Cheers to all who take this problem seriously and to those who strive to make a difference. 👍
The plastic MUST be a food grade plastic or it will leach chemicals into your food. Most containers from the grocery store are safe like the coffee jug used here. Be careful on the 5 gal or farm buckets, not all are safe. Look for the recycle markings on bottom, a 2,4,& 5 are good to go. A 1 or 7 are OK, AVOID 3 and 6. Landscaping fabric must also be safe and if made out of HDPE it is. PS, I use mineral buckets from my animals and mine are food safe.
Great info thank you!!
I chose poorly. My bucket didn't survive the Sun's UV rays for even one season. I created plastic waste and felt horrible about it. Any advice on containers that can be used a long time?
What if there was paint inside? I see recycle symbol and#2 under bucket as well
@@samuraioodon Most paint is NOT food grade and thus the bucket should not be used for vegetable gardening. They are ok for flower gardens. Paint has a VEP rating for safety but I know of none that are food grade.
@@DR-zj4od thank you for confirming
For folks that can't squat or bend over for very long a keyhole garden is fantastic! They are 3ft tall and 6ft across. We used cinder blocks then put matching rectangular paving stones to close off the wall top. Google keyhole garden for details on layering and planting. Counter top height is great on your back.
Can you do a video on what/how/when to "feed" the plants? In the other video, you said to feed daily? With what? how? THANK YOU for the amazing content! My fave channel!
Thanks for such a concise, clear video! I'm doing this with my free frosting buckets tomorrow! Thanks so much!!!!
Awesome video!!! What I like about your channel is your always teaching by sharing info with us and of course occasionally making fun of your stalker 😂😂. Thank you for the time you spend with us. God bless you and be safe
Love all your helpful info and how you give Leon all the credit! 😅 I’ll keep watching!! Love the timer idea!
Leon is a hoot! Thanks for the link to his channel. I found your channel recently and enjoy your content. I'm self-wicking all my containers before planting this year. I will keep it simple!
Another thumbs up Daniel I'm how to grow are vegetables your plants your fruit trees whatever you want and tubs and a water drip system is the best in the world with a timer you don't have to have all your time out there doing it just remember like Daniel said don't overthink it it's simple great video Grace educational video thank you Daniel for taking the time to share this with us you're the best be safe out there
Hi, Dan. When we lived in Turkey, we lived in an apartment ( four kids, my husband and I) and all we had was a balcony. I was able to use pots to grow, tomatoes and peppers. I used broken Terra Cotta pot pieces in the bottom of the pots to let air flow and to keep the soil from compacting. It worked pretty well but I think this system would have even been better. Thanks for sharing it.
Came back a year later to watch this again and try this out on our deck this summer. Lots of Alaska sun coming soon.
Well I'll be! I never new you could get a timer for water.. Cool thanks
Thank you so much. Moved from the mountains to the beach and miss fresh vegetables. Going to try this this summer.
We have many plants in pots and some in tubs that are doing great. But we also just built raised bed gardens. Because what’s in the pots versus in the ground are doing great. Great video many blessing from our channel to yours The Goss Family ❤️🙂
I have the opposite problem in my heat, it’s awful keeping plants in pots I have a hell a time with moisture, either too much or too little things in ground do so much better for me- BUT- FIRE ANTS are a pain in my ass lol and we have the worst clay it’s like cement- so it’s a process to amend all the garden areas vs what I want to grow. This year I’m sinking pots with lots of drainage holes in the ground and the ground will wick away all my excess moisture and keep roots cool (my pots cook in this sun) for tomatoes and peppers. Here’s hoping 🤞 it works fabulous for my plumeria and angel trumpets Or other tropicals Incase i have a cooler winter or a frost streak.
Daniel this will work for me for grabbing stuff from the back porch. Thank you.
Camped at Sulphur all my life, dear to my heart!
I am so glad I have the right tools ...I have a whole box of drill bits like that
i use 5 gallon bucket put stones in the bottom then a couple of 2 litre pop bottle then soil then plant as i live on the second floor i cant put holes in it as the person underneath me will get wet so the rocks hold the water fine and it workks
You can also put a float stick in the feed tube and not drill any holes in the bucket if they are in a covered aria
Pulled from some hydroponics set ups I have seen
Drill holes in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket 4 or 5 about 1/4 inch.
Put some gravel in the bottom.
get a Flo Tool 7 Quart Drain Pan from walmart
Put the bucket in the drain pan and your done.
Good informative video. Thanks Dan. Hope the meet and greet is a huge success for y'all.
First, someone may have already suggested this, as a truck driver I will voice to text but I don't get a lot of chance to read all the good comments! Anyway if someone is having trouble cutting the whole in a plastic container that is tight enough to keep dirt from falling into their water well a good feed of kitchen quality caulking or even hot glue around your PVC pipe and against your plastic would just give enough barrier to keep the dirt from falling in.
I am loving this idea of the self-wicking pots, I have a lot of plants at home which of course means someone else is doing my watering part of the time. With two different people watering it's easy to have over watering or underwatering going on. Looks to me like if I start transitioning the most sensitive of my plants into self-wicking containers, maybe we can avoid that problem.
Second, I had a question on what Leon said about feeding your plants. Commented to the effect of they want fed everyday that you eat. Which makes sense on the one hand but I'm assuming that he's not adding fertilizer everyday I'm assuming he means what he's using is time release, or that you want to make sure the nutrients/fertilizer in the soil aren't depleted at any given time, so to stay on top of your timing on that? Thanks for all the good info you're sharing!
Great information on this DIY project. Always like ideas on working smarter not harder.
we do some square foot gardening, and these buckets (18" diameter) will be ideal for up to 4 plants if you keep them fed. I use a moisture meter to check soil moisture so I don't over water or underwater. I use timers on my irrigation pump which feeds my drip irrigation and soaker hoses, and times on my yard hydrants and outside house faucets.
Buffalo also use the mineral totes. My husband manages a herd of Buffalo and I get the empty tubs for our family garden. Check with people who have Buffalo as well as Cattle.
I love the idea of using containers like and with 5 gallon buckets anyone can do it. We went down and met Leon last year. He is very gracious and like you say, full of knowledge. He stressed that having an airspace was important. I was just observing that if you put the PVC through the top of the coffee can it appears to me that you can lose that air space because the coffee can will fill completely. Although it should drain quickly from the hole on the side of the bucket. Maybe I am overthinking it. Great video.
I use a digital timer to fill the reservoirs of my self watering containers on my deck. I water once a season to get the wick started and then it is all automatic.
Also i am trying hay bails to grow in. been watching a lot of that. seems pretty easy.. but thank you for showing the 5 gal way.
Thanks Daniel that might be all I find, sure there are big pots but most have holes. I so am going to do this for sure. Grew container gardens b4 but all had the holes in the bottom.
Definitely will try this next year!! Thanks for a great video. Seen the Oklahoma Highway Patrol car. I'm also from Oklahoma, small town of Rush Springs 😊 Thank u for keeping us safe.
I have 2 maringa trees I eat or tea every day..I'm in south Florida is growing weather for the trees..I'm also drying them out and making powder to sprinkle over food..I'm still learing about them hoeing to improve my health with this plant ..trying to get off meds for blood pressure and Cholesterol
So essentially, the coffee can is a cistern. Cool concept. Thanks for the info.
Love your blogs(?) Infomational. Took your advice to check out Leon as well. You are are a bright spot to my day as you have such enthusiuam great outlook on life.
I have a pepper plant I purchased 3 springs ago. In a 12 inch pot. I am still getting peppers off of it. It was so hot the year I bought it I brought it in and put in a south facing window. It worked fine just had to remember to give it a quarter turn of the pot at least weekly. Anyhow, I waited for it to die that fall, peppers are listed as annuals right, but it didn't. I kept watering wirh weak miricle grow water and waiting. Pulled fresh peppers off for the Christmas snack tray, then for New ayears and then Easter. By this time I was guessing my plant was time sensing challenged. So figured would see how long it would live. I did add a pinch of epsom salts to the surface of the pot once a month as somewhere I gathered peppers and Tomato plants needed it. Right now have 5 small peppers setting on the plant that just turned 3. Aside from shedding a few leaves, big oldest ones, it seems to be going strong. Hasn't had to contend with 100°F+ summer temps, nor with lack of rain or snow nor the dust storms or the 75mph winds. I wonder if it thinks it is a person?
Anyhow thank you for bringing a cheerful attitude and face with humor to my day. I'd say your family is very blessed to have you.
Thanks for introducing me to Leon's channel. He's a wealth of information.
I've been using moringa for 4 months now, and feeling great and sleeping great, make a tea with it every night with a teaspoon of powder.
It’s a gorgeous tree too you just have to keep hacking it back or it’ll go crazy and be 40 ft tall lol
You can timers a your local hardware store. I did and works great saves me time. I use it with soaking hose strung through the garden.
Hi Daniel! Thank you for sharing just want to add what a thoughtful gift you sent to Dutch! BTW I sub to Leon after watching your video ...
Thank you so much bud...My wife and I were looking how to make these..very easy
Awesome we have tons of 5 gal buckets left over from mudding/sheetrock. Clean em up and use them, but we have 10 acre farm, but moved out here last Aug, lots of cleaning up dead trees etc, so need other options. Perfect. Thanks!! God Bless from ND!
Shasha ND buy pots made out proper plastic, those buckets will leech chemicals when exposed to sunlight
I drill a hole about 3.5 inches from bottom and fill with wood chips to 4 inches a layer of news paper then potting soil with wood chips on top. No pipe,just water on top.