Garden Update: New Additions

My First Bucket:  Hopefully, the first of many buckets in my future bucket garden.

   Potted 5/12/11

I'm convinced anyone can grow much of their own food for very cheap using buckets and kitchen scraps.  My wife thought I was crazy, but I was sure it would work and determined to find out.



 I purchased a "Homer Bucket" at home depot and painted it black.  I put about 3" of rocks in the bottom, and drilled a drain hole just above the left of the rocks.  I inserted a 1"x24" PVC pipe into the gravel, and started filling the bucket with kitchen waste.  Each time I added waste, I would cover the waste with bedding that consists of shredded paper and shredded cardboard.  When the bucket was 2/3 full, I threw in about a dozen worms, and planted two tomato plants in garden soil on top of the kitchen waste.  I covered the top of the bucket with a piece of black plastic I cut from a garbage bag.

Here's the idea behind the bucket:  It's supposed  to work like an earth box.  Self watering, solar warmed, no weeding, organic tomato.  I intend to water the plants occasionally by pouring water into the PVC pipe.  The water will be delivered directly into the gravel where it will be stored until used.  The water will be wicked up through the soil to the roots.  Eventually, I imagine the roots will grow down into the rocks and get water directly.  The black plastic helps keep the soil warm and prevent evaporation.  The sun warming the roots will cause the plant to grow faster, and eventually have an explosion of fruit growth.  I used kitchen scraps in the bucket for two reasons:  It diverts waste from the landfill to be used for something productive, and it cuts the cost of soil used for the bucket, as I had to use significantly less garden soil to fill the bucket.

Much of the inspiration for this project came from YouTube videos I've been watching...

A great Bucket Garden
Tomatos grown in garbage
Huge tomato grown in garbage

If it works we'll have many delicious tomatos to eat this year, and I'll grow zucchini squash and peppers in buckets next year.  Wish me luck ;)

The tomatos we planted last year aren't doing as well as I'd hoped.  I'm guessing it's because they don't do as well after the first year.  I still have them just incase, but just as an experiment.  If they don't do well, this fall I'm going to throw them out and use their containers for something else.

I apologize for the poor lighting of these photos.  My wife is the photographer, I took these myself with my cell phone, lol.  I'll make sure she takes the photos the next time I post a garden update...

Hummingbird Hyssop:

 Potted around 4/15/11

I purchased these Hyssops from QVC and planted them about a month ago.  When I first got them they were tiny, and in one month they've grown to be about 12" tall and the one on the right already has little purple flowers that are already attracting hummingbirds.  Very easy to grow, drought tolerant, beautiful, and attracts hummingbirds.  What more can you ask for from an ornamental?

From left to right:  Apache Sunset, Red Fortune, Pink Pop

Aloe:

Potted 5/12/11



I picked up this really cool Aloe called "Blue Elf" at Home Depot for under $2.  The Home Depot near us has alot of really nice, tiny, cheap succulents, and I'm trying to pick one up about once a month.  We really enjoy succulents   They are different than alot of the plants you normally see, and need almost no water and maintenance.

Potted 5/12/11



I purchased these aloe plants from QVC.  Each is a different variety, but I don't know which is which because the lables were all mixed up when I opened the box.  (That's very uncommon.  Usually, QVC labels all the plants really well so you know exactly which is which).

Each is supposed to be one of the following three varieties:  Aloe Vera (I think that one is in the middle), Aloe Thraskii, and Red Aloe.

These plants (except the Aloe Vera) and the Blue Elf Aloe above are supposed to have nice blooms in the spring that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.  Their first blooms are expected next spring (the Blue Elf is already blooming).  When they bloom next year I'll make sure to share photos

Fuzzy Wuzzy Panda Plants:

I haven't potted these yet because I just received them last week, and I'm waiting for payday to buy pots to put them in.  My lastest purchase from QVC, they are super soft fuzzy succulents.  I've never seen a plant like these before so I thought they'd make an interesting addition to our collection.

From left to right:  Chocolate Soldier, Pussy Ears, Bears Paw