5 Gal Bucket – The Top Available Today for Urban Gardening

From tending raised bed gardens on rooftops to growing select vegetables in a 5-gallon bucket (more commonly known as a 5 gal bucket) in backyards and balconies, urban gardening is increasing worldwide. As the population of the world moves more and more towards urban settings, the practice of gardening transforms to fit the diverse environment of cities.

As crazy as it may sound, traditional gardens are pretty much a thing of the past. Investing in containers for urban gardening such as 5-gallon buckets is the new norm. If you slow down and pay attention, you will probably notice a few 5-gallon bucket garden containers in a backyard or on an apartment balcony near you.

There is an unlimited number of ways to modify your "5 gal bucket" into a great garden container. Knowing what you will do with one is essential if you want to purchase the best bucket for your particular urban gardening needs.

Urban Gardening

Urban gardening is a mixture of techniques and strategies employed to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs and other plants in urban areas such as large cities. Due to the nature of the thing, each urban garden is unique. 5-gallon buckets are commonly placed on porches, balconies, patios, and in yards.

Depending on the purpose of the garden, anywhere from one or two buckets, up to several dozens of buckets may be necessary. A single 5-gallon bucket dedicated to growing vegetables is enough for one of two people to enjoy a steady supply of plants each year, while several buckets growing vegetables and herbs can significantly reduce the amount of money spent on veggies and spices for an entire family each year.

Typical plants found in bucket gardens

There is a healthy amount of plants commonly found growing in buckets. Tomatoes are perhaps the most popular plant produced in a 5-gallon bucket. There are a couple of dozen buckets in my garden just for that purpose. Peppers, onions, carrots, beans, squash, spinach, cucumbers, radishes, melons, beets, broccoli, potatoes, lettuce, various berries and other different fruits, vegetables, and herbs. All of these are perfect for growing in buckets.

The average 5-gallon bucket is capable of producing a single tomato plant, pepper plant, melon, herb, eggplant or squash. Three to four beets, heads of lettuce, and onions fit into a single 5-gallon bucket as well. If you decide to go in a different direction, there is room for 10 to 12 carrots, radishes, and small onions.

Getting Started with 5 Gal Buckets

Start by purchasing or otherwise acquiring the right number of food grade 5-gallon buckets for your project. Most home improvement stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot carry a wide variety of buckets. You can also find them online.

The first thing you’ll want to do with your bucket is to create proper drainage holes in the bottom. Do this with either a drill or a hammer and nails. One hole every couple of inches or so will give your bucket an excellent drain.

If you’re worried about the appearance of your bucket, you can purchase a colorful bucket, paint it, or disguise it by placing it inside a larger decorative container. You can also cover the bucket with some aesthetically pleasing fabric.

Next, place a few handfuls of rocks and gravel into the bottom of the bucket. Make sure you fill the bottom of the bucket with at least two or three inches of gravel and rocks to ensure proper drainage. Add a mixture of half potting soil and half peat moss, and you’re ready to plant.

Select the seeds or plants you want to grow in your bucket garden, accurately place them, add water, and watch them grow. For the best results possible, water your plants regularly and add fertilizer to your soil every so often as well.

FAQs About Urban Gardening

Before moving on to the top ten 5-gallon buckets, let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about urban gardening.

How We Reviewed

To deliver the best selection of 5-gallon buckets to our readers, we delved into some serious research. We looked at urban gardening forums, review sites, informational videos and more. Then, we sorted through numerous product descriptions from retailers and manufacturers, as well as customer reviews and ratings. What we collected was a massive amount of up-to-date information about 5-gallon buckets for gardening, which allowed us to put together the following list.

The Top 5-Gallon Buckets for Urban Gardening

Here’s our list of the top 5-gallon buckets for urban gardening to purchase in 2018. We’ve also included a few alternatives to simple standard 5-gallon buckets as a bonus. You’ll find a summary for each product including features, prices, ratings and warranty options for each item. The list is in no particular order.