Bucket gardening is not just for tomatoes and herbs. You can grow a surprising variety of unusual crops in small spaces using buckets. Here are 15 unique crops you can cultivate, along with tips to make your bucket garden flourish.
1. How to Grow Corn in a Bucket: A Step-by-Step Guide
Yes, you can grow corn in a bucket! Use a 5-gallon bucket with drainage holes and plant 2-3 seeds of a dwarf corn variety. Keep the soil moist and place the bucket in full sunlight.
Pro tip: Stake the corn as it grows to prevent it from tipping over in strong winds.
2. Grow Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes Year-Round in Buckets
Potatoes thrive in buckets! Start with seed potatoes and cover them with a few inches of soil. As the plants grow, continue adding soil to encourage more tubers to form. Sweet potatoes require a similar setup but need a longer growing season.
Bonus: Use buckets with side slits for easy harvesting.
3. Exotic Herbs You Can Grow in 10-Gallon Buckets at Home
Expand your culinary options by growing exotic herbs like lemongrass, curry leaves, and Thai basil. These herbs thrive in well-drained soil and full sun.
Tip: Group similar herbs together in one bucket for a mini exotic herb garden.
4. Fruits You Can Harvest from a Simple Bucket Setup
Buckets are perfect for compact fruits like blueberries, dwarf citrus trees, and even figs. Choose dwarf varieties and use acidic soil for blueberries or well-draining potting mix for other fruits.
Pro tip: Add a trellis to buckets growing vining fruits like passionfruit.
5. How to Grow Strawberries in Vertical Bucket Towers
Maximize space by creating a vertical bucket tower. Drill holes into the sides of a stack of buckets, plant strawberry seedlings, and watch them cascade as they grow.
Quick hack: Use a drip irrigation system to keep all levels evenly watered.
6. Easy Bucket Gardening Ideas for Root Vegetables
Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes thrive in deep buckets. Fill with loose, sandy soil and ensure proper drainage for the best yields.
Tip: Thin the seedlings early to give each plant room to grow.
7. The Surprising Benefits of Growing Dwarf Fruit Trees in Buckets
Dwarf fruit trees like apples, peaches, and cherries are perfect for buckets. Use a 15-gallon bucket for adequate root space and fertilize regularly to support fruit production.
Bonus: Buckets allow you to move the trees indoors during winter.
8. Grow Mushrooms in Buckets: A Shady Garden Delight
Buckets are ideal for growing mushrooms like oyster or shiitake. Fill with a growing medium such as straw or sawdust, inoculate with mushroom spores, and keep the buckets in a dark, humid environment.
Pro tip: Mist the medium regularly to maintain the right moisture level.
9. Ginger and Turmeric: Spices You Can Grow at Home
Plant ginger and turmeric rhizomes in a bucket with loose, rich soil. These tropical plants love warmth and partial sunlight.
Quick hack: Harvest small amounts as needed by digging into the soil gently.
10. Edible Flowers in Buckets for a Splash of Color
Grow nasturtiums, pansies, and calendulas in buckets for a vibrant garden that doubles as a source of edible garnishes. They thrive in well-drained soil and sunny spots.
11. Watermelons and Cantaloupes in Buckets? Yes, You Can!
Compact melon varieties grow surprisingly well in buckets. Use a sturdy trellis to support the vines and keep the buckets in full sun.
Tip: Choose smaller fruit varieties like Sugar Baby watermelons.
12. Peppers: From Sweet to Spicy in 5-Gallon Buckets
Bell peppers, jalapeños, and even ghost peppers thrive in bucket gardens. Use rich soil and a support stake for tall plants.
Bonus: Peppers are perennial in warm climates, making buckets a perfect choice for overwintering.
13. Grow Beans in Hanging Buckets
Hanging buckets make it easy to grow bush beans or even trailing varieties like string beans. Drill drainage holes and hang the buckets on a sturdy frame or balcony railing.
14. Zucchini and Squash in Buckets for Big Harvests
Zucchini and summer squash do well in buckets with plenty of soil and sunlight. Stake the plants early to prevent them from sprawling too much.
Pro tip: Choose compact varieties like Bush Baby zucchini.
15. Mini Cabbage and Cauliflower in Buckets
Cool-weather crops like cabbage and cauliflower grow beautifully in buckets. Use a rich potting mix and keep them in partial shade during hot weather.
Tip: Monitor for pests like cabbage worms and treat promptly.
Bucket gardening opens the door to growing a wide variety of crops in even the smallest spaces. With these unusual crops, your bucket garden can be as productive as it is diverse. What will you try growing next?
