# My many uses for 5 gallon buckets.



## Guest (May 1, 2009)

I'd like to share my uses for 5 gallon buckets, and ask you how you use, or could visualize using them. There are a couple reasons that I gravitated toward these uses, one being that i cleared this garden area by cutting down trees, pulling up stumps, and fighting poison ivy, greenbrier, wild blackberries, poke salad, etc. A whole lot of volunteer growth, all the time. Second reason.... I'm lazy. 
When I plant potatoes, as the vine comes out of the ground, I put a 5 gallon bucket with the bottom cut out over it and add about 6 inches of dirt/mulch. The potatoes set in the bucket, all I have to do is turn over the bucket, they're right there. no digging. 
When I plant tomatoes, peppers, melons, etc, I use a 5-6" (more or less) section of a 5 gallon bucket, like a band or ring 5-6 inches high. Transplant into well turned dirt, center the bucket section around the plant. Mash down into the ground some. Add a little dirt as the plant grows. Top off with a couple inches of mulch. This way, when I water, the water stays in a circle defined by the bucket and goes straight into the root system instead of running down the hill. The mulch keeps the ground from drying out, and helps keep down weeds in that area. As a result, I can weed-eat all around the garden without any fear of accidentally clipping one of my plants. 
I make a small hole in the bottom corner of a bucket. Put that bucket hole near a fruit tree. In hot weather, I fill the 5 gallon bucket with water, and it slowly drains out the hole to run the entire 5 gallons exactly where I want it, instead of running across the top of the ground.
I take the 5 gal bucket, put 4 inches or so of gumballs (millions of gum trees here) in the bottom. fill to within a few inches of the top with good dirt, plant in that. Put some mulch on top of the dirt. When I water, any excess water can filter out but yet the gumballs will hold plenty of moisture. I use this a lot when I set stuff out early, so that, in the event of a hard freeze, I can take them inside. If you don't know what gumballs are, substitute mulch.
At the end of gardening season, I put chickens in the garden(entire garden is fenced in for deer and rabbits) I put roosts in my garden shed and use 5 gallon buckets screwed down to a log to raise the front, for my laying boxes. 
Of course, I use buckets for mixing up chicken manure tea, carrying potatoes, tomatoes, etc. I mark them so I don't carry food in the chicken manure bucket, of course. 
I also have 50 plastic food grade 55 gallon drums, 10 with screw tops, but haven't done anything with them yet. LOL. It'll come to me though. 
So, what other uses do you guys have for 5 gallon buckets?


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

Zong - wow thanks for the gumball idea. I hate those things. We live on an old nursery farm and we have a whole row of 30' sweet gum trees in the yard. Makes a nice privacy fence and great shade, but the balls are a PIA.


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## Ladyhen (Aug 28, 2004)

Genius idea on the sweet gum balls! I'm planning to plant in a plastic container today and will have DD collect some for the bottom. I was going to use gravel.


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

thanks for the ideas....now if only i had more buckets....hee hee


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## Chickadeedee (Jan 28, 2009)

Thanks for sharing all your uses. I might have a few if I could find enough buckets! I've tried lots of stores, etc. and they either recycle them or are out of them.


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## Guest (May 2, 2009)

What are sweet gum balls?


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## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Where do you get all those buckets?


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## Guest (May 2, 2009)

Sweet gum balls are the empty seed pod of the sweetgum tree. they are about an inch in diameter, and spiky. Kind of honeycombed on the inside.


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## Guest (May 2, 2009)

Oh, ok. We don't have sweet gums around here, but I'm pretty sure I have seen those other places.


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## Guest (May 2, 2009)

Dandish said:


> Where do you get all those buckets?


I put a notice on the bulletin board at a paint store that I wanted about a hundred 5 gallon buckets.


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## airmont (Feb 12, 2009)

I don't know about other places, but in Knoxville,TN an ice cream place called Dippin' Dots sells their food grade 5 gallon buckets for $1.00 each.


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## Guest (May 2, 2009)

airmont said:


> I don't know about other places, but in Knoxville,TN an ice cream place called Dippin' Dots sells their food grade 5 gallon buckets for $1.00 each.


There's a locally owned restaurant here that gives them away, but you just about have to get in line. They have lots of them all the time, but they also have lots of people wanting them all the time. But I have managed to get a few dozen buckets from them.


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## MushCreek (Jan 7, 2008)

Upside down, they also make a handy place to sit down after doing all of those garden chores!


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## Guest (May 2, 2009)

MushCreek said:


> Upside down, they also make a handy place to sit down after doing all of those garden chores!


They make a good step-ladder, too!

2 of them make a good short saw horse.

I have a hundred uses for them.


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## LovPRQueen (Feb 11, 2008)

I use them to carry water out of the creek to water the garden. Then a place to sit. Whew!


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## elkwc (Jun 3, 2007)

I plant my tomato transplants in post holes with the tops just at ground level and put 5 gal buckets around them. This serves as a windbreak and also limits the sun enough that I have went straight to the garden without hardening off with no trouble. You can put a cover on them when a cold spell is coming. I also direct plant seeds including tomatoes in them and put a clear plastic cover on top with a slit in it for ventilation to get an early start on the season. Serves as a mini greenhouse. Of course I use them for all the other many uses including feed buckets, to carry manure, fertilizers ect.. I buy them at auctions. Usually a few dollars for 5-10. Also farmers usually have them as oil comes in them. At work we get soap ect in them. I try to keep 75-100 around. They are very handy and the uses are only limited by your imagination. I also use the plastic coffee containers. They work well also. Jay


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## Bluegirl (Dec 13, 2004)

I would like to try this. My 5 gallon buckets don't have lids though. 

http://www.ehow.com/how_2198146_grow-hanging-tomato-garden.html


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I have one in each of my yards where the dogs go...I line them with a plastic bag and set the pooper scooper beside it. Make sure you have a lid though.


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## Tricky Grama (Oct 7, 2006)

Anyone ever used one w/o the bottom for a baffle under a bluebird box? No birds are making it to fledgling stage. 

Patty


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

We have a cat, so whenever I can I buy Lady's cat litter in those big buckets. They are about the size of a five gallon bucket.

We use them to store feed in. Pig feed, goat feed, corn, etc. It really helps to just be able to grab a bucket at feeding time, instead of going back and forth between the shed and the pen.

I've used them for mopping floors, soaking laundry. Hubby uses them to hold tools when he is working on the lawn tractor or car. He sometimes uses them to hold the parts he 'takes off' so they are all in one spot when he needs them. Washing the car.

We have one down at the pond with a rope tied around it, so we can fetch water. It becomes an extra fishing seat when we aren't using it.

I use an old sparklets type water bottle, but you could use a 5 gallon bucket . . . In the summer when it is so hot, and we need to fill the water buckets and troughs - - - I fill the bottle (bucket) with the hot water that comes out of the hose, and then fill the buckets with cool water. We were wasting so much water trying to get cool water. The next day I dump the water from the bottle or bucket into the water trough, and do it again. Surprisingly our water bill dropped about $30 a month after we started doing it this way.

I don't think a person could have too many of those buckets.


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## Guest (May 3, 2009)

NostalgicGranny said:


> We have a cat, so whenever I can I buy Lady's cat litter in those big buckets


I had to read that twice. I thought you said Ladycat's litter and I couldn't figure out what the heck you were talking about. :viking:


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## 1flhippy (Apr 28, 2009)

I only have one 5 gallon bucket and I use it when I weed the garden to put the weeds in. I also use it to haul dirt from the side of the road when I need to fill in a hole in the yard. Not much, I know, but still a handy item to have around. The only thing is that the plastic handle gripper has fallen off and the wire handle hurts my hand. Still trying to think of what to do about that.


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## kentuckyhippie (May 29, 2004)

1flhippy said:


> I only have one 5 gallon bucket and I use it when I weed the garden to put the weeds in. I also use it to haul dirt from the side of the road when I need to fill in a hole in the yard. Not much, I know, but still a handy item to have around. The only thing is that the plastic handle gripper has fallen off and the wire handle hurts my hand. Still trying to think of what to do about that.


cut about 4 inches off an old garden hose, split it lengthways and slip it onto the wire handle of the bucket. make sure the slit is turned up when you pick up the bucket and it will stay on and work fine


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## 1flhippy (Apr 28, 2009)

Thanks kyhippie! I'm having a "why didn't I think of that?" moment.


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## Guilt Trip (May 1, 2008)

Finding 5 Gallon Buckets, Look-up a local Drywall or Painting Contact , I made a self watering planter out of two buckets, take the first one set the other one inside , the rims/rings are 4-6" down from the top , this stops the top bucket from going to the bottom of the bottom of the first one, drill several holes in # 2 insert bucket for drainage, place a funnel in the center hole to stick down about 1/2" off the bottom of the bottom bucket, the funnel will work as a wick to up feed the roots, I put potting soil in the bucket around and in the funnel within 3" from the top of the bucket, and plant . cut a slit at the top of the water line in the bottom bucket (small) , this way you can add water when low. (BE-SURE TO LEAVE A WATER RESERVOIR IN THE BOTTOM BUCKET) Good Luck GT


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## casusbelli (Jan 6, 2009)

Zong-
I got mine when we bought blacktop sealer in them. 
I use them for everything. Even after they crack, they can still haul dirt and weeds.
I take them for smaller purchases of soil amendments or mulch, so the rear of my SUV doesn't get dirty, and unloading is simplified. 
I did the math one day - thank you geometry teacher - one cubic yard of material at the landscape company will fill ~ 33 five gallon buckets. I round down to 30 (in the store's favor) to make it easier on them to do the cost figures - 1/30th of a yard's price times the number of buckets. So if I have six buckets with me, it's 1/5 of the cubic yard price, and I've usually done the filling myself, they have no labor or delivery invested. They have always trusted me on the math. 
s


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

1flhippy said:


> I only have one 5 gallon bucket and I use it when I weed the garden to put the weeds in. I also use it to haul dirt from the side of the road when I need to fill in a hole in the yard. Not much, I know, but still a handy item to have around. The only thing is that the plastic handle gripper has fallen off and the wire handle hurts my hand. Still trying to think of what to do about that.


Replace the missing handle with a 5 or 6 inch long piece of 1/2" garden hose to make a new and comfortable handle.


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## ronron (Feb 4, 2009)

I used the square buckets to make raised edge for a raised bed mine is five buckets wide by 12 buckets long, obviously there is dirt in the buckets and inside the perimeter of the buckets. 
I suggested this years ago if you have a water botteling facility near by you can also pick up their five gallon leakers for free wonderful for small green houses for garden plants.


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## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

I got mine from the local grocery store bakery, they save them for customers, they also have many with the good sealing lids.


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## maidservant (Dec 10, 2007)

I'm glad that this post has reminded me of the watering part! I have some buckets that I started some pepper plants in this year that have drainage holes in the bottom. Well, the pepper plants are in the garden now, and I have two plum trees that I've been hauling water to every day. I put a bucket beside of each one, and filled them up. Drains out a little slower, and more of it goes into the ground instead of it running off. I still have another plum tree, 3 blackberry plants, and a grape vine that I'll be using the buckets for. 

Thanks!
Emily in NC


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

I was looking for a URL for the PVC valve fittings and found a site with a bucket drip irrigation setup...nicely shows how to and all the parts. Thought it might fit in with this discussion
http://www.chapindrip.com/products/bucket%20kits.php

got to thinking about it, and it would be just real simple to drill a pair of holes in the bottom of the bucket to fit the tubing into. Might want to silicone the tubes in place, or put a flange on the inside to hold them...but...

I'm thinking this might be the answer to putting in a drip irrigation system for my far away rows....instead of 1 point of connecting a hose ALLLLL the way out there, and having to run extra tubing....just hang a bucket for each row or two. run the main hose out to fill up the buckets. All done. Or even just carry the buckets back and forth in the cart, I suppose.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Almost forgot...the gum ball things? When they're dried, they make great additions to pinecone wreaths and such for decorations. They also take spray paint well, and can be turned into great little decorations for Christmas.  http://www.gypsywitchcurios.com/curiosities/images/sweet-gum-balls2.jpg


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## DragonFeathers (Sep 30, 2004)

We used a 5 gallon bucket as a filter. My husband drilled tons of holes in the sides of the bucket, wrapped a wire mesh around the outside and secured it, then cut a hole in the lid for the pcv pipe to fit through. We then set the bucket in the creek, securing it in place with big rocks, and inserted the intake pipe from the water pump. All the little holes allowed the water to flow through the bucket and the mesh kept out all the junk. Best system we have used so far to keep the sprinklers from clogging up with all the grit, weed, etc. stuff in the creek. :cute:


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

I had a bunch of old buckets that had cracks in the bottom. I was needing something to sift some dirt out of my grain, and also something to sift the large chunks out of bark compost, so I could use it in my potting soil mix.

I cut the bottoms off of 6 buckets (use them for everything from feed pans, to seedling flats) I picked up a square of window screen, 1/8" hardware cloth, and 1/4 inch hardware cloth at the store. Turning one of the bottomless buckets upside down, I lay the screen over the bottom, and pushed on another bottomless bucket. This holds the screening tight (sort of like an embroidry hoop). Now I have 3 different size sieves that I use for all kinds of things. I can set the 1/4" sieve inside a good bucket through in some compost, shake and bang a bit, and get great filler for potting soil. The 1/4 inch one will also shake any little pieces of gravel or dirt out of corn, beans, etc.

They also work great to wash things in like a mess of freshly dug potatoes. I use the 1/4" one all the time, and the 1/8" one often, the one with the window screen in it is seldom used.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

Oops almost forgot.

I had to be out of town over a weekend in the heat of last summer, and I was afraid that the waterers in my poultry pen would run dry. I took a good 5 gallon bucket, drilled a 1/2 inch hole down about 1" from the top (it ended up between two of the strength ridges). I filled the bucket to the hole with water, carried it to the pen and then placed a hog pan (AKA a oil draining pan) upside down over the top....... then flipped the whole thing. (Hold the pan on tight and flip quickly) It made a great supplementry water.


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## ernie z (Feb 1, 2009)

You can get the buckets at the Wal-Mart in the bakery dept.


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