Here are some tools that you might find useful when building your Bucket Garden Run!

Go to:

Over the years, I have found myself at Home Depot many times buying things I needed so I could have a great garden.
I have found that Home Depot has almost everything I need or want and at a price that will not break my pocket book.

The tools and items in the booklet "My Bucket Garden" are in the same order here to make is easy to find the items you need.

The First thing to remember is

SAFETY!

Here are some links to products that I have found at Home Depot and a few other places

MATERIALS

(After printing of the Booklet)

MATERIALS

List

Prep

Preparing to Start

If you are renting, you must get permission to use any area outside the normal usage.
This is a great way to build an honest relationship with management.

Get permission from your family. Some people are not into surprises.

Measure where you plan on setting up your Bucket Garden.

The area for my Bucket Garden is 10 feet wide, 40 inches deep, with a 37 inch high 'Sun Block' wall.

Create your plan - use the 'Print' Sheet to help

How long?
How deep, a single run or a double run.
How high is the Sunblock?

Do the math before you start.

How tall is a bucket? 14 inches tall
How tall are the legs? Cider blocks, on their ends, are 16 inches tall
Are the 2 x 4's flat or tall (will the buckets rest on the 2-inch side (flat) or the 4-inch side (tall)? How tall is your Sun Block (you might not have one, and will you need to add a sunblock)?
Here is an example:
37" (wall) - 14" (bucket) - 16" (legs) - 2" (rounded up for 2 x 4) = need about 5 inches of spacer. A 2 x 4 (tall 3 3/4) as a spacer and came close enough.

This is a pic of my pencil layout for my balcony. Just make it simple and adjust as you build it.

Make a list of what you have and what you need to create your own Bucket Garden.
Click here to print the list.

Place an order with your local Home Depot and either go to your local Home Depot and enjoy shopping for your Bucket Garden Construction Material or order online.
Even if you go to your Home Depot, some of the items will be shipped.
Start building that important relationship with the Home Depot Garden Expert. They have valuable information to help make you successful.

Cleaning

Start - Clean the area

After getting permission, from management and family:

I made a plan
I cleaned the area I was going to use from My Bucket Garden.
and then went to Home Depot and got my supplies.

Start

Legs

Setting the Legs

Once the area is clean, set the legs.
Set your legs (I use cinder blocks) in position. I set my on their end (16" tall).
If you are using a ten ft. run, then two in the middle and two at each end - leave space for one bucket at each end. One bucket will be your drain bucket.
In this picture, you can see the black drying bucket at the far end with one set of legs next to it.
There is a second set of legs, with the gloves sitting on top, near the middle of my run.
What you can not see in this picture is the third set of legs and the gre drain bucket.

Gutter

Setting the Rain Gutter

You will screw the rain gutter to the inside of one 2 X 4. (You can use a hanger instead of screws). At one end, attach the rain gutter even with the top of the 2 X 4.
At the other end, fasten the gutter close to the bottom of the 2 X 4. This allows for the Worm Water to flow down the rain gutter.

Place the drain bucket under the low end.

Attach the rain gutter end caps. These help the Worm Water from dripping onto your floor.

You might need spacers to bring the edge of your bucket up close to the edge of your Sun Block. Either set the spacers on the legs or attach the spacers to the 2 X 4 (with rain gutter) run.

Attach the other 2 X 4 to the other side of your rain gutter and place it on your legs

Next, you will attach a 2 X 2 to the end of the 2 X 4's to connect them. (You can add a screw in the middle of the rain gutter to the other 2 X 4.)

You should now have one section of the Base completed, the platform (2 x 4's and 2 x 2's), and gutter with caps, setting on the legs.

Drill a hole at the lower end of your rain gutter to allow the Worm Water to drain into your Drain Bucket.

Placing the Buckets

Drain hole at the lower end of your run and over the drain bucket

Remember to keep the drain hole in line with the rain gutter. (The holes should be in line with the handles to make it easy to keep them in line with the gutter.

You should be able to have ten Buckets on a ten ft. run. I suggest you make your 10th bucket the yellow composting bucket. It will have drain holes also so make sure it drains into the rain gutter also.

Have the Green bucket under the lower end of the rain gutter to catch all the worm water.

The other end can hold the black drying bucket for leaves and grasses (no holes in the bucket, only in the lid to keep the bugs out.)

Composting bucket

Mushrooms

Mushrooms?

If you want to grow mushrooms under the Bucket Garden, now is a good time to set it up. You can add your mushroom farm later.

Click here to go to the Mushroom page to order the 'How to Grow Mushrooms' before you set up so you know the best way to proceed.

Material:

Either Red Bricks or Wheels that are either glued or bolted to the bottom of the mixing tray.
Mixing tray.
Some type of Drain Pan.

Set up the Mushroom pan first. You want to make sure everything fits before gluing or drilling holes.

Either set the red bricks so they support the pan or screw (or glue) the wheels to the bottom of the mixing tub.
Set the drain pan between the red bricks (it would help, if you have the room to support the mixing tub with 2 X 4's under it.)
Set the mixing tub on top of the red bricks unless you are using wheels.
Drill a drain hole in the mixing tub.
Place your drain pan under the drain hole.
Fill with mushroom soil/leaves or wood and water.
Order your mushrooms spores and follow direction for your spores.

Time to Plant!

By now, you have a list of plants to plant.

Before you go and get them, fill your buckets.
Drill the holes (in line with the handles) and place the screen over the holes.
Place newspaper in the bottom (couple of inches.)
Then leaves on top of the newspaper (couple of inches.)
A few inches of dirt.
Add very little organic fertilizer.
Repeat until bucket is full.
Water.
Order your worms and add once they arrive.

Plant your plants.

Time

Here are some tools that you might find useful when building your Bucket Garden Run!

Go to:

Links to lists

Preparing to start

Setting the Rain Gutter

Setting the Legs

Placing the Buckets

Mushrooms?

Time to Plant!

Over the years, I have found myself at Home Depot many times buying things I needed so I could have a great garden. I have found that Home Depot has almost everything I need or want and at a price that will not break my pocket book.

Preparing to Start

If you are renting, you must get permission to use any area outside the normal usage. This is a great way to build an honest relationship with management.

Get permission from your family. Some people are not into surprises.

Measure where you plan on setting up your Bucket Garden.

The area for my Bucket Garden is 10 feet wide, 40 inches deep, with a 37 inch high 'Sun Block' wall.

Create your plan - use the 'Print' Sheet to help

How long?

How deep, a single run or a double run.

How high is the Sunblock?

Do the math before you start.

How tall is a bucket? 14 inches tall​

How tall are the legs? Cider blocks, on their ends, are 16 inches tall

Are the 2 x 4's flat or tall (will the buckets rest on the 2-inch side (flat) or the 4-inch side (tall)? How tall is your Sun Block (you might not have one, and will you need to add a sunblock)?

Here is an example:

37" (wall) - 14" (bucket) - 16" (legs) - 2" (rounded up for 2 x 4) = need about 5 inches of spacer. A 2 x 4 (tall 3 3/4) as a spacer and came close enough.

This is a pic of my pencil layout for my balcony. Just make it simple and adjust as you build it.

Make a list of what you have and what you need to create your own Bucket Garden. Click here to print the list.

Cleaning

Start - Clean the area

After getting permission, from management and family:

I made a plan

I cleaned the area I was going to use from My Bucket Garden.

and then went to Home Depot and got my supplies.

Setting the Legs

Setting the Rain Gutter

Placing the Buckets

Mushrooms?

If you want to grow mushrooms under the Bucket Garden, now is a good time to set it up. You can add your mushroom farm later.

Click here to go to the Mushroom page to order the 'How to Grow Mushrooms' before you set up so you know the best way to proceed.

Material:

Either Red Bricks or Wheels that are either glued or bolted to the bottom of the mixing tray.

Mixing tray.

Some type of Drain Pan.

Set up the Mushroom pan first. You want to make sure everything fits before gluing or drilling holes.

Either set the red bricks so they support the pan or screw (or glue) the wheels to the bottom of the mixing tub.

Set the drain pan between the red bricks (it would help, if you have the room to support the mixing tub with 2 X 4's under it.)

Set the mixing tub on top of the red bricks unless you are using wheels.

Drill a drain hole in the mixing tub.

Place your drain pan under the drain hole.

Fill with mushroom soil/leaves or wood and water.

Order your mushrooms spores and follow direction for your spores.

Time to Plant!

By now, you have a list of plants to plant.

Before you go and get them, fill your buckets.

Drill the holes (in line with the handles) and place the screen over the holes.

Place newspaper in the bottom (couple of inches.)

Then leaves on top of the newspaper (couple of inches.)

A few inches of dirt.

Add very little organic fertilizer.

Repeat until bucket is full.

Water.

Order your worms and add once they arrive.

Plant your plants.

Over the years, I have found myself at Home Depot many times buying things I needed so I could have a great garden.
I have found that Home Depot has almost everything I need or want and at a price that will not break my pocket book.

If you are renting, you must get permission to use any area outside the normal usage.
This is a great way to build an honest relationship with management.

How tall is a bucket? 14 inches tall

Make a list of what you have and what you need to create your own Bucket Garden.
Click here to print the list.