Frugal Gardening – Additional helpful Info for eBucket fans

Sadly, due to contract a dispute between owners of the forum on which this information was first posted and the new owners of his previous gardening forum, he has been ordered to cease and desist use of his  site effective May 28, 2010. This information should be shared so I am re-posting my information here.

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SOURCES FOR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK IN RELATION TO THE eBucket

CONSTRUCTING AN eBUCKET

Easy to follow instructions for CONSTRUCTING an eBucket. You need 4 items: a bucket, a colander, a length of pipe for a filler tube, and a drinking straw. That’s it!!

https://mckarion.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/frugal-gardner-self…

A step by step pictorial instructions for planting a 24″ conversion planter (Sam’s Club/Costo brand, or any other large planter).

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1094601/

CONSTRUCTING AN EARTHTAINER AND SUPPORT SYSTEM

This discusses the construction of a large box type system but I think some of the ideas can be very well adopted to the our eBucket, especially good is the tomato support system.

http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/

From Sheila in Algonquin, IL

places to get Five Gallon Buckets & Colanders for very cheap or even FREE.
1) Garage Sales (colanders)
2) Good Will, Salvation Army or other thrift stores (mostly colanders or small containers)
3) Dairy Queen or other Ice Cream stores –
They use plain white 5-gallon buckets for things like their Strawberry Toppings. We’ve gotten them over the years for anywhere from Free to 50-cents each.

PLANTING

This article is a step by step set of instructions for PLANTING your eBucket.

https://mckarion.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/plant-your-grow-buc…

FERTILIZING

Gymgirl’s suggestions for FERTILIZING your eBucket.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7687386

SOIL STRUCTURE AND WATER RETENTION AND DISTRIBUTION

If detailed discussion of this sort of thing rocks your boat, you will love these threads 

 

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/719569/

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/527353/

EXCELLENT SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSIONS OF CONTAINER GARDENING

These articles discuss all aspects from container, soil content,fertilizer needs to plant population. I find eBuckets can out perform these study results, using less potting mix, and greater plant population.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1647.html

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/guides/E-545…

Disclaimer:   Where reference is made to a business, I am not associated with  nor am I being compensated in any way by the companies.

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Frugal Gardening – the story of the eBucket

GO TO

THIS BLOG HAS ACCIDENTALLY BEEN  DELETED.  SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.  THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS I ATTEMPT TO RECONSTRUCT IT.

The eBucket –“Feeding the World, One eBucket at a Time”

Dave’s Garden is one of my favorite gardening forums; members exchange pictures, ideas, and encouragement on myriads of subjects.

Build a better bucket was the challenge

Self-contained box gardens has attracted a lot of attention.  This method of growing vegetables in containers  is of special interest;  many people want to grow fresh vegetables in limited spaces.

Several participants were discussing ways to make  self watering containers so the average Joe  (or Josephine) would not have to shell out big cash or have an engineering degree to build.

There are  how-to instructions on the internet;  they,  generally,  entail  use of larger storage containers, then making  fairly elaborate modifications  like  cutting material for a false bottom, adding baskets and drilling numberless  holes.

Compared to commercially available units these are economical and effective.  They are also heavy and awkward to handle if you are  older and not a strong as you  were in younger days.

Several members had used a design incorporating two five gallon buckets—one as a reservoir and the other as a container for the potting mix.  The disadvantage was the problem involved in moving the container once it was full and not disturbing necessary alignment.

What if just one bucket is used?  Mental wheels started turning.  Now the challenge was to create a workable reservoir for the unit.

Members  wanted simple,  with this false bottom idea, the suggestions  got really creative (and complicated) until a forum member from the Virgin Islands asked a simple question:

“How about using a plastic colander somehow? The kitchen bowl with all the holes in the bottom…”

An hour later the reply to the post came  from South Carolina (USA):

“You know, that just might work. I’m going to see what I can come up with.”

So  July 7, 2009 at 5:51 PM it all began.  Next day came a message from Houston, Texas (USA) sharing an experiment using the bucket design.   She would become the number one spokesperson and promoter of eBuckets.

Through the internet, a team  formed that would present a new concept in bucket gardening construction.

Give a man a cabbage; teach him to grow it in an eBucket

In less than a year the simplicity and the economic value of this design is touted nationally via internet forum and blogs.

This email from an enthusiastic veteran of two  seasons of growth using eBuckets is typical of the positive response it is generating.

“Feeding the world, one eBucket at a time!”

I’m not sure the designers truly understand  what they have done and how far  the design goes.

The eBucket does far more than  “build a better bucket”.    It  creates a  life of empowerment for  many hurting people!

Just read the gardening forums.    One can sense in these  communications so many unspoken words from people

Simple, economical, effective--the eBucket components

affected mightily by this fickle economy:   “too expensive at the store… Putting extra on the table… Grow it myself…”  Many are older, retired, and living on fixed incomes.

The  eBucket  provides a simple, efficient, inexpensive way for people to capture a little more control over uncertain futures.    The design is VERY affordable and unobtrusive.

It is more than people just liking the eBuckets –people NEED the eBucket… it fills  this need, at the right time.

I am promoting the  theme “Feeding the world, one eBucket at a time!” to let people know there is something they can do to make their lives a little better.

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Detailed instructions for construction and planting the eBucket are available  no cost.

Become a part of “Feeding the world, one eBucket at a time!”