Wicking tub buckets are an affordable and effective way to grow plants in a small space. The buckets are made from a food-grade, opaque plastic container with a fill tube, a one-gallon jug, and a drain hole. The goal is to replicate the design of a five-gallon wicking tub bucket with a 1.25-inch PVC pipe and a one-gallon jug.
To start, drill four small holes near the bottom of the one-gallon container to allow water to come and go freely without letting dirt in. Cut a hole in the top of the jug to fit the fill pipe and trace the pipe’s outline to cut it out. Next, cut the pipe at a 45-degree angle and place it in the jug. Lean it towards the handle and place it in the middle of the bucket. The drain hole should be five inches from the bottom of the bucket. Fill the bucket with dirt, add supplements, and plant the desired plant.
Key Takeaways
- Wicking tub buckets are a budget-friendly way to grow plants in small spaces.
- The buckets are made from food-grade, opaque plastic containers with a fill tube, a one-gallon jug, and a drain hole.
- To create the bucket, drill small holes in the one-gallon container, cut a hole in the top of the jug, and cut the PVC pipe at a 45-degree angle. Place the pipe in the jug, lean it towards the handle, and place it in the middle of the bucket. Fill the bucket with dirt, add supplements, and plant the desired plant.
Understanding Wicking Tub Buckets
Wicking tub buckets are an inexpensive and effective way to grow plants. They are similar to Earth boxes and IMSco boxes but are smaller in scale. The container is a food-grade, opaque plastic bucket with a fill tube to add water. The bucket also has a one-gallon jug inside and a drain hole to allow water to come and go freely without letting dirt in.
To make a wicking tub bucket, one can use a 1.5 or 1.25-inch PVC pipe, which can be thin and schedule 40. A standard gallon milk jug can be used as a fill pipe. The first step is to drill four holes at the bottom of the one-gallon container and a few holes in the actual container. Then, the PVC pipe is dropped on top of the container, and a marker is used to trace it. A razor blade is used to cut the traced line to make a tight fit. Afterward, the pipe is cut at an angle of about 45 degrees, and it is placed in the bucket with the handle towards the drain hole. The jug is then filled with dirt, supplements are added, and the plant is planted.
The drain hole should be five inches from the bottom of the bucket. It is essential to make sure that any plastic shavings are removed before placing the jug and pipe in the bucket. The fill pipe should be as close to the drain hole as possible, and it is recommended to leave the fill tube a little tall to avoid breaking leaves when watering the plant.
The transparent nature of the bucket allows one to keep an eye on the water level without worrying about how much water is coming out of the drain hole. Food-grade buckets are recommended, but people use other materials in their gardens. However, food-grade buckets are preferred because they are free and readily available in local industries. The results of using wicking tub buckets are great, and they are suitable for growing cabbages, lettuces, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, and kale.
Materials Needed
To build a wicking tub bucket, the following materials are required:
- Food grade opaque plastic bucket
- 1.25-inch PVC pipe
- One-gallon jug (preferably food grade)
- Half-inch drill bit
- Razor blade
- Tape measure
- PVC cutter or saw
- Fertilizer
- Soil
The wicking tub bucket is a budget-friendly build that yields great results. The container used is a food grade opaque plastic bucket with a fill tube to fill the water and a drain hole. The one-gallon jug is used to hold the water and is fitted with a PVC pipe for easy filling and draining. The container is drilled with holes to allow water to come and go freely without letting dirt in. The PVC pipe is cut at an angle to allow water to get into the jug. The bucket is filled with soil and fertilizer, and the plant is added. The transparent nature of the bucket allows for easy monitoring of the water level. Food grade buckets are preferred, but any plastic bucket can be used.
Preparation of One Gallon Container
To prepare a one-gallon container for a wicking tub bucket, the first step is to drill holes in the container. For this purpose, a 1/8 inch drill bit can be used to make four holes at the bottom of the container. These holes allow water to come and go freely into the container without letting dirt in.
Next, a 1.25 inch PVC pipe is needed to fill the container with water. The pipe should be cut at a 45-degree angle at about 20 inches. This pipe is then inserted into a one-gallon jug with holes drilled at the top and bottom. The jug is then placed inside the container, and the pipe is leaned towards the handle to ensure that it sits properly in the bucket.
After the jug and pipe are in place, the container can be filled with dirt and supplements. The drain hole should be five inches from the bottom of the container, and the bucket should be filled halfway before adding supplements. Once the bucket is filled, the plant can be added, and the wicking tub bucket is ready to use.
It is important to note that food-grade buckets are recommended for this project, but it is not necessary to use food-grade water hoses or other garden tools. The transparent nature of the bucket allows for easy monitoring of the water level without worrying about the amount of water coming out of the drain hole.
Preparation of PVC Pipe
To prepare the PVC pipe for the wicking tub bucket, the first step is to drill holes in the one-gallon jug. The jug will be used as the fill tube to fill the water inside the container. The holes will allow the water to come and go freely into the container without letting dirt in. Four holes are drilled at the bottom, and four at the top. The drill bit used is about 1/8 inch.
Next, a hole is cut in the top of the jug to fit the PVC pipe. The pipe is traced on the top of the jug, and then a razor blade is used to cut it out. The pipe is cut at a 45-degree angle to ensure it sits properly in the jug. The pipe is then inserted into the jug, leaning towards the handle so that it sits in the bucket with the pipe angled towards the drain hole.
The PVC pipe used is either 1.25 or 1.5 inches in diameter, and schedule 40 PVC pipe is recommended. The pipe is cut to a length of 20 inches, and a 45-degree angle is cut at the end to ensure it sits properly in the bucket. The pipe is then inserted into the jug, with the angled end sitting in the bucket.
Once the PVC pipe is prepared, it is inserted into the bucket. The drain hole is drilled in the bucket at a height of five inches from the bottom. The jug and pipe are then inserted into the bucket, with the pipe angled towards the drain hole. The fill tube is left a little tall to accommodate bushy plants.
After the PVC pipe is prepared and inserted into the bucket, the bucket can be filled with dirt, fertilizer, and plants, and water can be added through the fill tube. The transparent nature of the bucket allows for easy monitoring of the water level without worrying about how much water is coming out the drain hole.
Assembly of Wicking Tub Bucket
To assemble a wicking tub bucket, one needs a food-grade opaque plastic bucket, a fill tube, a one-gallon jug, and a drain hole. The container is drilled with four holes at the bottom to allow the water to come and go freely into the container without letting dirt in. The one-gallon jug is used as a water reservoir, and a hole is cut in the top to insert the fill tube. The fill tube is made using an inch and a half or inch and a quarter PVC pipe, which is cut to fit the top of the jug. The pipe is cut at a 45-degree angle to ensure that it sits on the bottom of the jug and allows water to flow freely.
To assemble the wicking tub bucket, the jug is placed inside the food-grade bucket, and the fill tube is inserted into the jug. The jug is leaned towards the handle, and the pipe is cut to sit at a 45-degree angle. The pipe is then inserted into the jug, and the jug is placed in the food-grade bucket. The drain hole is drilled five inches from the bottom of the bucket. The bucket is filled with dirt halfway, and additives are added. The bucket is then filled with dirt the rest of the way, and the plant is planted.
The transparent nature of the bucket allows one to keep track of the water level without having to worry about how much water is coming out the drain hole. Food-grade buckets are recommended, but they can be substituted with any plastic bucket. The fill tube is made using an inch and a half or inch and a quarter PVC pipe, and a one-gallon jug is used as a water reservoir. The drain hole is drilled five inches from the bottom of the bucket.
Drilling the Drain Hole
To create a wicking tub bucket, the first step is to prepare the container. In the video, the presenter uses a food-grade, opaque plastic bucket. The container needs a fill tube to add water, a one-gallon jug, and a drain hole. The drain hole allows water to come and go freely without letting dirt in.
To drill the drain hole, the presenter marks the bottom of the container and uses a 1/2 inch drill bit to create the hole. The hole should be slightly above the marked point on the bottom of the container. The presenter advises being careful when drilling the hole to ensure a tight fit.
Once the drain hole is drilled, the presenter moves on to preparing the one-gallon jug. The jug needs four holes at the bottom to allow water to enter and exit freely. The presenter uses a drill bit slightly larger than a large pencil lead to create the holes.
Next, the presenter cuts a hole in the top of the jug to fit the fill tube. They trace the outline of the tube on the top of the jug and use a razor blade to cut the hole. The presenter advises being careful to create a tight fit so that dirt does not fall into the jug and plug up the holes.
After the holes are drilled, the presenter inserts the fill tube into the jug and leans it toward the handle. They then insert the jug into the container, making sure the drain hole is turned toward the handle. The presenter advises filling the container halfway with dirt, adding fertilizer, and then filling the container the rest of the way with dirt before planting.
The presenter notes that the transparent nature of the container allows them to keep an eye on the water level without worrying about how much water is coming out of the drain hole. They also mention that food-grade buckets are ideal but not always necessary, as long as the container is safe for growing plants.
Final Assembly and Filling
To assemble the wicking tub bucket, one needs a food-grade plastic bucket, an inch and a quarter PVC pipe, a one-gallon jug, and a half-inch drain hole. The first step is to drill four holes at the bottom of the one-gallon container to allow water to flow freely into the container without letting dirt in. The next step is to cut a hole in the top of the jug and trace it using a marker. A razor blade is used to cut the hole on the inside of the line to make a tight fit.
The inch and a quarter PVC pipe is then placed on top of the jug, and a 45-degree angle is cut at 20 inches using a saw. The pipe is then inserted into the jug, and it is leaned towards the handle to ensure that it goes into the bucket. The drain hole is then drilled five inches from the bottom of the bucket, and the jug is placed inside the bucket. The fill tube is angled away from the handle and placed in the middle of the jug.
The next step is to fill the bucket halfway with dirt, add fertilizer, and then fill it up with dirt again. The plant is then placed in the bucket, and the bucket is watered. The transparent nature of the bucket allows one to keep an eye on the water level without worrying about how much water is coming out of the drain hole. The wicking tub bucket is an inexpensive way to grow plants and is suitable for planting one cabbage, two lettuces, one tomato, one broccoli, or one cauliflower.
Planting and Watering
The wicking tub bucket is a budget-friendly build that yields great results. The container used is a food-grade opaque plastic bucket, with a fill tube to add water and a drain hole. The wicking tub bucket is similar to Earth boxes and IMSco boxes, but on a smaller scale.
To make a wicking tub bucket, one needs a five-gallon bucket, a one and a quarter inch PVC pipe, a one-gallon jug, and a half-inch drain hole. The PVC pipe is used to get water into the bucket, and the jug is used to hold the water. The first step is to drill four holes at the bottom of the jug, allowing water to come and go freely into the container without letting dirt in. Next, a hole is cut in the top of the jug to fit the PVC pipe. The PVC pipe is cut at a 45-degree angle to make sure it does not sit on the bottom of the jug.
The jug and pipe combination are then placed in the bucket, with the handle of the jug facing the drain hole. The bucket is then filled with dirt, halfway, and additives are added. After that, it is filled with dirt again, and the plant is planted.
The transparent nature of the bucket allows one to keep track of the water level without having to worry about how much water is coming out the drain hole. The food-grade bucket is essential; however, it is not necessary to use a food-grade water hose. The bucket can hold one cabbage, two lettuces, one tomato, one broccoli, or one cauliflower. Four mustard green plants or four kale plants can also fit in the bucket.
To replicate the wicking tub bucket, one can use a thin PVC pipe instead of a thick one. The PVC pipe is used to get water into the bucket, and the jug is used to hold the water. The first step is to drill four holes at the bottom of the jug, allowing water to come and go freely into the container without letting dirt in. Next, a hole is cut in the top of the jug to fit the PVC pipe. The PVC pipe is cut at a 45-degree angle to make sure it does not sit on the bottom of the jug.
The jug and pipe combination are then placed in the bucket, with the handle of the jug facing the drain hole. The bucket is then filled with dirt, halfway, and additives are added. After that, it is filled with dirt again, and the plant is planted.
The drain hole is located five inches from the bottom of the bucket. The fill tube is left a little tall to avoid breaking leaves to get water into the jug. The wicking tub bucket is a great way to grow plants and vegetables in a budget-friendly way.