One of my local Chinese restaurants gave me a 5 gallon Kikkomon soy sauce bucket (so it is food grade) with more to follow.

Do you guys who use these have a guide for how, where and what size holes to drill?  Too big and I will just drop soil, and too small and I won't do any good.

Once I get it set up and scrubbed I plan to use a flat white paint on the outside (or perhaps first so I don't spray the interior.

Any help and/or photos would be appreciated.


Andrew

Andrew:

Very easy.  Drill, or melt about 6-8, 1/2" - 3/4" holes into the bottom SIDES of the bucket.  Don't drill holes into the bottom, only the bottom-sides.  Why?  If you sink the buckets into the surrounding soil, the roots will wander out of these drainage holes, and eventually grow into the soil.  When the time comes to lift the buckets out of the ground, all you have to do is run a spade down the sides of the bucket and sever the roots.  If you drill holes into the bottom of the bucket, the roots will be growing out into the soil and you will not be able to sever the roots without first digging out the bucket.  You will curse a lot...and, wish you put holes in the correct spots.  I made this mistake.  I used to dig out many buckets.  I made up some curses that could be in the Book-of-Records.

Bottom-sides only, and you're done.

Frank

Set a bucket with holes in the bottom on the ground where I live you will soon have a bucket of termites. They will consume all wood products in the potting mix.

Go with Frank.

Another vote for Frank : )

depends on how you going to water it. if your using as a plain pot, that way great. if you want the water from the bottom set up. you'll need to use 2 buckets for one tree for the sips set up.

luke

The plan is to use a single bucket and a hose.

Andrew