Growing from a pot can be expensive especially when buying a growing container, not to mention the organic soil and plant to go in it.   Since I rent I have to use containers, otherwise once I move I would have alot of plants to dig up, and landscape to restore to what it originally was.   A barren gravel yard.  I would prefer to use clay pots, over plastic.  But the bigger the clay pot, the more expensive the pot. Rarely can I ever find a good clay pot for cheap.  I would love to have box shape containers to line up against each other as opposed to round containers.   For now I have to settle with plastic containers.   Last year a friend showed me how to turn my cat litter buckets into growing containers.  Generally I bought the plastic buckets because they were recyclable.  I improved on the idea using two different buckets from two different companies.  The old design used the lid and needed glue and tie downs.  For the new system there is no glue/silicon or tie downs.

The materials I used for a growing container

Normally I would buy which of the two containers would be cheapest.  I also usually just threw them in recycling bin when I emptied them out.  But last year after I was showed how to make growing containers out of them I decided to save them for this year.  But the problem with the design I was shown is that it used the lid from the bucket between the water and the soil, not exactly the most stable set up plus it used silicon and twist ties to keep every thing in place.  Silicon is not exactly a mess free substance.  I realized after putting the white buckets next to the yellow buckets that together they would make a better growing container then a lone bucket would.

1. Tidy Cat 35 ibs yellow bucket
2. ExquisiCat Scoop 40 lbs white bucket
3. 1.25 inch  white pipe
4. Ziploc Twist ‘N Loc , Medium Round, Containers & Lids, (Pack of 2)

I had a friend drill the white buckets for me with 1 5/8″ and 4″ drills.   I used a 1/4 inch tool to drill white pipe and the container.

I drilled the holes in the white pipe and the food container, The food container was a bit fragile so I advise using caution

After inserting the white bucket I drilled holes in the yellow bucket just below where the white container ends.

Afterwards the growing container is ready

After the holes are drilled you just insert everything in, as long as everything fits snuggly there is no need for any glue for this growing container.  Just add soil and plant, water from the top at least three times.  Afterwards I recommend getting a cork and putting a bamboo pole it.  Putting the cork end in the white pipe, mark where the pole would be when the container is empty.

Currently I have 11 growing containers, which I am growing tomatoes, peppers, luffa, gourds, cucumbers, and beans.  Also I had one container taken over by feverfew.

After the summer I will see how my growing container work in a shaded enclosure.