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Growing Peppers In Buckets

I was thinking about using large pine bark in the bottom. I don't think it would hinder the plant and hopefully keep the holes open. Plus it's a lot more lightweight than rocks.
 
I think its a soil compaction/drainage issue as well, however tap water can be improved for free.

Chlorine in tap water can kill the beneficial goodies in your soil:
  • Fungi
  • protozoa/bacteria
  • insects
All of witch can build your soil and become a natural source N-P-K, Cal,and a sudo immune system. Luckily there is an easy way to prevent this!
  1. Fill a buck with water (unfiltered tap)
  2. Wait a few days/ less if you have a bubbler.
  3. Use :beer:
This works because chlorine evaporates overtime and even faster if it is agitated with a air pump.
 
Also I prefer Wally bags over buckets... They work better, holdup for more than 1 season, and are a fraction of the cost of buckets.
More info HERE
 
Chloramine also?

No... We use chloramine here and you can't evaporate it out. It will not kill all your bennies but will keep their levels low. I use a chemical to kill chloramine and bubble it for a couple days.This is only if I am going to make a tea. I don't have time to do that for 50 plants all the time.

Large container (10-15 gallon is good in my short season) a large container also will lower your pH issues,QUALITY medium(good drainage and ph balanced),balanced granular fert with micro and macro nutes. Then let them do their thing. It really is that easy! A dummy like me can do it.

If you don't know your pH,get your water tested or test it yourself.Check the pH of your runoff also! If we all knew our pH and had good draining soil,there would never be another cal/mag thread!

 
Dose the bucket shape matter? I have "regular" 5 gallon buckets but I also have an elongated type, three and five gallon buckets.
 
Thanks to everyone that took part in my topic & everybody else I will read every ones quotes and try to see which one is best for me cause ,its a lot of different ideas so thanks again to everybody. What I can say is I will show pictures of my plants & let everybody know what I did..
 
Don't over fertilise, ensure good aeration/ drainage in your soil mix (use perlite over vermiculite every time) ensure you have a good organic compost (which is well composted) and also add some organic slow release ferts like sheep manure.

Buckets with good side holes work fine and if in doubt with tap water allow to stand for 24 hrs prior to use to dechlorinate it and then check the pH level. It should ideally be acidic in the range of 5.8-6.4 to ensure the nutrients are available to the plant.
 
I grow a lot in 5 gal buckets. Using Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix. I drill six or seven 11/16 inch holes in the sides of the buckets at the very bottom.

This drains perfectly with no sand or gravel at the bottoms of the buckets. Don't get bigger than 11/16 inch with the holes (5/8 is fine) or your soil will flow out with the water.

These have worked fabulously for me. I'll have 25 to 30 plants this summer with half or more in buckets like this.

Big Mike

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I tried last year to grow my peppers in buckets using Scotts potting soil.I got a peppers growing but not consistent,What i'm trying to figure out is,whats the best formula for growing peppers in buckets?I was using tap water was that a problem & should I be using filtered water?

Not exactly sure how you can troubleshoot a pepper growing problem when this is the only info provided.

skettle8 if you need some advice that can help you need to give us more information. How big of buckets? What kind of Scotts potting soil, they have more than one if I remember right, what type of fertilizer are you using and how often, how big are the buckets, how much sun do they get, how often you watering, you stressing the plants in any way. Better yet if I'm reading the question correctly the OP is looking to be spoon fed the correct info to be a successful pepper grower. This place is full of great advice on that very subject. Get off your lazy hiney and do some reading.
 
Not exactly sure how you can troubleshoot a pepper growing problem when this is the only info provided.

skettle8 if you need some advice that can help you need to give us more information. How big of buckets? What kind of Scotts potting soil, they have more than one if I remember right, what type of fertilizer are you using and how often, how big are the buckets, how much sun do they get, how often you watering, you stressing the plants in any way. Better yet if I'm reading the question correctly the OP is looking to be spoon fed the correct info to be a successful pepper grower. This place is full of great advice on that very subject. Get off your lazy hiney and do some reading.

Not exactly sure how you can troubleshoot a pepper growing problem when this is the only info provided.

skettle8 if you need some advice that can help you need to give us more information. How big of buckets? What kind of Scotts potting soil, they have more than one if I remember right, what type of fertilizer are you using and how often, how big are the buckets, how much sun do they get, how often you watering, you stressing the plants in any way. Better yet if I'm reading the question correctly the OP is looking to be spoon fed the correct info to be a successful pepper grower. This place is full of great advice on that very subject. Get off your lazy hiney and do some reading.
 
spicy_echo ,

My first thought is your soil. I use Ferti-Lome. Great stuff good price . You should be able to get it there. Like what others have said drainage is important. I use lots of 1/4" to 3/8' holes in the bottom. I line the bottom with a few sheets of newspaper. Lighter than gravel .... I also like to set the pots ( are ya happy patrick ? ) up on something so I can clearly see water running out when I water . This keeps the salts from building up . I think our water would be close. It's pretty hard and 10% run off will be helpful. I use tap water.

Peace & good luck
 
I tried last year to grow my peppers in buckets using Scotts potting soil.I got a peppers growing but not consistent,What i'm trying to figure out is,whats the best formula for growing peppers in buckets?I was using tap water was that a problem & should I be using filtered water?

Not exactly sure how you can troubleshoot a pepper growing problem when this is the only info provided.

skettle8 if you need some advice that can help you need to give us more information. How big of buckets? What kind of Scotts potting soil, they have more than one if I remember right, what type of fertilizer are you using and how often, how big are the buckets, how much sun do they get, how often you watering, you stressing the plants in any way. Better yet if I'm reading the question correctly the OP is looking to be spoon fed the correct info to be a successful pepper grower. This place is full of great advice on that very subject. Get off your lazy hiney and do some reading.

Hi Patrick thanks for your input I was using Scotts Premium potting soil,Medina Hasta Grow plant & Alaska fish fertilizer .I've been doing a lot of reading on thp for the last few weeks ,so if you think i'm lazy that's fine ,everybody is entitled to their own opinion & some of the responses I've been getting is helping me to understand more than I knew.I am grateful to everybody for their input.Spicy Echo thank you too but its good for someone to speak their mind .Have a bless day everybody..Big Mike yourpictures are awesome thanks..
 
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M8 u can use anything as long as it drains, first season plants are not too pod bearing but there are so many factors the main thing is ur pot bucket bathtub or wooden leg don't get hot as it cooks the roots and stuffs it , I reckon u cud use an old shoe and it wud work :) lol next years challenge
 
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