every time i go to home depot or lowes i get 3---4 5 gal buckets @ 3.50 each dont forget to drill holes for drains these are a must for pecans and black walnut seedlings gives tap root room to grow i had 1 in a gal bucket about 1yr old the tap root had grown in coil like a spring thats a nono it needs to go stright down i have about 20 of these growing now 10 each about 3ft tall will offer for sale this fall
Very good video, to the buckets I make enough holes, almost 10 and much larger the hole. I also put them on stones or thin boards, so they drain, quickly, directly on the ground or plastic, drain much more slowly.
Thank you! I just have standard bits. The buckets have been made a lot thinner these days and the 7/8" chews right through them without a pilot hole, now. I think Home Depot and Lowes changed the design. They're flimsier now.
@@TheMillennialGardener probably making them in China now.. try those pickle buckets from Firehouse if you can get em... they're stout, and come with food grade lids with gaskets. Seal up tight as a drum. Rooting my first cuttings this weekend and appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm hoping I'll have some nice Black Mission and Celeste trees in short order 🤞
Nice video. I've been wondering by more people don't use these buckets for some time. I thought I might be the difficulty of getting the plant out of them because of the lack of taper (planter pots are tapered). The insides are smoother than a planter pot, so maybe its not a problem. Have you found difficulty getting the trees/plants out of the buckets? I plan on using this for my trees to build a good root ball before transplanting. Another advantage to these Home Depot buckets is they are NOT black...black planter pots get so hot during the summer because their low albedo, which can cook your roots. This lighter color will help reduce that problem. The shape is nice too, because they are deeper than tall...often planter pots have a height to width ratio that's close to 1 to 1. Finally, the size is good...any bigger, and its a huge amount of work digging the hole. I prefer to put my young trees right into my final size, to save the labor of moving them, and the risk of damaging them during transplant.
I find these are very easy to remove when it comes time to pull the plant out. I think it's easier than most nursery containers, actually. Probably because of how smooth they are. To answer your original question, there are two reasons why you'd want to use these pots and not go larger right off the bat: 1. Many trees do not like going from a seedling or cutting right to a large pot. Citrus is a great example of this. You should never plant a 1 gallon citrus tree into a large container. They prefer to be up-potted incrementally. Putting a tiny tree in a large container is a problem many people have because it can cause root rot. Remember, containers can get sludgy at the bottom (unlike the earth), and it is the roots of the tree that must suck up the water and prevent the sludge forming at the bottom. If you have too much container size, the roots won't be able to wick up all the water and you'll create a rot environment. This is why you can plant a seedling right into the ground and not have rot issues, but you can if you pot into too large of a pot. You don't get that sludgy layer in earth that you get in a container, so you must incrementally up-pot to prevent it. 2. I am trialing figs. My goal is to not keep them all. I'm not spending real money on expensive containers. I can make these pots for $3 each. If the trees don't perform well in my climate, they're getting culled. They aren't staying in these pots forever.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks... But your logic for not having bigger pots doesn't seem to make sense. Root rot could happen with small pots too... And regardless of the pot size, that problem can be solved with adequate drainage and proper watering. I think the only reason people use smaller pots for trees is because its easier to ship and makes for better profit selling them because its less costly. There are tons of problems with pots too small, and really very few from being to large. Large pots have more soil obviously, more room to grow, don't need watered as often, and have better thermal properties. With smaller pots, the sun can cook the roots on hot day... especially pots with low albedo.
AGT Tactical if you up-pot a 3G citrus tree into a 7G pot, the roots of the citrus tree will reach toward the bottom of the 7G pot and begin filling it up in short order. If you overwater that tree, the roots will be able to wick up the moisture fairly quickly. This is not the case if you pot a 3G citrus tree into a 20G pot. If you overwater, the roots will not be able to wick up the water quickly. The bottom couple inches of the pot tends to stay permanently saturated when you over-pot. If you do not believe me, research overpotting citrus trees. It is a real thing. Saying “just don’t overwater” is unrealistic. Everyone eventually overwaters, and fast-draining mix breaks down in a few months into silt at the bottom of a container. And what happens when it rains? My trees get saturated constantly, but they do well because I don’t overpot them.
@@AGTtactical incremental pot replanting develops better root mass with figs. This along with proper draining soil helps ensure fruit development without over saturation from oversized pots, which tend to mass roots bear the bottom where it’s most saturated.
I just purchased my first fig trees! I have an Olympian and a Chicago Hardy. I'm so excited! It is 18 degrees her right now so they are in my house. I do want to pot them up soon. The Chicago is a very young cutting it has to buds that have leaves next to them so do you think it will be okay to put in a 5 gallon bucket? What type of soil mix did you use?
Nice! I would wait til a week before your last chance of frost to pot it up. Once you give that cutting room to grow, you’re obligating yourself to take it outside every day temps rise above 45-ish and inside every night because it is going to want to grow. You can do it now if you want to carry it in and out to help it break dormancy, or you have a very sunny patio, but if you don’t want that headache, I’d wait. I potted mine because my last freeze date is in about 2 weeks and I don’t mind bringing them in for nights under 40. We haven’t had a freeze here in over a month so my climate allows early potting. My soil mix is half coco coir, half Scott’s Hyponex potting soil. It is really nice mix. I’m jealous you found an Olympian. So far I’ve only found Brown Turkey and Celeste at the stores here. I’m going to hit a nursery next weekend if we get good weather.
@@TheMillennialGardener ok...i dont want to bring them in and out every day. We have about 6 weeks till our last frost date and temps will range from 15-34 degrees at night this week. So I will keep them in. Thank you for that tip. I can't remember what zone you are in but the instructions say the figs are not hardy in zone 1-5. So i'd say if you're not in those zones the Olympian will probably pop up eventually in your area. Thank you for all the tips and videos. I'm a newby at fruit trees all together so thank you for your coaching:)
If that’s the case I would definitely wait. Keep the cutting in a sunny spot and let it slowly leaf out and put on some foliage. Keep it lightly moist. You may need to mist the leaves once they start growing out. Figs demand water exponentially as they put on leaves. I live in a very strong and warm Zone 8a. We get these wild minimum temperatures that makes our zone look colder than it actually is. This year we had one night of 19, one night of 23 and two 25’s. So that means we had an 8b winter, yet we haven’t had a frost or freeze in over a month. I have had my pepper plant against my house uncovered since sometime in January and it is growing unprotected. The ocean really protects us, so I have a long growing season. You can grow cool weather crops like lettuce, broccoli, kale, beets and carrots all year here. I’m very lucky. I’m glad I can help where I can.
@@TheMillennialGardener You are very lucky. one more questions....i just bought the figs 2 days ago and a few of the leaves are small but have almost like a irony, bronze brown spots. Do you think that's possible frost damage? I know it's hard to tell without seeing it...lol
That could be a lot of things. If it looks burnt it may be sun damage. A lot of stores keep these cuttings inside and under the artificial light they get this stringy, light green, leggy growth. Then people buy them, bring them outside or in a sunny patio and the real sunlight scorches the leaves. If there is no pattern to the spots and they’re mostly burns around the tips it is probably sun scald. As long as you don’t see any circular patterns or any spots that appear to be rotting you’re probably okay.
Thank you for the video, it's a great method! Is it possible to transplant the rooted cuttings straight into the ground instead of into the 5gal buckets? Will that hurt the tree in anyway? Is late spring a good time to do that? I have my cuttings (of similar growth like yours) transplanted to a small pot like yours a few weeks ago and just wondering when is the best time to transplant them outside. I'm in Oz so the season is reversed, we are currently in early spring now. Thank you!
@@TheMillennialGardener You àre the best I have learned so much from you. I am Jim using wife's phone. Çant wait to taste my first fig. I can't thank you enough. God Bless. Jim
Hey I’m in NC too :) Do you have a Firehouse Subs nearby? They will give you a giant, strong, food grade plastic bucket if you give them a donation for the local fire department! They use them to store the pickles in. I grow pumpkins and large tomato varieties in mine. That reminds me I actually need a couple and will have to go back there soon heh.
Hey, welcome! What area are you in? I'm grew up in the northeast, so I'm not very familiar with that chain. I have seen a few commercials and according to Google there are 2 in Wilmington. That's pretty cool and good to know. Sounds like a good company.
The only issue with these buckets is that under consistent sunlight it will crack after sometime. I have used these hard plastic buckets in the past but they broke or cracked after the 1st year.
The 5 gallon and 6 gallon buckets from grape 🍇 juice are very strong and last a long time. My dad and I make wine so I save them and I have some that are still good even after 5 years being outside
Train Wreck I have not experienced that. I have used them for years for various tasks and have never had an issue. Currently, I have a satsuma in one where it has been for nearly a year and it still looks brand new. Before that, I used half a dozen for peppers and after a full season they were pristine. I have always used Home Depot buckets, though. Lowe’s buckets may absorb more sunlight since they are dark blue. Either way, I’ve had nothing but good experiences and the cost can’t be beat.
What's the reason to drill side holes two inches high. I thought water must not stay collected at the bottom. If the bottom holes get blocked sitting on the soil, water will stay two inches at the bottom of the pot drowning the roots.
Hole saw are too large when you factor in the outer diameter of the saw, or hard to deal with. A 1/2" or 7/8" drill bit is ideal and easier to deal with.
The reason why I am making so many buckets is to trial fig varieties. The only way to know what works for your area is to test them. The winners will go in-ground. The losers get thrown away. I am throwing out 6 varieties this year that didn't work out for me. Figs fruit usually within the first year, so it doesn't take long to trial them. I recommend it.
Yes, absolutely. I fertilize with a granulated 5-5-5 (or close to) organic fertilizer and a healthy dusting of bone meal, then water them in with a blend of fish emulsion, epsom salt and All Purpose MiracleGro 24-8-16. After that, I switch to MiracleGro Tomato 18-18-21 because 24-8-16 is too much nitrogen to progress into the season.
How do you know when it’s time to upgrade? I’m in the situation in this video I have a cutting fig in the small container you have and I’m wondering when to put into 5 gallon?
you can add it any time dont keep changing to a little larger pot ever time you move it to another pot there is a chance of breaking roots off so put it a large pot be done with it those buckets will last a life time so they are a good investment
Box store buckets suck most being .70mil thick crumbling after only a few seasons besides the unsightly logos. Good .90mil buckets are being thrown away all day long and these buckets last many years. Sheetrock buckets are .90mil. Many restaurants throw .90mil buckets away. Once you have your eyes/mind on buckets they show up freely. Facebook market place, Craigslist….great places for .90mil buckets 👍
These containers are only designed to last me 2 years. The figs are a trial run. If they don’t do well here after 2 seasons, I don’t want those varieties. The reason why I stick with these are ease of availability and uniformity of size. I want them all to experience the same environment to compare apples-to-apples. These buckets will last about 2 seasons in the south, and maybe 3 up north. They aren’t UV resistant. If you want a permanent, quality container, I strongly recommend these: ua-cam.com/video/LuBHbBmh3hU/v-deo.html
This is a blend of about half coco coir from Walmart and half Scotts Hyponex potting soil. I’m very impressed with Hyponex. Beautiful product. One brick of coco coir and one 2 cubic ft bag of Hyponex filled all five buckets to what you see here, so the total cost was about $15 for all that soil. $7 for the coco coir and $8 for the 2 cu ft bag of soil.
The Millennial Gardener have you ever used Miracle Grow Potting mix or Miracle Grow Moisture control or Miracle Grow Potting mix mixed with miracle grow Orchid Potting mix ? Also have you ever used Black Magic Potting mix or know anyone that used it?
This hyponex Potting soil does it already have some slow release fertilizer that’s good for 6 months in it like the Miracle Grow Potting mixes ? If not what should I use to feed my growing cuttings ?
BOTAJELL I have only used Miracle-Gro garden soil and the citrus potting mix. I find their standard potting mixes way too expensive. However, before last year I was strictly a vegetable gardener. For vegetable gardening and annuals, you can use topsoil, compost and cheaper garden soils in containers since by the time they break down the season is over. Fruit trees that are going to live permanently in containers are new to me, so as I progress I will have to buy these more expensive mixes. So far, I like the Scotts Hyponex mix. It is affordable and very nice.
BOTAJELL probably, it is a higher end mix. I didn’t read that carefully because it is too early for me to fertilize just yet. I use fish emulsion in the start of the season since I go heavy nitrogen in early spring to promote growth. I’ll add soluble fertilizers and 5-5-5 into my routine as the season progresses for more balance. All of the figs in this video were “watered in” with diluted fish emulsion.
Clout Gangster oh that’s a good question. There are so many different types, and that’s so dependent on taste. My mind immediately goes to small citrus plants: calamondin, clementine, most limes and Meyer lemons stay small and easy to maintain in containers, if citrus is your thing. Semi-dwarf avocados like Lila are good. So are smaller compact figs like Violette de Bordeaux. Arabica coffee is another great choice. I have several coffee plants. These 5 gallon buckets are ultimately temporary, though, and all of these plants I listed would benefit from being up-potted into 15-20 gallon containers after several years. These 5 gallon buckets are a great, cheap solution for young fruit trees and annuals, but I can’t think of any fruit tree that would do well in them forever.
I've never had an issue with pests crawling into the containers, except ants. Sometimes, ants will get into the holes and build a colony, but it's rare.
That would explain why I never noticed. The Paint Department, to me, just may be the most boring place in the store. I’ll have to wander over there next weekend. I need a whole bunch more buckets.
The Millennial Gardener go to their (Walmart) paint hardware section they all keep them out on display but without the kids. Those u buy separate . Bucket are around 2.97-3.97 per bucket. Food grade
Thanks for all your fig videos! Question: when can I start using a high nitrogen soluble fertilizer on my fig cuttings that I have up potted one time and are currently hardening them outside during the day time? I am currently using dilute Alaska fish fertilizer every 2 weeks.
Thanks for watching, I appreciate it. I recently made a video on this exact subject. This should tell you everything you need to know: ua-cam.com/video/8uw5ngYW44Q/v-deo.html
You can make a lot more holes if you want, but a 7/8 or 1" bit is only a couple dollars at the hardware store. I recommend picking one up. It'll save you a lot of money in the long run.
The tip is, many people never think to use a $3 paint bucket as a container, and it can save you a lot of money. Tips can be very obvious or very complicated.
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every time i go to home depot or lowes i get 3---4 5 gal buckets @ 3.50 each dont forget to drill holes for drains these are a must for pecans and black walnut seedlings gives tap root room to grow i had 1 in a gal bucket about 1yr old the tap root had grown in coil like a spring thats a nono it needs to go stright down i have about 20 of these growing now 10 each about 3ft tall will offer for sale this fall
Thanks for watching!
Very good video, to the buckets I make enough holes, almost 10 and much larger the hole. I also put them on stones or thin boards, so they drain, quickly, directly on the ground or plastic, drain much more slowly.
Thank you for watching! I appreciate it.
Great content! I second the Firehouse Subs buckets.. $2, no tax. Also, have you tried a step drill bit? Huge time saver!
Thank you! I just have standard bits. The buckets have been made a lot thinner these days and the 7/8" chews right through them without a pilot hole, now. I think Home Depot and Lowes changed the design. They're flimsier now.
@@TheMillennialGardener probably making them in China now.. try those pickle buckets from Firehouse if you can get em... they're stout, and come with food grade lids with gaskets. Seal up tight as a drum. Rooting my first cuttings this weekend and appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm hoping I'll have some nice Black Mission and Celeste trees in short order 🤞
Should you add clay shards or wood chips at the bottom to prevent too much water leaking out? Thank you.
Thanks, these techniques help me a lot.
Thanks for watching!
Muchas gracias, saludos desde España.
Thanks for watching from Spain!
Nice video. I've been wondering by more people don't use these buckets for some time. I thought I might be the difficulty of getting the plant out of them because of the lack of taper (planter pots are tapered). The insides are smoother than a planter pot, so maybe its not a problem. Have you found difficulty getting the trees/plants out of the buckets? I plan on using this for my trees to build a good root ball before transplanting. Another advantage to these Home Depot buckets is they are NOT black...black planter pots get so hot during the summer because their low albedo, which can cook your roots. This lighter color will help reduce that problem. The shape is nice too, because they are deeper than tall...often planter pots have a height to width ratio that's close to 1 to 1. Finally, the size is good...any bigger, and its a huge amount of work digging the hole. I prefer to put my young trees right into my final size, to save the labor of moving them, and the risk of damaging them during transplant.
I find these are very easy to remove when it comes time to pull the plant out. I think it's easier than most nursery containers, actually. Probably because of how smooth they are.
To answer your original question, there are two reasons why you'd want to use these pots and not go larger right off the bat:
1. Many trees do not like going from a seedling or cutting right to a large pot. Citrus is a great example of this. You should never plant a 1 gallon citrus tree into a large container. They prefer to be up-potted incrementally. Putting a tiny tree in a large container is a problem many people have because it can cause root rot. Remember, containers can get sludgy at the bottom (unlike the earth), and it is the roots of the tree that must suck up the water and prevent the sludge forming at the bottom. If you have too much container size, the roots won't be able to wick up all the water and you'll create a rot environment. This is why you can plant a seedling right into the ground and not have rot issues, but you can if you pot into too large of a pot. You don't get that sludgy layer in earth that you get in a container, so you must incrementally up-pot to prevent it.
2. I am trialing figs. My goal is to not keep them all. I'm not spending real money on expensive containers. I can make these pots for $3 each. If the trees don't perform well in my climate, they're getting culled. They aren't staying in these pots forever.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks... But your logic for not having bigger pots doesn't seem to make sense. Root rot could happen with small pots too... And regardless of the pot size, that problem can be solved with adequate drainage and proper watering. I think the only reason people use smaller pots for trees is because its easier to ship and makes for better profit selling them because its less costly. There are tons of problems with pots too small, and really very few from being to large. Large pots have more soil obviously, more room to grow, don't need watered as often, and have better thermal properties. With smaller pots, the sun can cook the roots on hot day... especially pots with low albedo.
AGT Tactical if you up-pot a 3G citrus tree into a 7G pot, the roots of the citrus tree will reach toward the bottom of the 7G pot and begin filling it up in short order. If you overwater that tree, the roots will be able to wick up the moisture fairly quickly.
This is not the case if you pot a 3G citrus tree into a 20G pot. If you overwater, the roots will not be able to wick up the water quickly. The bottom couple inches of the pot tends to stay permanently saturated when you over-pot.
If you do not believe me, research overpotting citrus trees. It is a real thing. Saying “just don’t overwater” is unrealistic. Everyone eventually overwaters, and fast-draining mix breaks down in a few months into silt at the bottom of a container. And what happens when it rains? My trees get saturated constantly, but they do well because I don’t overpot them.
@@AGTtactical incremental pot replanting develops better root mass with figs. This along with proper draining soil helps ensure fruit development without over saturation from oversized pots, which tend to mass roots bear the bottom where it’s most saturated.
Thank you for this...I have a juneberry that needs a temporary home!
You're welcome!
I just purchased my first fig trees! I have an Olympian and a Chicago Hardy. I'm so excited! It is 18 degrees her right now so they are in my house. I do want to pot them up soon. The Chicago is a very young cutting it has to buds that have leaves next to them so do you think it will be okay to put in a 5 gallon bucket? What type of soil mix did you use?
Nice! I would wait til a week before your last chance of frost to pot it up. Once you give that cutting room to grow, you’re obligating yourself to take it outside every day temps rise above 45-ish and inside every night because it is going to want to grow. You can do it now if you want to carry it in and out to help it break dormancy, or you have a very sunny patio, but if you don’t want that headache, I’d wait. I potted mine because my last freeze date is in about 2 weeks and I don’t mind bringing them in for nights under 40. We haven’t had a freeze here in over a month so my climate allows early potting.
My soil mix is half coco coir, half Scott’s Hyponex potting soil. It is really nice mix.
I’m jealous you found an Olympian. So far I’ve only found Brown Turkey and Celeste at the stores here. I’m going to hit a nursery next weekend if we get good weather.
@@TheMillennialGardener ok...i dont want to bring them in and out every day. We have about 6 weeks till our last frost date and temps will range from 15-34 degrees at night this week. So I will keep them in. Thank you for that tip. I can't remember what zone you are in but the instructions say the figs are not hardy in zone 1-5. So i'd say if you're not in those zones the Olympian will probably pop up eventually in your area. Thank you for all the tips and videos. I'm a newby at fruit trees all together so thank you for your coaching:)
If that’s the case I would definitely wait. Keep the cutting in a sunny spot and let it slowly leaf out and put on some foliage. Keep it lightly moist. You may need to mist the leaves once they start growing out. Figs demand water exponentially as they put on leaves.
I live in a very strong and warm Zone 8a. We get these wild minimum temperatures that makes our zone look colder than it actually is. This year we had one night of 19, one night of 23 and two 25’s. So that means we had an 8b winter, yet we haven’t had a frost or freeze in over a month. I have had my pepper plant against my house uncovered since sometime in January and it is growing unprotected. The ocean really protects us, so I have a long growing season. You can grow cool weather crops like lettuce, broccoli, kale, beets and carrots all year here. I’m very lucky.
I’m glad I can help where I can.
@@TheMillennialGardener You are very lucky. one more questions....i just bought the figs 2 days ago and a few of the leaves are small but have almost like a irony, bronze brown spots. Do you think that's possible frost damage? I know it's hard to tell without seeing it...lol
That could be a lot of things. If it looks burnt it may be sun damage. A lot of stores keep these cuttings inside and under the artificial light they get this stringy, light green, leggy growth. Then people buy them, bring them outside or in a sunny patio and the real sunlight scorches the leaves. If there is no pattern to the spots and they’re mostly burns around the tips it is probably sun scald. As long as you don’t see any circular patterns or any spots that appear to be rotting you’re probably okay.
Thank you for the video, it's a great method! Is it possible to transplant the rooted cuttings straight into the ground instead of into the 5gal buckets? Will that hurt the tree in anyway? Is late spring a good time to do that? I have my cuttings (of similar growth like yours) transplanted to a small pot like yours a few weeks ago and just wondering when is the best time to transplant them outside. I'm in Oz so the season is reversed, we are currently in early spring now. Thank you!
Are these 5 gal bucket good enough for a 6ft tall fig tree permanently?
I use a paddle bit and never have any problems splitting.
You know, one day I need to invest in a set of those. They're handy.
Can you put nut trees and pawpaw saplings in these buckets?
Thanks!
You’re welcome! Thank you so much for your support and generosity! I really appreciate it! ❤
@@TheMillennialGardener You àre the best I have learned so much from you. I am Jim using wife's phone. Çant wait to taste my first fig. I can't thank you enough. God Bless. Jim
plastic doesnt crack on a large drill bit if you let the bit do the work. Other than that, thanks for the video.
True, just don't force it and make sure it's sharp
I use a cheap soldering iron to make holes. Works great, no cracking, no mess.
Hey I’m in NC too :)
Do you have a Firehouse Subs nearby? They will give you a giant, strong, food grade plastic bucket if you give them a donation for the local fire department! They use them to store the pickles in. I grow pumpkins and large tomato varieties in mine. That reminds me I actually need a couple and will have to go back there soon heh.
Hey, welcome! What area are you in? I'm grew up in the northeast, so I'm not very familiar with that chain. I have seen a few commercials and according to Google there are 2 in Wilmington. That's pretty cool and good to know. Sounds like a good company.
Which soil mix was this with? How did they end up doing?
The only issue with these buckets is that under consistent sunlight it will crack after sometime. I have used these hard plastic buckets in the past but they broke or cracked after the 1st year.
The 5 gallon and 6 gallon buckets from grape 🍇 juice are very strong and last a long time. My dad and I make wine so I save them and I have some that are still good even after 5 years being outside
Train Wreck I have not experienced that. I have used them for years for various tasks and have never had an issue. Currently, I have a satsuma in one where it has been for nearly a year and it still looks brand new. Before that, I used half a dozen for peppers and after a full season they were pristine. I have always used Home Depot buckets, though. Lowe’s buckets may absorb more sunlight since they are dark blue. Either way, I’ve had nothing but good experiences and the cost can’t be beat.
BOTAJELL great job repurposing for free!
Do the buckets of figs ever require winter protection in zone 8a since the roots are above ground?
I use a soldering iron. It never cracks and you do not have use multiple bits.
What's the reason to drill side holes two inches high. I thought water must not stay collected at the bottom. If the bottom holes get blocked sitting on the soil, water will stay two inches at the bottom of the pot drowning the roots.
Where did you buy fig tree?
Love the video!! Thank you for sharing :-) New friend to your channel from Southern California.
Thank you for watching! I appreciate it.
have you tried a small hole saw? maybe faster? looking to make like 200 of these to get trees started.
Hole saw are too large when you factor in the outer diameter of the saw, or hard to deal with. A 1/2" or 7/8" drill bit is ideal and easier to deal with.
Thank you for sharing great video !!
Peter Shu thank you!
Thanks for your videos, they are very informative. Where can I learn what fig varieties can life in my area?
The reason why I am making so many buckets is to trial fig varieties. The only way to know what works for your area is to test them. The winners will go in-ground. The losers get thrown away. I am throwing out 6 varieties this year that didn't work out for me. Figs fruit usually within the first year, so it doesn't take long to trial them. I recommend it.
The Millennial Gardener ok, thanks for that info. Do you have a soil mix / recipe for fruit trees in containers?
Do you up pot rooted cuttings into these buckets or do you let them grow in 1 to 2 gallon pot first?
I go straight into these 5 gallon paint buckets after the cuttings root strongly enough that they can hold a root ball.
Did you fertilize the cuttings when you placed them in the 5 gallon buckets?
Yes, absolutely. I fertilize with a granulated 5-5-5 (or close to) organic fertilizer and a healthy dusting of bone meal, then water them in with a blend of fish emulsion, epsom salt and All Purpose MiracleGro 24-8-16. After that, I switch to MiracleGro Tomato 18-18-21 because 24-8-16 is too much nitrogen to progress into the season.
How do you know when it’s time to upgrade? I’m in the situation in this video I have a cutting fig in the small container you have and I’m wondering when to put into 5 gallon?
you can add it any time dont keep changing to a little larger pot ever time you move it to another pot there is a chance of breaking roots off so put it a large pot be done with it those buckets will last a life time so they are a good investment
Box store buckets suck most being .70mil thick crumbling after only a few seasons besides the unsightly logos. Good .90mil buckets are being thrown away all day long and these buckets last many years. Sheetrock buckets are .90mil. Many restaurants throw .90mil buckets away. Once you have your eyes/mind on buckets they show up freely. Facebook market place, Craigslist….great places for .90mil buckets 👍
Nice and informative video too👍
These containers are only designed to last me 2 years. The figs are a trial run. If they don’t do well here after 2 seasons, I don’t want those varieties. The reason why I stick with these are ease of availability and uniformity of size. I want them all to experience the same environment to compare apples-to-apples. These buckets will last about 2 seasons in the south, and maybe 3 up north. They aren’t UV resistant.
If you want a permanent, quality container, I strongly recommend these: ua-cam.com/video/LuBHbBmh3hU/v-deo.html
Genius
Thanks for watching!
What Potting soil is this from ? Who makes it ?
This is a blend of about half coco coir from Walmart and half Scotts Hyponex potting soil. I’m very impressed with Hyponex. Beautiful product.
One brick of coco coir and one 2 cubic ft bag of Hyponex filled all five buckets to what you see here, so the total cost was about $15 for all that soil. $7 for the coco coir and $8 for the 2 cu ft bag of soil.
The Millennial Gardener have you ever used Miracle Grow Potting mix or Miracle Grow Moisture control or Miracle Grow Potting mix mixed with miracle grow Orchid Potting mix ? Also have you ever used Black Magic Potting mix or know anyone that used it?
This hyponex Potting soil does it already have some slow release fertilizer that’s good for 6 months in it like the Miracle Grow Potting mixes ? If not what should I use to feed my growing cuttings ?
BOTAJELL I have only used Miracle-Gro garden soil and the citrus potting mix. I find their standard potting mixes way too expensive. However, before last year I was strictly a vegetable gardener. For vegetable gardening and annuals, you can use topsoil, compost and cheaper garden soils in containers since by the time they break down the season is over. Fruit trees that are going to live permanently in containers are new to me, so as I progress I will have to buy these more expensive mixes. So far, I like the Scotts Hyponex mix. It is affordable and very nice.
BOTAJELL probably, it is a higher end mix. I didn’t read that carefully because it is too early for me to fertilize just yet. I use fish emulsion in the start of the season since I go heavy nitrogen in early spring to promote growth. I’ll add soluble fertilizers and 5-5-5 into my routine as the season progresses for more balance.
All of the figs in this video were “watered in” with diluted fish emulsion.
What’s a good fruit tree to grow that stays small and produces all year every year?
Clout Gangster oh that’s a good question. There are so many different types, and that’s so dependent on taste. My mind immediately goes to small citrus plants: calamondin, clementine, most limes and Meyer lemons stay small and easy to maintain in containers, if citrus is your thing. Semi-dwarf avocados like Lila are good. So are smaller compact figs like Violette de Bordeaux. Arabica coffee is another great choice. I have several coffee plants.
These 5 gallon buckets are ultimately temporary, though, and all of these plants I listed would benefit from being up-potted into 15-20 gallon containers after several years.
These 5 gallon buckets are a great, cheap solution for young fruit trees and annuals, but I can’t think of any fruit tree that would do well in them forever.
I use a $5 soldering iron to make the holes instead.
A drill works fine, and you don't have to buy anything extra.
hello, are those bucket food gradable?
I don't think Home Depot buckets state "food grade," and they don't need to be. The plants will grow just fine in them.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks
What is the ratio of the various elements in this mix?
I show you how to make it here: ua-cam.com/video/6DEjV3zaOBU/v-deo.html
I would leave the burrs on the bottom of the bucket to determine slugs. I hate slugs .
To deter slugs.
I've never had an issue with pests crawling into the containers, except ants. Sometimes, ants will get into the holes and build a colony, but it's rare.
Check out Walmart....In my area Walmart sells 5 gallon white "food grade" buckets cheaper or around the same price as Home Depot buckets.
I’ve never noticed them before. In Lawn and Garden, or some other department? Paint, maybe?
I think they were at Paint Tools and Supplies.
That would explain why I never noticed. The Paint Department, to me, just may be the most boring place in the store. I’ll have to wander over there next weekend. I need a whole bunch more buckets.
They took them out winter time, recently I saw them back.
The Millennial Gardener go to their (Walmart) paint hardware section they all keep them out on display but without the kids. Those u buy separate . Bucket are around 2.97-3.97 per bucket. Food grade
Thanks for all your fig videos! Question: when can I start using a high nitrogen soluble fertilizer on my fig cuttings that I have up potted one time and are currently hardening them outside during the day time? I am currently using dilute Alaska fish fertilizer every 2 weeks.
Thanks for watching, I appreciate it. I recently made a video on this exact subject. This should tell you everything you need to know: ua-cam.com/video/8uw5ngYW44Q/v-deo.html
dang all i have are 3/8 drills
You can make a lot more holes if you want, but a 7/8 or 1" bit is only a couple dollars at the hardware store. I recommend picking one up. It'll save you a lot of money in the long run.
Apart from drilling a bunch of holes in a bucket... where is the tip?
The tip is, many people never think to use a $3 paint bucket as a container, and it can save you a lot of money. Tips can be very obvious or very complicated.