If You Have a Few Buckets You Can Use Them These 20 Ways In The Garden | Bucket Uses

Sherin Woods is a California-based DIY enthusiast and garden design aficionado. With a background in Environmental Science, she combines creativity and sustainability in all her projects. A Pinterest favorite, Sherin is committed to eco-friendly solutions and has contributed to various home and garden publications. Her areas of expertise include DIY project planning, sustainable garden design, and content creation.
Learn About Our Editorial Policy

2-Minute Read

Have spare buckets? Discover 20 clever ways to utilize your buckets in the garden and maximize their potential with these DIY Bucket Uses.

Uncover amazing Bucket Uses for your garden and witness their remarkable versatility in action with these garden in a bucket ideas. From planters to compost bins, these simple Bucket Uses ideas will transform your gardening experience and spruce up your home.


If You Have a Few Buckets You Can Use Them These 20 Ways In The Garden

1. Rain Barrel

If You Have a Few Buckets You Can Use Them These Ways In The Garden

This DIY rain barrel idea is easy to follow and requires no more than a few hardware supplies and a big water bucket or garbage can. You can also take the idea and turn it into a self-watering 5 gallon bucket garden.

The benefits are plenty; you can enjoy a drastic reduction in your water bill, lessen your carbon footprint, and make good use of rainwater. Find out the tutorial here for one of the most amazing bucket uses.

2. Crop Protection Device

bucket uses in garden

It’s painful to watch these pesky creatures ravage and ransack the fruits of your labor. Well, what you need is a five-gallon bucket to protect your plants during those first fragile months when they are too delicate to ward off potential invaders themselves.

This simple DIY idea also shows you how to protect smaller plants from frost, hail, and strong winds and thus provide a conditioned environment that is suitable for their growing needs. Watch the video here!

3. Mushroom Farm in a Bucket

Mushroom Farm in a Bucket

To grow mushrooms in a space-constrained manner, you need a technique that utilizes reusable elements, yields tons of mushrooms, and is climate-appropriate for your site. And this is where Bucket Uses come into play.

There are so many types of containers that can be used, like large plastic bags; buckets are most suitable because they are inexpensive, sturdy, and portable.

It is good for growing Oyster mushrooms, as it is less picky about growing media and less sensitive to growing temperature. Check out this DIY article here for instructions.

4. DIY Vegetable Bucket Planter

DIY Vegetable Bucket Planter

Don’t know why or how to make a bucket garden? A contained growing space in buckets means you can control the quantity of water you provide, as well as limit the risk of weeds and pest infestation. However, do remember that plants grown in buckets, or any other container for that matter, require a liberal dose of fertilizer as there’s only a limited amount of nutrients in the compost.

This DIY garden-in-a-bucket idea uses a collection of new 5-gallon buckets as low-cost containers with enough strength to support most vegetable varieties, especially those that are dwarf or patio-type and hybridized specifically for container culture. Click here to learn more!

5. DIY Bucket Fountain

DIY Bucket Fountain

A fountain is a charming addition to any garden. This easy-to-assemble DIY idea uses a five-gallon bucket and a few other hardware supplies to create a gorgeous garden fountain that is rewarding to build, relaxing to watch, and leaves your friends and neighbors utterly curious about how you managed to make something so amazing!

Additionally, you can adorn the finished piece with pretty artificial flowers, terracotta stones, and floating baubles.

6. DIY Bucket Drip Irrigation

DIY Bucket Drip Irrigation

This quick and easy DIY Bucket Uses idea shows you how to install an in-ground, cost-effective irrigation system.

Just punch a couple of tiny holes in the bottom of plastic buckets and bury them till their rims in your garden soil. Then fill them up with water, and you’re good to go.

The buckets will automatically supply a steady and gradual delivery of water to the adjacent soil without spilling excess water where it is not needed. This simple measure will also help you economize water use and save your plants from various fungal diseases. Take a look at this one.

7. DIY Potato Bucket

DIY Potato Bucket

Potatoes are definitely the best plants for a bucket garden. Whether you are an expert gardener or a novice at growing potatoes, it’s remarkably easy to adapt to growing them in buckets. A potato bucket allows you to start your potatoes indoors and then transport them outside, depending on the weather.

This above-ground bucket garden is the perfect way to create a garden with buckets. It basically acts like a raised garden bed, retaining warmth and protecting the plants from late-season frost.

Also, since all the potatoes grow within the bucket itself, harvesting is easy and doesn’t require any unnecessary tugging and digging.

8. DIY Flower Bucket

bucket uses DIY Flower Bucket

Who knew that those seemingly unimpressive-looking tin buckets could double up as rustic flower pots that not only look good but also support the growth of many plants? Metal buckets are reusable items and are easy to use in the wallet.

With a few modifications, these alternative containers can be durable and aesthetically appealing pots. However, you may not be able to grow large plants; shallow-rooted and low-profile plants are good for such containers. See the tutorial post here.

9. DIY Rice Planter

DIY Rice Planter

The concept of rice growing automatically steers up images of acre-long fields of water-drenched rice crops. This is obviously impossible to recreate at home, right?

Wrong! As a matter of fact, it is quite possible to grow this popular staple crop in the same growing environment on your porch, backyard, or even kitchen sill via a garden with buckets!

For this purpose, you will need an inexpensive, easily available tool—a plastic bucket. This instructable shows you how to create a hospitable environment for growing small quantities of rice that is low-fat, higher in fiber, and cheaper than store-bought varieties. Find the tutorial in this post.

10. Self-Watering Container

bucket uses Self-Watering Container

A self-watering container is a remarkable way to meet water-intensive conditions and one of the most amazing bucket uses for the garden. It is an ingenious tool that makes growing plants a breeze and is perfect for apartment gardening.

Forgo the expensive, store-bought ones for your own handmade waterer that uses a five-gallon bucket, among other scavenged materials, and just about an hour’s time to assemble.

11. DIY Hanging Bucket Garden

DIY Hanging Bucket Garden

If you’re looking for something challenging, an out-of-the-box idea, then try growing vegetables like tomatoes upside down with this bucket vegetable garden. And you won’t need any 5-gallon bucket garden stand as these are hanging. It is a unique way (not simple, though) to grow tomatoes. Click here and here to learn more!

12. DIY Aquaponic System

bucket uses Aquaponic System

If you’re new to this concept and wish to start off with a rudimentary aquaponics system, then a good idea would be to raise fish in a bucket.

This basic system might not be visually pleasing, but it works, and you will want to make mistakes and learn with a system like this before moving on to more advanced and expensive setups.

And since these buckets are made of plastic, they can adapt to the basic elements needed for an aquaponic system. To top it all, they hold a considerable amount of fish, as well as the piping needed to allow passage of water.

They also offer enough room for plants that are best suited for aquaponics. To learn more, see this post and this one too!

13. Compost Tea Brewer

Bucket Compost Tea Brewer

If there’s anything better than compost, that’s compost tea. Made by merging steeping plain compost in water, this multipurpose elixir can be used to enhance the flavor of vegetables, prevent foliage diseases, and even speed up the breakdown of toxins.

So, if you have been applying compost all this while the traditional way, it’s time to try brewing compost tea. With just a bucket and some leftover compost in a burlap sack, you can brew a nice, nutritious treat for your garden! See more of it here.

14. Bucket Storage Ottoman

Bucket Storage Ottoman

If you’re in need of extra storage and a stylish seating option, consider turning a bucket into a storage ottoman with one of the best bucket uses. Start by removing the handle and cleaning the bucket thoroughly.

To create a storage ottoman from a bucket, wrap the bucket in 1/2-inch foam and secure it with hot glue. Then, cut small holes in the foam at measured intervals.

Add batting onto the foam, cutting holes in it as well. Wrap the bucket in fabric, stapling it to the bucket, and foam holes. Finish by securing the excess fabric with glue and bending the staples inside the bucket. Check out the DIY here.

15. Tin Bucket Lampshape

Tin Bucket Lampshape

Have an old tin bucket? Put it to good use and make a beautiful lampshade with this DIY. Remove fabric from an old lampshade frame and cut off the outer frame if needed. Center the frame on the bucket’s bottom, mark and draw tabs on the inside, and cut them out.

Paint the bucket, apply vinyl letters, and dry brush with different colors. Attach the lampshade frame inside the bucket, tighten the tabs, and touch up the paint if needed. Assemble the tin bucket lamp shade onto the lamp base. Here is the complete tutorial.

16. Upcycled Table

bucket uses Upcycled Table

Looking for unique and easy bucket uses? This upcycled bucket table is a fun and easy DIY project that adds a fabulous, quirky touch to any space. With just a few materials like empty buckets, plywood, paint, and a hot glue gun, you can create a unique table.

Simply spray the buckets and wooden top with your chosen colors, adding special effects as desired. Attach the parts together with the hot glue gun and let them dry overnight. This project can be completed in 1-2 hours and requires no special skills. Check it out here.

17. Bucket Organizer

Bucket Organizer

Create a handy organizer for your tools and supplies using a bucket. Attach a fabric or canvas pocket organizer to the outside of the bucket using heavy-duty adhesive or by sewing it in place.

The pockets can hold small tools, gloves, plant labels, and other gardening essentials. This DIY bucket organizer helps keep your gardening gear organized and easily accessible. Here is the complete tutorial.

18. Cheap DIY Bucket Feeder

bucket uses Cheap DIY Bucket Feeder

Ditch the garden bucket on wheels and turn a bucket into a charming chicken feeder for your garden. Drill holes near the bottom of the bucket to serve as feeding ports and attach pipes for the seeds to flow out.

Fill the bucket with birdseed and hang it from a tree branch or a garden hook, or just keep it on the ground. Enjoy the sight of your chickens as they relish their feed with this amazing DIY chicken feeder. Watch the tutorial here and learn the most amazing bucket uses for gardens and farms.

19. Bucket Herb Garden

Bucket use for Herb Garden

Looking for unique bucket garden ideas? A Bucket Herb Garden is a fantastic DIY project that allows you to have fresh herbs conveniently located right outside your front door. It’s a great idea for any living situation, whether you have a large yard or a small balcony.

Once you have your galvanized bucket ready, drill several drainage holes in the bottom to ensure proper water drainage.

Fill the bucket with the best soil for a bucket garden about 3/4 of the way full, and plant your chosen herbs, ensuring they have enough space to grow. Keep your herbs watered and fertilized, and you’ll enjoy an abundance of fresh herbs throughout the summer. Check out the DIY here.

20. DIY Wine Chiller with Bucket

bucket uses Wine Chiller with Bucket

Create stunning DIY wine chiller buckets for your celebrations with this easy-to-follow guide. Start by filling a large bucket with 2-3 inches of water and freezing it.

Place a smaller bucket inside and fill it with rocks to prevent it from floating. Next, fill the space between the buckets with water and carefully tuck in flowers and fruits. And that’s it.

These inexpensive and customizable ice buckets make classy and eye-catching centerpieces for any occasion and are especially perfect for chilling champagne. Here’s the step-by-step guide for using this upcycled bucket.

Recent Posts

Join our 3 Million Followers:

2.6MFollowers
300kFans
69kSubscribers

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here