Bato Bucket Size Question
 

I am getting ready to set up bato buckets using drip. I recently acquired a number of 2 gal buckets. What is the criteria for determining what garden plants could be grown in these? Tomato's, peppers, strawberries, etc. Is it necessary to have a larger root space or is that a consideration in that the plants are being fed the necessary nutrients and should not need to spread out seeking these nutrients.

Hello budbon,
There isn't any standard "criteria for determining what" plants can be grown in what type of containers, or type of hydro system. Yes, In general the plants root systems don't need to be as big as they would be in soil because they don't need to stretch out to find water and nutrients. But that doesn't mean they wont grow very big. I have grown tomatoes in a flood and drain system using 2 gallon buckets for the plants in this system, New setup for my tomato's. While they did quite well despite the pest and heat issues I had to deal with, like everything it was a great learning experience, but I wouldn't grow them the same way again (not that you cant). For me I would use 5 gallon buckets for the tomatoes root space, and run the system as a drip system. I would want more root space than 2 gallons.

I have seen commercial hydroponic farms growing peppers in 3 gallon buckets. But you could probably get by using 2 gallon buckets as long as they are determinate variety. I attached a picture of the root system of a pepper plant growing in a water culture system. That pepper plant was an Anaheim chilli pepper plant, it was a determinate variety that was about two feet tall and 2 feet wide in the picture. But it could have easily grown twice as big if I didn't have to leave town for a week. In our hot dry climate it was drinking between 2-3 gallons of water each day. It would have been dead by the second day in that 7 gallon bucket DWC system. So I harvested all the peppers and cut it down before I left.

I knew I was never going to keep it full term in that water culture type system anyway. If I had planed to keep it to full size I would have built a drip system for it because I knew it would start consuming to much water for that 7 gallon bucket reservoir to handle. I just wanted to show how to build a simple DWC hydro system and show a plant growing it to add as one of the free design plans on my website.

As for growing strawberries in two gallon buckets. I'm not sure that would be the most efficient type of container. But if I were going to do it in them I would probably stick 4 plants in each bucket. Place them right on the edge of the bucket so they drape over the side as they grow bigger. They should have plenty of root space with 4 strawberry plants in each 2 gallon bucket. But if you plan to have strawberry shortcake, and want to have enough ripe strawberries at the same time, I would suggest having at least 30-40 strawberry plants growing.

Thanks for the info. I h Ave plenty of projects without the 2 gal buckets. Wanted to see if they might have future use.