Buckets "v" Polypots?

[broadway]

Folks,

Until recently I was going to buy 15 Orange B&Q buckets to grow various crops until I read a post on Polypots.

Therefore the obvious question is can any of you give me the pros and cons for each and personal experiences?

As always much appreciated…….Danny

[Cutecumber]

Buckets last longer.

Buckets need holes drilling in them for drainage.

Polypots can be unstable, depending on their size, and provide less insulation to roots.

Polypots are not completely lightproof which can be a problem for potato tubers (but it's easy to use two). Having said that, I'm not sure that orange buckets are lightproof either!

[seasprout]

Polypots are easier to store, buckets will last longer, and look better.

[piskieinboots]

I'd go with buckets - no really reason just would, doesn't help you does it

[lainey lou]

Me too, cheerfully orange and a snip at 98p!

[shirlthegirl43]

Or a cheaper option (though a little smaller) are the 10 litre flower buckets you can get from the supermarkets. Morrisons sell 8 (or more) buckets for 99p and each bucket will happily grow one potato tuber, about 5 dwarf beans, a feed of carrots, one cauli or cabbage, etc and so on.

[terrier]

I bought a few black buckets last year from Wilkinsons that are about the same shape as flower buckets, 65p each. Black and very strong. Got a good crop of late potatoes in them.

[Eden]

Yep, wilko's buckets are great. If you stack them on top of each other and turn them over, you can drill them all at the same time but don't put too much pressure on them as you are drilling otherwise they will crack. I used to grow all my spuds in buckets and it worked really well, dead easy to tip 'em up and get the spuds out, easy to wash and store until next year. My mum also gets the flower buckets for me, same as the wilkos ones but as she works at a shop I get them for free!

[veg4681]

I saw those big soft flexi bucket (40 litres) for £1.29 in one of those Poundstretcher type of store but they were in bright colours. That might hold 4 seed potatoes. I don't know about drilling holes on them with success though. Any comments anyone?

Or a cheaper option (though a little smaller) are the 10 litre flower buckets you can get from the supermarkets. Morrisons sell 8 (or more) buckets for 99p and each bucket will happily grow one potato tuber

But don't they sell out very quickly?...as I've only managed to secure once (& it was the last stock!) as I was passing by Morrisons. My local Sainsbury tells me they won't sell them as they get recycled (probably back to the flower supplier) which is fine so long the staff wasn't lying (so that he can sell on the stuff himself). A bit annoying I can't buy these from Sainsbury.

[SarzWix]

But don't they sell out very quickly?...as I've only managed to secure once (& it was the last stock!) as I was passing by Morrisons. My local Sainsbury tells me they won't sell them as they get recycled (probably back to the flower supplier) which is fine so long the staff wasn't lying (so that he can sell on the stuff himself). A bit annoying I can't buy these from Sainsbury.

You don't need to go to a supermarket for them - any place which sells flowers will probably have them - I used to work at a petrol station with cr@ppy flowers on the forecourt & we always had tons of those black buckets. Also our local Spar shop has them. Don't give up, just try a smaller shop!

[veg4681]

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep trying.

[Bren In Pots]

This year I've used those black flower buckets to grow everything apart from Butternut squash.
Will do the same again next year but not for runner beans because they fell over a few times

[Hazel at the Hill]

This year I've used those black flower buckets to grow everything apart from Butternut squash.
Will do the same again next year but not for runner beans because they fell over a few times

I grew runner beans in pots on the first floor balcony when I lived in a flat. 4 big pots (10" or a foot across maybe) in saucers, 2/3 beans per pot, 7' canes tied at the top. Fabulous!

[Bren In Pots]

Hazel I've got some wider buckets for next year so hopefully my runners wont be falling over again.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I think tying the canes together gives the whole shebang a bit of mutual support - also the wider apart the pots and the shallower the canes are angled to each other, the more stable they will be together.