Is 5gal bucket enough for outdoor grow?

Any input on outdoor soil growing in 5gal buckets? I'm considering using a few of these Camo 5gal. along with Some 20gal pots. I was planning on drilling holes in bottom for drainage and maybe adding a 1" layer of hyrdoton on the bottom.

Sure if you're growing autos

it will work. what are you planning on growing in it? GL

Strains: Grape Kush, New York City Diesel, Death Star, Pure O.G. Kush

Hope to veg them indoors for a few months and take them outdoors around April

Only one way to find out for sure... after you harvest, dump them buckets out and take a picture of the roots for us.. that would be much appreciated.. I know a 5 gal bucket isnt gonna be enough for my white widow plants outdoors... I grow outside every summer.. I start my indoors and put outside in early may, depending on the weather ofcourse. Good luck OP

Veg them a few months then outside around April? Sounds like they'll veg another couple months... I did a one month veg indoor under 400w hps and it's filled out a 10 gal pot. Unless you're bound to those going bigger can ONLY help.

mathguy said:

Veg them a few months then outside around April? Sounds like they'll veg another couple months... I did a one month veg indoor under 400w hps and it's filled out a 10 gal pot. Unless you're bound to those going bigger can ONLY help.

Click to expand...

They should veg until equinox.

i think its pointless to veg indoor first. in 5gal buckets they'll only get so big.

Well any plant can only reach its max height. However, the longer you veg the more you can top it and make it a bush. In the end far more bud and overall weight.

if you use them to feed and show scale they are great!
View attachment 2492248
*not mine

they wont nearly grow to their full potential but u can finish them up in those.

Truth! lol Thanks for all the replies!

canecorso505 said:

i think its pointless to veg indoor first. in 5gal buckets they'll only get so big.

Click to expand...

If I had one that I started outdoors and I have one thats 2 months old when I put it outside... which one will get ALOT MORE buds??? Yep the one that you started indoors.. and it has a much better chance to survive.. but to each his own

cobra28widow said:

If I had one that I started outdoors and I have one thats 2 months old when I put it outside... which one will get ALOT MORE buds??? Yep the one that you started indoors.. and it has a much better chance to survive.. but to each his own

Click to expand...

I think they trying to say that they would totally fill out the bucket in two month time and stunt the growth - maybe that is true, I never did a 2 month veg followed by a outdoor grow (I wish I did!).

So maybe 2 months indoors in a 5 gallon might be too long - you can always go 10 gallon bucket inside then transfer to 100 gallon hella-pot in spring... That would be sweet

I start in one gallon indoors then if I can't get them in the ground within four weeks (usually three) then I'll put them in 10 gallon pots. However once I forgot about one and left it in the 10g for another month. The roots got a little root bound and yield took a dive. Instead of my usual three pounds in got a little over one pound. Still not a complete failure but I'll never make that mistake again.

I start in one gallon indoors then if I can't get them in the ground within four weeks (usually three) then I'll put them in 10 gallon pots for a week or two. However once I forgot about one and left it in the 10g for a little over a month. The roots got a little root bound and yield took a dive. Instead of my usual three pounds I got a little over one pound. Still not a complete failure but I'll never make that mistake again. And that's with Smart Pots that supposedly air prune. IDK, yeah they control roots a bit but it still stunts the plants.

The plants posted above look like their in twelve foot centers which is about 200 gallons

Vindicated said:

The plants posted above look like their in twelve foot centers which is about 200 gallons

Click to expand...

close...but they are around 300 gallons...they are tom hill's

I grew in 5 gallon pots and found them to be alright. They weren't really too root bound at the end either but defiently had to water them a bunch more that if I had used bigger. Depends on your growing season aswell, my plants were started mid may and were done by late september so obviously in Cali or something it would be a different story.

get at least a 30 gallon pot.

I assume you're using the buckets to carry your nutrients?

200 gallons or more IMO (with minimum 8 weeks inside pre veg).