You can easily grow peas in a 5-gallon bucket if you fulfill all the requirements for their growth. Use high-quality potting mix and place your bucket in a sunny location. Regular watering and fertilizing are essential for the growth of pea plants.
The Benefits Of Growing Peas Bucket Gardening
Bucket gardening is similar to container gardening and its advantages are the same. Following are the benefits which you will get when you grow peas in buckets.
- When you grow your peas plants in buckets then you can easily control the fertility of the soil which is not possible when you grow plants in the ground. It is better to use a high-quality potting mix for filling a 5-gallon bucket.
- If you are facing the problem of limited space then bucket gardening is the solution to this problem. The people who live in apartments or who don’t have any growing area can grow plants in buckets.
- Buckets are easily portable so you can move them from one place to another place.
- When you grow peas plants in a 5-gallon bucket then they will be less affected by pests.
- When you grow peas in a 5-gallon bucket then you can start your growing season as compared to the ground. If the weather is very harsh then you can bring buckets inside your home.
Preparing The 5-Gallon Bucket For Growing Peas
You can easily buy 5-gallon buckets from any hardware store. If you have old buckets you can recycle them but before using them you should wash them properly. When you clean your old buckets then it will remove any residue.
To Paint Or Not To Paint
You can easily paint your 5-gallon bucket to make your decor. This will also help to cover the logos or writing on the buckets. If you decide to paint your buckets then do it several days before planting.
The reason is that it will dry thoroughly. We suggested that you should choose a light color for your container because dark colors absorb more sunlight and your soil will drain quickly.
It needs more water because the soil dries faster. But dark color buckets are best for growing peppers, beans, and tomatoes. Light-colored buckets are best for growing salad greens, radish and lettuce.
Drilling Drainage Holes
Well-drained soil is needed for growing healthy pea plants. If your bucket has drainage holes then it will help to remove excess water from the soil. You can make drainage 4 to 6 holes with the help of a drill.
Make half-inch holes at the bottom of your bucket. Cover the holes with the help of pebbles for good drainage. You can also play with landscape fabric to cover the holes. This fabric will help to keep the soil in the bucket and drainage of the soil will not disturb.
Soil For Filling 5-Gallon Bucket
The best soil that you can use to fill your 5-gallon buckets is potting soil. Now, you can either buy potting soil in bulk or you can make your own by mixing 40% organic compost or fully decomposed manure, 40% normal garden soil, and 20% coco peat.
Do not use only garden soil, it will not fulfill the need for nutrients of plants plus garden soil usually doesn’t have good drainage, which is also very important for better growth of any plant in buckets.
Varieties Of Peas For Growing In 5-Gallon Buckets
Before telling you how to grow peas in a 5-gallon bucket first we should tell you what varieties of peas are best for growing in buckets.
ENGLISH PEAS
This is the most common variety of peas that are suitable for growing in buckets. This variety of peas has a moderate to Intense sweet taste. Little Marble, Tom Thumb and Early Frost are best for growing in the buckets.
SNOW PEAS
The size of this variety is very small but the taste is very sweet. You can also eat the pods of snow peas. Snow peas make your salad, soups or stir-fries tastier.
SUGAR SNAP PEA
This versatile variety is also suitable for growing in buckets. The pods of sugar snap pea are also edible. It is better to choose Oregon sugar pods for growing in 5-gallon buckets.
You can select any variety according to your choice. All varieties will produce sweet-tasting peas. You can also grow different varieties in different buckets. All three varieties are best for growing your favorite pea plants in a bucket.
How To Grow Peas In 5-Gallon Bucket?
Growing vegetables at home are the best way of getting fresh and healthy veggies for your kitchen. The vegetables you bought from the store are not so fresh as homegrown vegetables.
The peas you grow at your home give you a sweet taste. Peas are included in a few crops that can easily be planted in the 5-gallon bucket in early spring.
This vegetable doesn’t need much attention but gives you a large harvest. Before planting your favorite plants in buckets first you should clean and sanitize them.
When To Sow Pea Seeds?
Peas like to grow in cold climates. The best time for sowing the seeds of peas is in early spring after the last frost passed. You can get all the information about the date of frost in your area from any local nursery.
When you grow peas in 5-gallon buckets or containers then you can start your growing season earlier. Because you don’t have to wait for the soil to warm up.
Bucket gardening will help you to grow temperature-sensitive crops even during cold days. If you have a mini-greenhouse then your seedlings will be protected.
In cold areas, the seeds can be sown even in the summer months. The reason is that the temperature in cold areas is not as high as in warmer areas. So you can harvest your favorite crop in fall or early winter.
Growing Peas In 5-Gallon Buckets From Seeds
- Fill your trays or small pots with high-quality potting mix and sow seeds.
- If you soak the seeds in warm water for a day then it will help in the quick germination process. Because the shell of the seeds will become softened.
- The depth of the holes in which you are going to sow your seeds must be 2 inches. It is recommended when you are sowing the seeds that 2 inches of space must be left between 2 seeds.
- Now water the soil so the seeds start their germination process.
- The next step is covering the seeds.
- Your seeds need partial sunlight so choose the right location.
- Keep the soil moist for quick germination.
- Normally, the seeds will germinate in 30 days. For quick germination, the temperature must be above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When the height of the seedlings reaches about 5 inches taller then it is the right time to transplant them into your desired 5-gallon bucket.
Transplanting
- You should wait Until the last frost has passed, then you can transplant your favorite peas in 5-gallon buckets. Your buckets are already for transplanting seedlings of peas plants.
- It is better to harden off the seedlings before transplanting them into a 5-gallon bucket.
- Fill the buckets with high-quality potting mix. Well-drained and loamy soil is ideal for growing a healthy crop of peas plants.
- Leave 3 to 4 inches of space between each seedling. Spacing between the seedlings will help to develop their roots. A strong root system needs ample space in the soil. You will get all the information about transplanting on the packet of seeds. If you follow all the steps and instructions then it is easier to get a sweet and healthy supply of peas.
- At this stage, you have to install a trellis or bamboo pole for supporting pea vines. Pea plants need support so they can grow straight upward. There are many benefits of installing proper support. All the parts of the plants will get fresh air and light when they are trained on trellises. . The most important benefit is that harvesting becomes easier.
How To Care For Peas Growing In A 5-Gallon Bucket?
When you transplant your pea plants in 5-gallon buckets they need proper care to thrive well.
1- SUNLIGHT
You should place your 5-gallon buckets in a sunny place where your pea plants get full sun exposure and good air circulation. Placing your bucket of peas plants in a bright and airy position will encourage healthy growth and produce more flowers and pods.
6 to 8 hours of sunlight help in the growth of pea plants. But intense afternoon heat is not good for your plant; it is best to protect them from it.
Pea plants don’t like high temperatures and their growth will become very slow on hot days. The best temperature for growing peas plants is between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
2- WATER
After light water is an important factor in the growth of any plant. If you are living in a hot climate then pea plants need water 3 times a day. Moist and cool soil is the key to healthy pea plants but you should avoid overwatering because wet feet are not good for your pea plants.
Soggy soil will slow the process of producing pods. Just like overwatering, underwatering is also not good for your plants. Never let the soil dry out and keep an eye on it.
You can check the soil with the help of your finger if it feels dry it means it is time to water your plants. When you grow your plants in buckets or containers or pots will dry very quickly as compared to the plants that grow in the ground.
It means when you grow peas plants in 5-gallon buckets then you should increase the frequency of water.
3- FERTILIZE
When you grow pea plants in the ground then there is no need to add organic materials. The reason is that pea plants produce nitrogen so they don’t need fertilizer.
But when you grow peace plants in a 5-gallon bucket then they require fertilizer to fulfill their needs of nutrients. Because when you water your plants, nutrients drain with water from the drainage holes of the bucket.
You can use general-purpose 20-20-20 fertilizer to fulfill the needs of established pea plants. The best time to add fertilizer is after 2 weeks of transplanting.
If you are sowing the seeds directly in the bucket then you can apply fertilizer after 14 days of germination of the seeds. It is best to use liquid fertilizer because it can easily be incorporated into the soil.
If you prefer organic fertilizers then it is not bad you can apply compost or well-rotted manure twice to feed your pea plants during the growing season.
4- MULCH
When you grow your plants in a bucket or container or pot they need more water. Mulch is the best way to retain moisture in the soil in a 5-gallon bucket of your pea plants. You can spread a layer of grass clippings or straws over the surface of the soil.
5- TRAINING PEAS VINES IN 5-GALLON BUCKETS
Pea vines need proper support so you should install trellises or any other support. When you are transplanting your seedlings in the bucket then this is the right time to install support in it.
The trellises should be fixed to a wall or other structure and then place your bucket next to it. As your pea vines grow; they will easily wrap themselves along the trellis. Support and proper spacing between the pea plants will improve air circulation and harvesting easier.
6- PESTS AND PROBLEMS
When you grow pea plants in a 5-gallon bucket then it will protect them from common pests and diseases. Climbing varieties are more disease resistant than bush varieties.
But aphids, spider mites, and other pests can affect your plants so you should keep an eye on pea vines. Neem oil is very effective against these pests.
Slugs and snails are also a big problem for your pea plants. To get rid of this problem you should try greasing the bucket with a thick layer of petroleum jelly so these creatures will not navigate and you will protect your plant without using any chemicals.
Harvest
The flowers of pea plants will be replaced by pods. When the pods are growing you should maintain the frequency of water and feed to encourage their growth.
The harvesting time of pea depends upon the variety you choose for growing in your 5-gallon bucket. If you are growing shelling varieties then you can pick them when the pods and plums are ready.
For the sugar snap variety, you can harvest them earlier before their pods have fully swollen. The harvesting time of snow peas is when pods just start to swell.
For harvesting the pots you should pull them from the pea plant very gently. The higher yield you get if you grow peace in the ground. Although you get a smaller harvest from bucket gardening, it is an easy and effective way of growing peace as you can start the growing season earlier.