Living in the cold Canadian climate, I was so pleased to learn from you this winter. Greens have been outrageously expensive this year. Thanks to you, I have had an ongoing supply of lettuce and bok choi all winter. Your channel is awesome. Thanks again.

A gardener's best friend, teaching us to keep it simple, cheap and easy. Thank you.

For other potential places to get cheap buckets I would recommend reaching out to your local bakeries. They go through a ton of 4-5 gallon buckets for frosting and pie filling.

Some Walmart bakeries will sell you their used icing buckets with lids for next to nothing!

I’m homeschooling my teen and garden the traditional way and have decided to expand on that by trying hydroponic gardening. She loves cooking so this is just another great way for her to learn how to grow some of her own food. Small tip regarding the buckets. Reach out to any small bakeries in your area. They toss them out by the dozen on a weekly basis. Friends of mine own one and were happy to gift my daughter buckets to get started.

I tried those containers from the 1.25 store and it got brittle and broke. I hope it works 4 you. I have been doing hydro for 30 years. As a single mother it helped the grochery bills. Now my 20 year old does it. Love your channel. Thanks for the insperation. I'm trying to show my apartment dweler feiends that a padio works too, but now the apartments are revolting on what you can put on your padio. So, I used a beach mat to make the buckets look a bit like "nice planters". Where there is a will theres a way!! Thanks!!

Was researching vertical garden towers and was freaking out about the $700 and up price tag 😬 (and that's usd) then I stumbled upon your channel. This stuff resonates with me, to reuse, recycle and eliminate waste. I love it. I'm growing seeds using the wet paper towel method and in the meantime collecting all the components I need, for free or at a bargain. Atm I've only paid for the hydroponic nutrient, pool noodle and seeds. Love love loving this, regards from Sydney Australia

Absolute game changer method of growing plants. The option to grow vertically off-grid is absolutely insane.

I got my dirty little paws on an AeroGarden last year (my in laws bought it, used it for a year then put it in the garage where I liberated it) and I am SOLD on hydro! Seeing you do this makes me wonder what else I can do! I've been a gardner most of my life - started young with the "garden" (it was a small farm is what it was) when we were kids in Texas - and I've been wanting to expand into hydro outside as well so I can grow my greens inside and the flowering plants outside since it gets too warm to be able to grow greens outside. THIS? This is something I can do without having to deal with huge beds or tilling or trying to figure out how to deal with giant pots! I now have ideas on how to get my maters out from the front yard and into a side yard or on the back porch so I can plant flowers and stuff in the front. THANK YOU so much, Mike. This was the first video I've seen of yours and you've gained a follower! The only question I have is how do you keep the water from getting too hot in the summer sun? Tennessee can get SUPER hot and I don't want to boil my plant's roots.

I believe what you’re doing is a word changing experience. It’s not rocket science and when we share our experiences we can literally feed the world. Start by feeding your family and friends and grow from here. I’m sure plenty of supermarkets would buy good produce thus paying for everything that you need. I’m definitely going to start a farm using this system and baring in mind climate change and it’s effects on food availability and costs. It’s a very exciting time for those people who are prepared to do some work or hire someone to help. Good luck everyone 🤞🏼❤

You're genuinely a saint. Bless you and all your work helping people live

I've heard of this system but just as you've said, the inexperience and learning process has not exactly promoted enough confidence to venture away from soil planting. I want to learn this system and am incouraged by your logic. Your my kind of people Mike, good job. ;-)

Finally someone who is spreading some good karma without doing so for profit or reward. Thank you! Very informative.

I think what would be good to do is merge the two ideas, do 3 of the firehouse buckets, and then a 4th one with the mesh basket on top! Then you can use all the space while also being able to stack them still. Just started following you recently and can’t wait to start my garden soon, I basically grew up with my grandmas garden and love having gardens ❤️ brings me home

I'd cut the buckets in half and use the bottom half as you do, then cover with the lid. Index each bucket in the stack so holes are alternating. Doubles food density. Will alter the possible thermal mass of having two-ish instead of four-ish gallons of water.

7:16 $1.25 store 😆 I say the same thing! I greatly appreciate you sharing these economical hands-off kratky ideas, it helps families like mine to eat healthy but we are verypoor, so this helps tremendously & is very appreciated!

if you have cats you get square buckets with lids when you buy kitty litter

I've started using the Polyethylene Pipe Insulation tubes since I had a half dozen left over from a job around the house. I looked it up and everything I read said it's safe around food. So, I began using them in my Kratky downspouts. I use a pair of scissors to cut 3/4" long pieces of the insulation foam tube made for 1/2" pvc pipe. Cheap and easy, like pool noodles. I prefer using 1" holes in my downspouts as it gives a better seal and less chance for the foam to get knocked out. I use the pool noodles on things that are gonna get large diameter before harvest. Works great on the smallest jars, tupperware, leftover containers, and even the plastic tubs that lettuce and spinach and such comes in from the store (note... must cut the holes daintily! LOL).

This is great! I live in NYC but I love gardening and food is expensive so this gives me loads of options for indoor gardening. Thanks. And gardening should be taught in schools 😂

Love your attitude !! You definitely encourage and inspire newbies. Thanks ☀️

You inspire and create an online experience where you wanna learn more and try. Thats my experience since finding your channel today. Gotta feeling you gonna change our families self sufficiency world. Thank you for inspiring us 😃 😊 even us over the other side of the pond 🇬🇧

This is a amazingly simple way to grow, great idea! Looking forward to seeing the results

Nice to have options! Clever idea, I like this one and also the individual jugs. The jugs allow a complete harvest and replant as needed for continual production. The towers are perfect for outdoors in tight spaces.

You're a good teacher. I appreciate learning from you.

This is so awesome. I’ve seen so many with pvc pipe but it’s so complicated. This is great

I LOVE your Analogy of starting with the easy math before the higher level math! Totally speaks to me! Ive been wanting to plant things for years and this video was actually something i felt i could do.! I am definitely going to do this. Thank you.

Thank you for this information!!! I’ve wanted to try the vertical gardening but it seemed so expensive. You’ve provided a cost friendly solution!!!

This is so much wow. Thank you so much for showing this!

Thanks for all you do for us!! You’re amazing!!

This is so genius!! The towers are so expensive and you guys solved it!! Thank you!!

I have to thank you. I really needed to hear some of what you've shared in videos this morning, spiritually. I'm so glad I found your video's again. I have been trying to teach myself (container) gardening in south TX. I've had some success, but don't have the time required or $ to waste. I'm determined to try this. I just have to find nutrients that aren't hundreds per month! I've been fighting fear w/ all the things going on in the world & your words lifted stress in a way that I truly needed somehow..again thank you. Be well.

I am loving you and these videos. I moved to the desert and my growing has failed. I have seeds sprouting and have so many ideas. I keep telling people if the world go to shift tomorrow you will want to have cottage cheese containers. You can store with them, plant them, easy to cut and more. I bought some strawberries a couple of days ago. Have you seen the big pots they are using? Guess what? One fit perfect on top of a Tide Pod container!!!! There was only 4 left so I grabbed what they were sitting in and it is perfect to have it on top of a container with solutions in it. I don't think I can share picture on KZfaq comments or I would show you. I got some coffee mate powder containers from work last year that I was composting in. I would put coffee grounds in them and my scraps and put it on the kitchen floor. I would just kick them around when they needed to be rotated. Now I am going to use the container for a tower garden. I will put two holes on each side and then twist the containers when on top of each others. I am looking into making vine poles out of coco coir or moss for the climbing vegetables. Do you think that will work for melons??? I also saw how you made that grow box. I have a metal shelf and I am going to run aluminum foil down the sides. I wanted to have a lite on my plants during the winter months and know what I bought a trouble light. You know the once with the hooks that people hang on the car hood when they are working on them. They have a metal cage around the light bulb. They are amazing and now they make them to be plugged in with electrical cords. I plan on using magnets to light the bulbs but having issues finding the magnets so using the extension cords at the moment. I use those Christmas Tree light timers to have the lights come on when it gets dark out. Before seeing your videos I saw at Pet Smart a plant that they put in a glass jar with water and put a lid on it. I experimented with that. I have a plant that I cut off and placed inside. It grew a root and new leaf. It is very slow growing but I think if you have a plant sitting in it and growing a root, you can have the ready to plant at any time if needed. I will update you with more ideas as I go along having all this fun. PS you can use any of these ideas to do videos on. I just want to help people grow food and be ready when when things get very stressed or can't afford food.

🎉this is awesome!! I appreciate your attitude and teaching philosophy!!! I can’t wait to get started

I live in a very small apartment, and I am trying this method with large foldgers coffee cans. Have three holes in each and I place a grow light over it. I am putting strawberries in one, pepper plants in another and lettuce. I hope it works.

Everytime I watch your videos I'm inspired. Still 5ft of snow up here, but downspouts I bought from you are wonderful til we can grow volume outside. Can't wait to try out this bucket system. Thank you💖

Great video! I like the sentiment too, it’s not about views, it’s about getting people started! Well said!

Very inspiring. I have a backyard raised bed garden. I don't have anymore space, so this is ideal. Thank you

I just got some of these buckets and I am so excited to try this. I am one of the kindergarten kratky people. Just getting my feet wet. I sooo love your channel.

Your enthusiasm is so inspiring : )

This was an ingenious idea you are super talented. I went to both my local Firehouse subs and bought out other buckets and made myself three towers three buckets high and they perform well and now my grandpa has one that three buckets high and all my friends built three towers three buckets high because of how easy it is you are amazing thank you for teaching me this!!

I have been doing small hydroponic units indoors since last fall. Having fresh greens and herbs on hand all the time has been lovely. Seeing this video, I am now excited that I can set something up on the patio this summer. *puts pool noodles on the shopping list*

Found you a couple months ago. Just started my own tower this last weekend and everything is so happy and growing upwards. Thank you so much for sharing your information. I know I'm new to it but my daughter in her early 20's is wanting to learn how to grow her own food too. I picked this video to post on because this was the one I found you in. Can't wait to show you some of my results as days come. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT IDEAS!! Thank you for sharing!

Because of you, I’ve been growing for probably a year now under lights in my pool room and everything‘s been great. Thank you very much.

I love sourcing materials. You give me great ideas !!

Another brilliant concept! Thank you☺️

I’m just beginning and this video helps…. Thanks!

Thank you for your ideas!

Thanks for the insperation. I did hydro this year, some plants came out great and some were ok. It is better for me because I don't have to till.

This is exactly what I have been looking for.

Great work and Thank you for all you share.

I love that your so real!

Man this is awesome, I can't wait to try it! Here in Hawaii, a lot of the soil is sapped of nutrients from decades of mass monocrop farming, so this is a promising solution to supplement sustainable local agriculture efforts on the islands! Thanks for the great video🤙

Glad I found your channel- will be making several grow towers (can't afford the 2k ones)...thank you for this video

Thank you for being generous & sharing your knowledge!

Your awesome! Please keep teaching!

Great, economical idea. You are the man. For those who worry about algae and the plastic getting brittle, I just cut up a cheap black plastic rubbish bag to size, and tape it on the outside of my white containers- it does the job cheaply. Thanks for sharing and keep up the awesome work. All the best. God Bless.

You're the best! This is exciting!

This I can do😊I love this👏👏👏👏. Thank you

Thank you…will try this out!

I can't wait to try!

I really want to commercialize my farming with this set-up! Omo! This update mad me makachi!🤝

So excited I just found buckets with lids on offer up for $2 each!!!

I like this. I'm definitely going to try doing this. As you said at the end of the video, this method makes hydroponics very accessible to starters. like me :)

This is an amazing idea. Thanks for sharing!

Great video. Big thanks from Iran

Nice ! Instead of being a jack of all trades ,you are a Master in your Craft ! Great job, and thanks

Thank you so much for sharing this and your continual committment to sustainability❤ aloha from big island 🏝️

Awesome encouraging ! Thanks ❤

Thank You for this channel.

I am so excited to try this out. I just bought 2 buckets from fire house :) thank you so much for your hacks!

Awesome!!!! Subscribed!

Just found your channel awesome looking forward to the next one

Appreciate you! Who cares about what the critics say. If they don't like it they don't have to watch the channel. Keep upthe great work.

Just found you and am loving the content!! You teach perfectly!!

Very interesting Video ! Thank you !

Mike You are Inspiring! Thank you!

Hydroponic system seemed expensive with all the equipment and all. You showed us it's not the case. Thank you. ❤

I've been looking int9 this for some time as I live on a 3rd floor in a smallish apartment, I will source some buckets n try this thanks!😁✌️

I love ur chanel start learning thanks

thanks for this, been wanting to do hydroponics

Solid build. ✊ thanks for sharing

Genius. Im gonna use this to grow food and flowers

I love this idea. Definitely will use this technique. It’ll keep me from digging up my beautiful backyard. Keep teaching us these useful survival skills!

Instant subscriber I will be growin’ food but the main reason I looked this up is for my aquarium plants🌱🐠💙🔥

I think you can go vertical with large terracotta planters too, however you will some kind of stand but water can seep into the next planter.

Strawberries bare root here next week and will put them into the electric grow tower thanks for everything

Dude, have not started the clip yet.. am 27 seconds in and just wanted to expres.. Wow, that is such a good well thought out intro, if you do your own editing.. mad respect.

Wow! Thank you kind sir!!!! Definitely will try this :D

I love this guy!! I found this channel today. I'm hooked!!

I am learning so much from your channel and excited to experiment with it, thank so much. Waiting for my supplies to arrive. The weather still cold here in NY so starting indoor first, hopefully, by spring/summer time I can have some confident to grow plants successfully 🙏🙏. By nature I am a brown thumb person and wasted lots of money 💰😢

Great video!

Love your work here and on IG.

Nice source for good priced buckets!!! that's great.

I did this with my pathos vines in my house I painted the bucket to look nice and fit the colors of my room. Its beautiful. I stacked the up and now I have a vine towee in my house.

I've got lots of space for these! Genius idea!!! Thank you!

Where have you been all my life??? Glad I found you. Just subscribed.

I found out where I’m at the best time to get firehouse buckets is right when they open. We even called in a lunch order one time and asked them if they had any buckets and they added the one they had left to our pickup!

As someone who has a huge supply of buckets and lids from work this diy was meant for me

Love This! Never thought hydro could be so simple! Recommending to everyone! 🤔Think I'll add a spigot to empty the higher ones😃