Growing vegetables in Wisconsin can be tricky with all the seasonal changes, but buckets make it surprisingly simple. You can enjoy fresh produce no matter the weather or time of year.
I’ve tried it myself, and it’s a game-changer for small spaces and unpredictable climates. Here’s how to keep your bucket garden thriving through every Wisconsin season!
1. Kale
Cold-hardy and nutrient-packed, kale thrives in Wisconsin’s chilly springs and falls. Drill drainage holes in your bucket’s bottom and fill with quality potting mix enriched with compost.
Place your bucket in partial shade during summer heat but full sun during cooler months. Wisconsin gardeners love that kale actually tastes sweeter after light frost touches its leaves!
2. Radishes
Ready in just 3-4 weeks, radishes give Wisconsin gardeners quick satisfaction between longer-growing crops. Fill your bucket with loose, well-draining soil and sow seeds directly about half an inch deep.
The beauty of bucket-grown radishes? You can start them indoors on sunny Wisconsin windowsills during late winter, then move outside once temperatures rise. Succession planting every two weeks ensures continuous harvests!
3. Lettuce
Perfect for Wisconsin’s spring and fall, lettuce grows beautifully in shallow buckets with consistent moisture. Choose loose-leaf varieties for continuous harvesting – just snip outer leaves while inner ones keep growing.
During Wisconsin’s hot summers, move your lettuce buckets to shadier spots or indoors. With proper timing, you’ll enjoy fresh salads from April through November, taking a break only during the most brutal summer heat.
4. Potatoes
Wisconsin’s famous crop grows wonderfully in buckets! Start with seed potatoes in a few inches of soil, then add more soil as plants grow taller. This “hilling” technique maximizes your harvest in limited space.
The bucket method makes harvesting a breeze – just dump it over when plants yellow in late summer. Wisconsin gardeners particularly love growing fingerling varieties this way, as they’re less commonly found in stores but thrive in containers.
5. Carrots
Short, stubby carrot varieties perform best in buckets at least 12 inches deep. Choose loose, stone-free soil to prevent forked roots, and thin seedlings to one inch apart once they sprout.
Wisconsin gardeners can start bucket carrots indoors in February, then transition outside as weather permits. The bucket advantage? You can bring them in during early frosts, extending your growing season well beyond what traditional Wisconsin gardens allow.
6. Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes work magic in buckets during Wisconsin’s warm months. One plant per 5-gallon container prevents overcrowding. Add a cage or stake for support as they grow.
Wisconsin’s unpredictable spring means bucket tomatoes have a huge advantage – you can shelter them during late frost warnings. Choose determinate varieties for compact growth or try hanging varieties that cascade beautifully down bucket sides.
7. Spinach
Fast-growing spinach loves Wisconsin’s cool seasons and performs beautifully in shallow buckets. Place in morning sun but afternoon shade during warmer days to prevent bolting too quickly.
Wisconsin gardeners appreciate spinach’s cold hardiness – bucket-grown plants survive light frosts easily. For continuous harvests, succession plant every few weeks and pick outer leaves first, allowing inner growth to continue producing.
8. Bush Beans
Compact bush beans don’t require trellising, making them perfect bucket candidates during Wisconsin summers. Five plants per 5-gallon container provide excellent yields without overcrowding.
Wisconsin gardeners love that bucket-grown beans warm up faster in spring than garden soil. For maximum production, harvest beans every few days – the more you pick, the more the plants produce throughout the season!
9. Peppers
Heat-loving peppers thrive in buckets that warm quickly in Wisconsin’s sometimes reluctant summers. One pepper plant per 3-gallon bucket provides enough space for healthy root development and stability.
Wisconsin gardeners can start peppers indoors in March, then move buckets outside once nighttime temperatures remain above 55°F. The container approach lets you bring them inside during unexpected cold snaps, protecting your precious pepper harvest.
10. Swiss Chard
Colorful and cold-tolerant, Swiss chard brings beauty and nutrition to Wisconsin bucket gardens nearly year-round. The rainbow varieties add visual interest with their brightly colored stems while providing continuous harvests.
Wisconsin gardeners appreciate chard’s remarkable resilience – it survives light frosts and keeps producing well into fall. Harvest outer leaves regularly, and your bucket-grown plants will continue producing for months on end.
11. Scallions
Space-efficient scallions grow beautifully in shallow buckets, making them perfect for Wisconsin apartment dwellers. Plant them densely – up to 20 per bucket – and harvest as needed throughout the season.
Wisconsin gardeners love the regrowth trick: after harvesting, place scallion root ends in water, then replant once roots develop. This continuous cycle provides fresh green onions nearly year-round when buckets are brought indoors during harsh winter months.
12. Beets
Both roots and greens make bucket-grown beets doubly rewarding for Wisconsin gardeners. Choose buckets at least 12 inches deep and thin seedlings to 3 inches apart for proper root development.
Wisconsin’s cool climate creates exceptionally sweet beets, especially in fall plantings. The bucket approach allows precise soil control – mix in sand for looser texture, preventing the misshapen roots that sometimes occur in Wisconsin’s heavy clay soils.
13. Garlic
Plant garlic cloves in buckets during Wisconsin’s mid-October, just before the first hard freeze. The bulbs will establish roots before winter dormancy, then shoot up in early spring.
Wisconsin gardeners can insulate bucket-grown garlic during extreme cold by clustering containers together against a protected wall. Come July, when foliage yellows, you’ll harvest flavorful bulbs that often outperform those grown in traditional garden plots.