Want to glean as much information from you 'mavens' as I can: late June I am going to be teaching a group of 15 4-H kids (high school age) about gardening...and my focus is going to be on growing in containers...specifically vegetables. Can be pineapples too.... We live in an area with relatively NO topsoil (except in a few areas) and containers are the way to go. Not very affluent group...so I want to use 'found' stuff.

Anyone tried filling plastic sacks (like fertilizer sacks, feed sacks etc.) that would hold a few cubic feet and planting vegetables in them. Seems I saw a lot of this being done years ago on DG. I am collecting ideas for containers: gutters, 5 gal. buckets, gallon milk jugs etc.

The 'camp' is 2 hours per day for a week, so not much time to build growing walls out of pallets...but if someone has done this, I would love to know how. Perhaps I can make one to show them.

I grow all my Swiss Chard and Bush Beans in containers (nursery pots)...

I'm excited about this project because if I can get enough ideas together and the kids interested, maybe I can go 'on the road' to schools etc.

Thanks for your help!!!!

Hi Carol. Long time no see.

Love what you are doing to teach the kids. Heavy duty garbage bags would work, 5 gallon buckets would be the easiest to move around once planted. Drill a few holes in the bottom for drainage, they come with a handle.
Check with restaurants, fast food places, etc. Let them know what the buckets would be used for. The mild jugs would be great for smaller type crops.

With the buckets the kids could take their planted project home at the end of the week.

What about contacting a local nursery and seeing if they'll donate some of their old nursery pots? Loved 4-H when I was growing up.

Great idea Denice.

Contractor garbage bags are a bit more sturdy.
Or line cardboard boxes with plastic garbage bags.
Poke drainage holes.