What Is a Dutch Bucket System and Why Growers Choose It

What Is It?

A Dutch bucket system (or Bato bucket) is a hydroponic setup where multiple containers—each holding one plant—connect to a shared irrigation and drainage network in the greenhouse. The nutrient solution flows through the growing media, feeds the roots, then drains back to a reservoir for reuse.

How It Works

Nutrient delivery: A pump sends nutrient solution from a reservoir through drip lines to each bucket

Drainage: Excess solution flows out through an overflow outlet into a central drainpipe

Recirculation: Gravity returns the solution to the reservoir for continuous cycling

Growers can choose between recirculating systems (more efficient) or flow-to-waste (prevents nutrient imbalances).

Why Growers Choose It

Perfect for large plants – Ideal for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and other fruiting or vining crops that need root space

Space-efficient – Compact footprint with vertical growing potential through trellising

Scalable – Start with a few buckets, expand to hundreds as needed

Pest management – Problems stay contained in individual buckets without spreading

Beginner-friendly – Simple design and operation, great for learning hydroponics

Resource-efficient – Recirculation saves water and nutrients compared to soil growing