Cheapest and fastest would be to put a black garbage bag inside the container. Like you would put the bag inside of a garbage can the other container going inside the bag.

If hubby is somewhat handy and feeling ambitious there are tons of products and methods you could seal them all for around $10. I'd be happy to discuss methods with you, either here or by email.

5 gal pail sources to try: Restaurants, painting (auto, residential, commercial) and drywall (sheet rock) companies as well cruising by construction sites.

Hope that helps

I'm no expert, but this year I made a lettuce bed out of an old wooden box I found in the garage by lining it with black plastic yard bags. It seems to be working so far, even though I totally botched the soil mix. I haven't watered except to fill the reservoir and I have lettuce coming up.

Today I converted some nicer pots I bought years ago (that never drained right anyway) into SIPs using Sculpey clay (it didn't stick so well to the dirty and wet plastic but it plugged the marginal drainage holes just fine), old nursery pots, and some pvc pipe. I was going to use a tote but my husband vetoed it on aesthetic grounds. He made up for it by drilling the overflow holes. :)

I think the bags are a more secure option if you can pull them up over the sides of the container to overhang a little. I tried them in the pots today but they just bunched up at the bottom and leaked out the sides. Maybe real clay (or using more) would work better? I just used what we had on hand.

I read another post where someone mentioned several pots over one reservoir, using capillary wicks, but I haven't looked into that method. But it might be worth a try if you have lots of holes to fill!

Here is a link that might be useful: inspiration boxes

You can go on freecycle or craigslist to look for the 5 gal pails. Nancy