Homemade selfwatering containers. - Page 8

garnetmoth · December 3, 2007

I didnt get pictures, and had to leave the buckets in Nashville, but my fiance says my buckets did well this year.

I had lots of 3 and 5 gal buckets from the kitchen at work, drilled holes in the bottom of the 3-gal, and the top of the 5-gal lids- put in a few wicks made of mis-matched braided stockings (braiding really helps them wick). Put a half-circle of welded wire cage around the contraption for support- that could have been taller!

Soil seemed adequate, and the 5 gal reservoir lasted for days (weeks in cool weather). We had a really bad drought this year but the bucket tomatoes lived and produced again in the fall for pickling!

gardenhappy · December 9, 2007

Hi,do you means as in socks?? You braided socks?? That would be a great way to use all my missmatched and lost socks but i noticed when the kids did a school project of planting inside a sock to grow a head of leeks,grass,and salads,that the cotton socks worked the least,nylons did best,they tied them off and then used shell buttons for face,wonder if that means nylons would be a better wicking to for buckets?? There seemed to be more holes in the socks then the nylons

creister · December 18, 2007

How do some of you fertilize? By that, I mean, do you just add the fertilizer strip, do you place the fertilizer strip and put some extra fert in the planting hole? I did not seem to get great growth and production out of some of my plants.

Maybe they needed more sun, and I believe that some were unhealthy due to insects, etc.

This year I was going to use pelletized sea bird guano for the fertilizer strip, also mix about 2 cups of the same in about 4 cu. ft. of soil mix. I do foliar feed either with Neptune's Harvest fish/seaweed, or a compost tea/seaweed mix. What do you all think?

creister · December 18, 2007

Forgot to mention that the guano is listed as 10-10-2 and is slow release.

valencia860 · May 5, 2008

need help on irrigateing tomatoes in southern calif..is drip better that sprinkler...

robin303 · May 5, 2008

I'm sure everybody here would say not to get your leaves wet due to disease and such. Just water at the base of the plant.

huntsman · August 4, 2009

I've sadly arrived a year after this thread died...

Does anyone still use these systems and would you recommend them to a novice?

dice · August 5, 2009

Are you handy with a drill and sabre saw? Those are the basic
skills needed to build your own self-watering containers.

Use the search form at the top of the page, and search for
"Earthtainer", "HEB" (stands for "homemade earthbox"),
and "swc" ("self-watering container"), and you will find
numerous threads on these.

Designs range from elaborate to simple, but they all share
these basic elements: a water reservoir in the bottom with
drain holes on the sides (so excess water can flow out
without flooding the container); a platform that holds
the container mix up above the reservoir; a wicking basket
(can be a piece of 4" abs pipe with holes drilled in it and
some fabric stuffed in it to keep the container mix from
dispersing into the water reservoir); and a fill tube that
extends down through the container mix and platform
to the water reservoir.

huntsman · August 7, 2009

Thanks, dice -

I was just wondering if there had been any amendments to the system in the past year, prior to following the directions in the thread. I'd hate to get to the final screw and learn there were one or two 'changes' to the design.

Sure looks like a great system, and pretty easy to follow...handyman bits are dead easy - even for me! - and I like the water consumption as well.

garnetmoth · August 7, 2009

oh sorry! I used nylon stockings for my wicks, they arent in buckets this year, but they have held up just fine.

we got married this year an tomatoes got planted in the ground, thats about it! we gifted friends a bucket and she really liked it last year.

I think the HEBs are a more compact smart system, but we made buckets out of free stuff. wooo for free!

nik.martin · October 31, 2009

I hate my first post is a bit of a downer! This thread is pretty old, but I did want to share with you: these tubs, made of what I call "greasy plastic", aren't food safe. The "greasy" feel they have comes from an abundance of plasticizers added to make the recycled plastic in them usable again. Many also have the dreaded BPA that people are crazy about these days. Just thought I'd share that. That said, I think theres a possibility of doing something similar with BIG terracotta pots and other materials.

dice · October 31, 2009

Quote:

That said, I think theres a possibility of doing something similar with BIG terracotta pots and other materials.

Stainless steel would be good, but one either needs to be
a capable welder or a capable assembler (bolted corner
brackets, etc) and really thorough with caulk.

Safety glass and 50-year silicone would be another option,
but again, it is not a job where a beginner with silicone sealer
is going to be happy with the results. Surfaces need to be
solvent cleaned before sealing, the silicone needs to be
completely dry and cured (a week) before filling the reservoir,
etc.

I guess one could try a big, used aquarium from Craig's List
or similar. The only challenge out of the ordinary is carefully
drilling drain holes, etc, with a drill bit appropriate for glass.

ruet · November 24, 2009

I'm currently trying to figure out how to put together a gas permeable SWC using unglazed clay roofing bricks here in Spain.

They come in all sizes — 1.5" x 8" x 16" are the ones I'm looking at for ease of handling. Also dirt cheap! 30 cents apiece at the local home improvement store. Put together 10 and you have a 15 gallon gas permeable container for 3 bucks.

I was thinking of sealing the channels and leaving drip emitters in there, so the evaporative cooling in the summer would not dry out the sides of the "soil" in the SWC and for added thermal mass.

My challenge is figuring out how to glue them together so they're watertight without leaching residue into the SWC reservoir that would be phytotoxic to plants or toxic to humans. Never tried gluing brick of any kind. Anyone glued broken terracotta pots?

dice · November 24, 2009

Type S mortar should work. Cheap and strong:
http://www.sakrete.com/products/prod...ortarStuccoMix

There is a "water resistant" version:
http://www.sakrete.com/products/prod...ntMortarStucco

Standard Type S mortar is merely portland cement, lime, and
sand in specific proportions.

ruet · November 26, 2009

Thanks Dice!!

Went in to a ceramic store today and asked them if there was a waterproof mortar they recommened, as I know next to nothing about this stuff. The recommendation I got was Silicone — the same stuff they use to seal up tubs and windows apparently. I'm guessing Silicone is inert when it sets, so I think I may have a solution. What I'm considering now is do I set up individual containers with their own reservoir, or one big container with a shared reservoir...

I'm thinking I'll try both — a few in one big container, roots separated by a thin sheet of something, maybe with some mid height companion plants like Borage intercropped in. And a few in their own containers.

The last thing I'm trying to figure out is what I can use as the aeration bench. Preferably with holes in it already, but something I can cut circles in for the wicking chamber. And of course cheap and non-phytotoxic. Maybe some big sheets of plastic or something...

December 9, 2007	#107
gardenhappy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: PLANT CITY Posts: 255	buckets Hi,do you means as in socks?? You braided socks?? That would be a great way to use all my missmatched and lost socks but i noticed when the kids did a school project of planting inside a sock to grow a head of leeks,grass,and salads,that the cotton socks worked the least,nylons did best,they tied them off and then used shell buttons for face,wonder if that means nylons would be a better wicking to for buckets?? There seemed to be more holes in the socks then the nylons

August 5, 2009	#113
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Are you handy with a drill and sabre saw? Those are the basic skills needed to build your own self-watering containers. Use the search form at the top of the page, and search for "Earthtainer", "HEB" (stands for "homemade earthbox"), and "swc" ("self-watering container"), and you will find numerous threads on these. Designs range from elaborate to simple, but they all share these basic elements: a water reservoir in the bottom with drain holes on the sides (so excess water can flow out without flooding the container); a platform that holds the container mix up above the reservoir; a wicking basket (can be a piece of 4" abs pipe with holes drilled in it and some fabric stuffed in it to keep the container mix from dispersing into the water reservoir); and a fill tube that extends down through the container mix and platform to the water reservoir. __________________ -- alias

November 24, 2009	#118
ruet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 42	I'm currently trying to figure out how to put together a gas permeable SWC using unglazed clay roofing bricks here in Spain. They come in all sizes — 1.5" x 8" x 16" are the ones I'm looking at for ease of handling. Also dirt cheap! 30 cents apiece at the local home improvement store. Put together 10 and you have a 15 gallon gas permeable container for 3 bucks. I was thinking of sealing the channels and leaving drip emitters in there, so the evaporative cooling in the summer would not dry out the sides of the "soil" in the SWC and for added thermal mass. My challenge is figuring out how to glue them together so they're watertight without leaching residue into the SWC reservoir that would be phytotoxic to plants or toxic to humans. Never tried gluing brick of any kind. Anyone glued broken terracotta pots? Last edited by ruet; November 24, 2009 at 06:37 PM. Reason: edit

November 24, 2009	#119
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Type S mortar should work. Cheap and strong: http://www.sakrete.com/products/prod...ortarStuccoMix There is a "water resistant" version: http://www.sakrete.com/products/prod...ntMortarStucco Standard Type S mortar is merely portland cement, lime, and sand in specific proportions. __________________ -- alias

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December 3, 2007	#106
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	I didnt get pictures, and had to leave the buckets in Nashville, but my fiance says my buckets did well this year. I had lots of 3 and 5 gal buckets from the kitchen at work, drilled holes in the bottom of the 3-gal, and the top of the 5-gal lids- put in a few wicks made of mis-matched braided stockings (braiding really helps them wick). Put a half-circle of welded wire cage around the contraption for support- that could have been taller! Soil seemed adequate, and the 5 gal reservoir lasted for days (weeks in cool weather). We had a really bad drought this year but the bucket tomatoes lived and produced again in the fall for pickling!

December 18, 2007	#108
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	How do some of you fertilize? By that, I mean, do you just add the fertilizer strip, do you place the fertilizer strip and put some extra fert in the planting hole? I did not seem to get great growth and production out of some of my plants. Maybe they needed more sun, and I believe that some were unhealthy due to insects, etc. This year I was going to use pelletized sea bird guano for the fertilizer strip, also mix about 2 cups of the same in about 4 cu. ft. of soil mix. I do foliar feed either with Neptune's Harvest fish/seaweed, or a compost tea/seaweed mix. What do you all think?

December 18, 2007	#109
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Forgot to mention that the guano is listed as 10-10-2 and is slow release.

May 5, 2008	#110
valencia860 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: san bernardino, Ca Posts: 2	need help on irrigateing tomatoes in southern calif..is drip better that sprinkler...

May 5, 2008	#111
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	I'm sure everybody here would say not to get your leaves wet due to disease and such. Just water at the base of the plant.

August 4, 2009	#112
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	I've sadly arrived a year after this thread died... Does anyone still use these systems and would you recommend them to a novice?

August 7, 2009	#114
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	Thanks, dice - I was just wondering if there had been any amendments to the system in the past year, prior to following the directions in the thread. I'd hate to get to the final screw and learn there were one or two 'changes' to the design. Sure looks like a great system, and pretty easy to follow...handyman bits are dead easy - even for me! - and I like the water consumption as well.

August 7, 2009	#115
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	oh sorry! I used nylon stockings for my wicks, they arent in buckets this year, but they have held up just fine. we got married this year an tomatoes got planted in the ground, thats about it! we gifted friends a bucket and she really liked it last year. I think the HEBs are a more compact smart system, but we made buckets out of free stuff. wooo for free!

October 31, 2009	#116
nik.martin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 3	I hate my first post is a bit of a downer! This thread is pretty old, but I did want to share with you: these tubs, made of what I call "greasy plastic", aren't food safe. The "greasy" feel they have comes from an abundance of plasticizers added to make the recycled plastic in them usable again. Many also have the dreaded BPA that people are crazy about these days. Just thought I'd share that. That said, I think theres a possibility of doing something similar with BIG terracotta pots and other materials.

November 26, 2009	#120
ruet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 42	Thanks Dice!! Went in to a ceramic store today and asked them if there was a waterproof mortar they recommened, as I know next to nothing about this stuff. The recommendation I got was Silicone — the same stuff they use to seal up tubs and windows apparently. I'm guessing Silicone is inert when it sets, so I think I may have a solution. What I'm considering now is do I set up individual containers with their own reservoir, or one big container with a shared reservoir... I'm thinking I'll try both — a few in one big container, roots separated by a thin sheet of something, maybe with some mid height companion plants like Borage intercropped in. And a few in their own containers. The last thing I'm trying to figure out is what I can use as the aeration bench. Preferably with holes in it already, but something I can cut circles in for the wicking chamber. And of course cheap and non-phytotoxic. Maybe some big sheets of plastic or something...