Homemade selfwatering containers.

jmhewitt · March 24, 2006

continuing a small side discussion of self watering containers on my R&D thread

Ms Cowpea posted a link both there and here which contains JMALT's exhaustive treatise on Self Watering Containers.

I tried to build some of the bigger ones, but it didn't seem like they would really last since they don't have enough structural integrity. ....and they were a LOT of work!!

my choice for the big ones is either the Original EB (pretty pricey), the ones from Gardners Supply (not much cheaper), or even cheaper, the ones I got last year from WallyWorld. Ms Cowpea says: "Anyway, on another note. I know we have both used the self-watering containers from ((wm))--the ones for 10 dollars as I remember you mentioning them in another post . Big Lots has them for 8.99 --now my husband IS a cheapo and was absolutely thrilled to save a buck.

"

the only problem I have with these are the small reservoir, and the difficulty of putting a cage around them. since the tomato plant ends up so high off the ground, you need to use a really enormously tall cage. I only see two practical solutions in my cage inventory: a large Texas Cage with the extension, driven into the ground and plastic tie attached to the pot, or the PVC design of QAGuy. I will try both this year.

as regards my design of choice, especially for smaller plants such as dwarves, start with the wallboard paste containers, which I think are about 4 1/2 gallons of soil over the reservoir which is another containers. the 5 gallon buckets from Lowes or HomeDepot also work great, but you have to PAY for those.

I have several comments on Jmalts design, and if anyone wants to see pictures of mine I can post them.

1. I use 2 10oz clear plastic drink glasses in the base of each pot, and a 2 3/4" hole saw to cut the hole in the base for each glass. these are the right size to go most of the way to the bottom of the reservoir pot, and either rest on the sides of the hole, or just touch the base of the reservoir pot.

2. the plastic glasses have 1/4" - 3/8" holes drilled in the sides in a spiral pattern. none are really needed in the bottom since this will rest on the reservoir container. I use a 1/4" drill to aerate the base of the pot that will contain the tomato. actually, going back and checking my glasses from last year, on many of them I just cut slits in the sides with a razor knife, and that seemed to work fine too. interestingly, these glasses seem prepared to do another year of service.

3. I use a 1 3/8" hole saw to cut the overflow hole in the side and also to make a hole thru the bottom of the tomato container to take the 1" pipe I use to fill them. the hole in the side of the reservoir container needs to be carefully located on each reservoir so that the midline of the hole falls exactly at the base of the tomato container. too high, and you risk drowning the mater plants, and too low, you loose valuable reservoir capacity.

(BTW, the top of the Orange Juice Container SIMPLY ORANGE works great as a funnel and overflow device on these 1" pipes. the bottom I use filled with MG Moisture Control Potting Mix and about 9 holes drilled in the base as drain holes, to stick tomato cuttings to root...nothing else worked for me until I did this.)

4. I do not use any cover on these containers, certainly not like JMALT shows....in our hurricane winds, the stem would get nicely clipped off by these tops, I fear. I used some red plastic on my bigger containers last year, but also used just hardwood mulch, and that seemed to work fine w/o any bad effect.

for cages, the Burpee cages work fine, attached by plastic ties, and can be stacked too. only problem is they blow over in our winds....however, just go back and turn them right side up! I tried stakes to keep them upright (plastic tied to a corner of the cage), but the metal ones bent....maybe wooden ones will be better.

actually the conical cages from ACE work great on these pots (the legs go inside the pot), but only for short plants since they cannot be stacked....don't forget to attach them to the pot with 3-4 plastic ties to give them strength.

Michael

March 24, 2006	#11
jmhewitt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hampstead, NC, USA Zone 8b Posts: 41	continuing a small side discussion of self watering containers on my R&D thread Ms Cowpea posted a link both there and here which contains JMALT's exhaustive treatise on Self Watering Containers. I tried to build some of the bigger ones, but it didn't seem like they would really last since they don't have enough structural integrity. ....and they were a LOT of work!! my choice for the big ones is either the Original EB (pretty pricey), the ones from Gardners Supply (not much cheaper), or even cheaper, the ones I got last year from WallyWorld. Ms Cowpea says: "Anyway, on another note. I know we have both used the self-watering containers from ((wm))--the ones for 10 dollars as I remember you mentioning them in another post . Big Lots has them for 8.99 --now my husband IS a cheapo and was absolutely thrilled to save a buck. " the only problem I have with these are the small reservoir, and the difficulty of putting a cage around them. since the tomato plant ends up so high off the ground, you need to use a really enormously tall cage. I only see two practical solutions in my cage inventory: a large Texas Cage with the extension, driven into the ground and plastic tie attached to the pot, or the PVC design of QAGuy. I will try both this year. as regards my design of choice, especially for smaller plants such as dwarves, start with the wallboard paste containers, which I think are about 4 1/2 gallons of soil over the reservoir which is another containers. the 5 gallon buckets from Lowes or HomeDepot also work great, but you have to PAY for those. I have several comments on Jmalts design, and if anyone wants to see pictures of mine I can post them. 1. I use 2 10oz clear plastic drink glasses in the base of each pot, and a 2 3/4" hole saw to cut the hole in the base for each glass. these are the right size to go most of the way to the bottom of the reservoir pot, and either rest on the sides of the hole, or just touch the base of the reservoir pot. 2. the plastic glasses have 1/4" - 3/8" holes drilled in the sides in a spiral pattern. none are really needed in the bottom since this will rest on the reservoir container. I use a 1/4" drill to aerate the base of the pot that will contain the tomato. actually, going back and checking my glasses from last year, on many of them I just cut slits in the sides with a razor knife, and that seemed to work fine too. interestingly, these glasses seem prepared to do another year of service. 3. I use a 1 3/8" hole saw to cut the overflow hole in the side and also to make a hole thru the bottom of the tomato container to take the 1" pipe I use to fill them. the hole in the side of the reservoir container needs to be carefully located on each reservoir so that the midline of the hole falls exactly at the base of the tomato container. too high, and you risk drowning the mater plants, and too low, you loose valuable reservoir capacity. (BTW, the top of the Orange Juice Container SIMPLY ORANGE works great as a funnel and overflow device on these 1" pipes. the bottom I use filled with MG Moisture Control Potting Mix and about 9 holes drilled in the base as drain holes, to stick tomato cuttings to root...nothing else worked for me until I did this.) 4. I do not use any cover on these containers, certainly not like JMALT shows....in our hurricane winds, the stem would get nicely clipped off by these tops, I fear. I used some red plastic on my bigger containers last year, but also used just hardwood mulch, and that seemed to work fine w/o any bad effect. for cages, the Burpee cages work fine, attached by plastic ties, and can be stacked too. only problem is they blow over in our winds....however, just go back and turn them right side up! I tried stakes to keep them upright (plastic tied to a corner of the cage), but the metal ones bent....maybe wooden ones will be better. actually the conical cages from ACE work great on these pots (the legs go inside the pot), but only for short plants since they cannot be stacked....don't forget to attach them to the pot with 3-4 plastic ties to give them strength. Michael