Alaska Grow Buckets Anyone? - Page 2

Salsacharley · May 21, 2014

I'm not watering from the top. My reservoir (another 5 gal bucket) is not in the pictures, but it is at the end of the line of buckets . I operate the watering with a float valve, but I have to load the reservoir by hand until I move my buckets back outside. You can see my plumbing in one of the pictures. I agree that you must keep the water level up to keep all the buckets properly watered.

I do mostly fertilize from the top because I believe the fertilizer settles in the bottom of the buckets and doesn't get to the roots.

Salsacharley . I had a look at your setup and noted you're watering from the top. I believe you'll get better results when watered from the bottom, stops compaction.[/QUOTE]

beeman · June 25, 2014

Just thought I should show off a bit. Latest update on the Alaska Grow bucket system. Can't be better?
The second photos shows our use of Tulle to keep the nasties off the brassicas.

salix · June 25, 2014

Lovely! Can you tell me how many seasons the tulle is good for? I seriously thought about it, then just went with the Reemay as usual. I do have some fine plastic mesh pop-up tents that are roughly 3' x 3' that I got from Lee Valley several years ago. They have lasted about 4 or 5 years, but this year I see a few rips and tears appearing. They work very well. What all do you cover? I cover the carrots to discourage carrot rust fly, brassicas for the cabbage worms/loopers and onions for the onion root maggot flies. Just love having the pristine produce, but it is more work.

luigiwu · June 25, 2014

Is the tulle fine enough to keep out the nasties?

beeman · June 25, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigiwu

Is the tulle fine enough to keep out the nasties?

We hate caterpillars in the broccoli, even worse is finding half a one.
The tulle does keep the butterflies and moths away, which is where the caterpillars come from.
Don't suffer with other bugs!

June 26, 2014

From a few years ago!

The tulle worked well. The following year, I used it over pvc hoops as you did to keep the squash vine borers out. It again worked well, but I had to raise it every morning to hand pollinate the squash because it also kept the pollinators out. It decomposed after a couple of years. I still find tiny little pieces of it when I turn the soil in my beds over each year.

Ted

Barb_FL · June 26, 2014

After a terrible 2013 with bugs (catepillars mainly), I was convinced tulle was answer. I was covering everything; Even built some tulle rooms. This one was the largest.

beeman · June 26, 2014

Interesting to see all the different ideas.
Today we had the first Cauliflower from under the Tulle, no bugs, no worms, what a relief. Cooked it with a nice Cheese sauce, delightful.

Ddesoto · March 2, 2016

Anyone know the level of water to maintain in an Alaska grow bucket? Also wondering what reading to expect on a moister meter?

mylesl · March 23, 2016

Quote:

Anyone know the level of water to maintain in an Alaska grow bucket?

Jim Lister, the owner of Alaska Grow Buckets system, will quickly answer any questions you might have. There is a contact form on his website.

Jim Lister
AlaskaGrowBuckets.com

Myles1

June 25, 2014	#18
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Lovely! Can you tell me how many seasons the tulle is good for? I seriously thought about it, then just went with the Reemay as usual. I do have some fine plastic mesh pop-up tents that are roughly 3' x 3' that I got from Lee Valley several years ago. They have lasted about 4 or 5 years, but this year I see a few rips and tears appearing. They work very well. What all do you cover? I cover the carrots to discourage carrot rust fly, brassicas for the cabbage worms/loopers and onions for the onion root maggot flies. Just love having the pristine produce, but it is more work. __________________ "He who has a library and a garden wants for nothing." -Cicero

May 21, 2014	#16
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	I'm not watering from the top. My reservoir (another 5 gal bucket) is not in the pictures, but it is at the end of the line of buckets . I operate the watering with a float valve, but I have to load the reservoir by hand until I move my buckets back outside. You can see my plumbing in one of the pictures. I agree that you must keep the water level up to keep all the buckets properly watered. I do mostly fertilize from the top because I believe the fertilizer settles in the bottom of the buckets and doesn't get to the roots. Salsacharley . I had a look at your setup and noted you're watering from the top. I believe you'll get better results when watered from the bottom, stops compaction.[/QUOTE]

June 25, 2014	#19
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Is the tulle fine enough to keep out the nasties?

June 26, 2014	#21
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	From a few years ago! The tulle worked well. The following year, I used it over pvc hoops as you did to keep the squash vine borers out. It again worked well, but I had to raise it every morning to hand pollinate the squash because it also kept the pollinators out. It decomposed after a couple of years. I still find tiny little pieces of it when I turn the soil in my beds over each year. Ted

June 26, 2014	#23
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	Interesting to see all the different ideas. Today we had the first Cauliflower from under the Tulle, no bugs, no worms, what a relief. Cooked it with a nice Cheese sauce, delightful.

March 2, 2016	#24
Ddesoto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Texas Posts: 1	Anyone know the level of water to maintain in an Alaska grow bucket? Also wondering what reading to expect on a moister meter?