My Urban RGGS Container Garden

luigiwu · June 19, 2015

I have a very small backyard and work long hours. I'm so thankful to have come across Larry Hall's Rain Gutter Grow System technique which is a subirrigated container gardening located over a water trough (rain gutter) and controlled by a water float. Its the only reason why I can grow anything period! Its mostly 5 gallon HD buckets and 7 gallon root pouch grow bags.

Just some pictures.
Last year I did the single stem. This year I'm letting it all go and I'm already nervous about airflow...
last week:

This week 6/19: BAM! they are growing like mad! I can't take a good picture of it all as my place is small!

Picture on right is Wild Fred - it doesn't act like a dwarf - its growing crazy!

ricman · June 20, 2015

Hello luigiwu,

You are looking great. It has been somewhat of a struggle for me this year, we have had 37 inches of rain in the last 60 days. The only reason I have been able to grow anything at all is because of the RGGS, the in ground gardens have been flooded out in many places. I will be spraying a bleach solution this evening to combat some early blight. Good luck gardening....GO RGGS

Rick

JamesL · June 20, 2015

Luigiwu,
Looks great!
Airflow - do some selective pruning at least at the bottom.
All this rain we are getting plus the humidity. You know what comes next.....

brooksville · June 20, 2015

Looks like you have your hands full....

peebee · June 21, 2015

Very nice set up there Luigiwu! I don't know what this rain gutter system is, I'll have to look it up, but if it involves actual rain, then for sure it won't work for my area

. Good luck and hope you have a bountiful harvest. Let us know how it turns out.

luigiwu · June 21, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

Very nice set up there Luigiwu! I don't know what this rain gutter system is, I'll have to look it up, but if it involves actual rain, then for sure it won't work for my area

. Good luck and hope you have a bountiful harvest. Let us know how it turns out.

Thanks! peebee, it doesn't need to be rain. It does involves a gutter to hold water. So instead of making self-watering containers that you have to fill up individually, the 'reservoir' becomes this continuous gutter where its plumbed to a water supply (wall spigot or rain water.) A handy dandy little float is what maintains the water in the trough for all the plants! IMO, its highly efficient and useful in areas like CA that are experiencing drought as you dont want excess water to just be running off.

luigiwu · June 21, 2015

Hi Rick,
37 inches, my goodness - yet another way the RGGS shines! Like James is mentioning below, I'm going to have to brace myself for when the humidit hits hard soon...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricman

Hello luigiwu,

You are looking great. It has been somewhat of a struggle for me this year, we have had 37 inches of rain in the last 60 days. The only reason I have been able to grow anything at all is because of the RGGS, the in ground gardens have been flooded out in many places. I will be spraying a bleach solution this evening to combat some early blight. Good luck gardening....GO RGGS

Rick

luigiwu · June 21, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesL

Luigiwu,
Looks great!
Airflow - do some selective pruning at least at the bottom.
All this rain we are getting plus the humidity. You know what comes next.....

Thanks James, How's your earthtainer garden doing? I know there will be lots of hard work ahead and I hope I'm not making a huge mistake by letting the whole plant grow with out taking off the suckers!

JamesL · June 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigiwu

Thanks James, How's your earthtainer garden doing? I know there will be lots of hard work ahead and I hope I'm not making a huge mistake by letting the whole plant grow with out taking off the suckers!

Luigiwu,
My garden is progressing. Its still early in the season and I am already running late!

luigiwu · July 19, 2015

My beloved rain barrels. I love them so much. I want MORE and MORE of them!

The stand puts them approx 18inches high.

The genius of RGGS, automatic watering. Water from the barrels are delivered to each water troughs/gutters where the level is controlled by a mini-float.

Growing and grow, yes battling some fungal issues that may or may not have to do with the close spacing of everything. Next year I need to be less tenderhearted about pruning branches.

Barb_FL · July 19, 2015

Very impressive! Everything looks great. Is that strawberry plants by the gate?

Can you describe your staking method?

luigiwu · July 19, 2015

when I started this year, I fully intended to prune each plant to a single stem. Like last year, I used baler twine and clips. And then I changed my mind. There is no way I can get to every stem the taller they get so I've resorted to a secondary means where I've attached outrigers (1x2 pieces of wood) to each post. I can drill holes at the ends of the outriggers and am able to string baler twine through them, sort of creating a cage.

HeatherT · July 19, 2015

Looks outstanding, really like your setup.

Heather

Worth1 · July 19, 2015

Everything looks fantastic and healthy.
Worth

nancyruhl · July 20, 2015

That is one incredible garden for such a small space. Love it. It is an inspiration for all of us who garden when it shouldn't be possible.

I checked regarding my Dwarf Wild Freds, and they are actually in 3 different gardens. Not all are producing yet, but they all are dwarf with rugose foliage.

June 19, 2015	#1
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	My Urban RGGS Container Garden I have a very small backyard and work long hours. I'm so thankful to have come across Larry Hall's Rain Gutter Grow System technique which is a subirrigated container gardening located over a water trough (rain gutter) and controlled by a water float. Its the only reason why I can grow anything period! Its mostly 5 gallon HD buckets and 7 gallon root pouch grow bags. Just some pictures. Last year I did the single stem. This year I'm letting it all go and I'm already nervous about airflow... last week: This week 6/19: BAM! they are growing like mad! I can't take a good picture of it all as my place is small! Picture on right is Wild Fred - it doesn't act like a dwarf - its growing crazy! __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

June 20, 2015	#2
ricman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ardmore,Oklahoma Posts: 172	Hello luigiwu, You are looking great. It has been somewhat of a struggle for me this year, we have had 37 inches of rain in the last 60 days. The only reason I have been able to grow anything at all is because of the RGGS, the in ground gardens have been flooded out in many places. I will be spraying a bleach solution this evening to combat some early blight. Good luck gardening....GO RGGS Rick Last edited by ricman; June 20, 2015 at 02:50 PM. Reason: Error

July 19, 2015	#10
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	My beloved rain barrels. I love them so much. I want MORE and MORE of them! The stand puts them approx 18inches high. The genius of RGGS, automatic watering. Water from the barrels are delivered to each water troughs/gutters where the level is controlled by a mini-float. Growing and grow, yes battling some fungal issues that may or may not have to do with the close spacing of everything. Next year I need to be less tenderhearted about pruning branches. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7! Last edited by luigiwu; July 19, 2015 at 06:35 PM.

July 19, 2015	#12
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	when I started this year, I fully intended to prune each plant to a single stem. Like last year, I used baler twine and clips. And then I changed my mind. There is no way I can get to every stem the taller they get so I've resorted to a secondary means where I've attached outrigers (1x2 pieces of wood) to each post. I can drill holes at the ends of the outriggers and am able to string baler twine through them, sort of creating a cage. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

June 20, 2015	#3
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Luigiwu, Looks great! Airflow - do some selective pruning at least at the bottom. All this rain we are getting plus the humidity. You know what comes next.....

June 20, 2015	#4
brooksville Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: South Georgia Zone 8a Posts: 179	Looks like you have your hands full....

June 21, 2015	#5
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Very nice set up there Luigiwu! I don't know what this rain gutter system is, I'll have to look it up, but if it involves actual rain, then for sure it won't work for my area . Good luck and hope you have a bountiful harvest. Let us know how it turns out.

July 19, 2015	#11
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Very impressive! Everything looks great. Is that strawberry plants by the gate? Can you describe your staking method?

July 19, 2015	#13
HeatherT BANNED Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Illinois Posts: 44	Looks outstanding, really like your setup. Heather

July 19, 2015	#14
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Everything looks fantastic and healthy. Worth

July 20, 2015	#15
nancyruhl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Posts: 1,051	That is one incredible garden for such a small space. Love it. It is an inspiration for all of us who garden when it shouldn't be possible. I checked regarding my Dwarf Wild Freds, and they are actually in 3 different gardens. Not all are producing yet, but they all are dwarf with rugose foliage.