Off-Grid Self-Watering Container Gardening System: Step-By-Step

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This is video #2 in my Off-grid self-watering container gardening system. This video shows you step-by step how to make the self watering part of this system…

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25 Responses to Off-Grid Self-Watering Container Gardening System: Step-By-Step

  1. Hi, great idea. Working on my system now. Using 1/4in tubing, drilled two
    1/4 holes (3in from bottom) and another 1/4in hole (3-1/2 in) for over
    flow. How do I get the water level to stop before the tubing holes?

    SmileItsRome
    August 2, 2014 at 3:42 pm
    Reply

  2. Have you heard about – “Shuzman Awesome Container Homes” (Have a quick look
    on google cant remember the place now)? Ive heard some extraordinary things
    about it and my work buddy built a cool container house with it.

    ane naseva
    August 2, 2014 at 4:36 pm
    Reply

  3. OK, I’ve come up with a solution – I’ll try to describe it here, as I
    probably won’t have a chance to make a video or drawings. . The way it
    works is to have a cheap $7 mini float valve sitting in a small Chinese
    soup bucket, the “Buffer-Bucket”. This buffer bucket sites on top of an
    inverted small Chinese soup bucket, the “Riser-Bucket”. Most of the top of
    the Riser-Bucket has been cut away. A rubber gasket is glued (silicon
    sealer) to the bottom of the Buffer-Bucket. (to be continued…)

    Theo
    August 2, 2014 at 4:38 pm
    Reply

  4. hi great instructions. quick question: if you are building a multi bucket
    tower like your strawberry container with a lid, how do you attach the
    tubing to the buckets that are higher than the float? is it possible or
    does the float always need to be at the same level as the connected buckets?

    lowteeify
    August 2, 2014 at 5:36 pm
    Reply

  5. Here’s how it works: When the planter is dry, the float-valve opens and
    water fills the planter. When the water reaches the top of the
    Buffer-Bucket it fills it and turns off the float-valve stopping the water.
    Also, the water lifts the cork/bottle pushing the rubber gaskets together
    and sealing the hole in the Buffer-Bucket. As the plants drink the water
    the water level in the planter drops, but the water in the Buffer-Bucket
    remains. When the water is empty, the cork drops opening the hole…

    Theo
    August 2, 2014 at 5:41 pm
    Reply

  6. And draining the Buffer-Bucket, starting the cycle over again. . The hole
    thing will cost about a dollar, plus the $7 mini float-valve. Cut some
    holes in the Riser-Bucket so the rising water goes inside the Riser-Bucket
    as well.

    Theo
    August 2, 2014 at 6:04 pm
    Reply

  7. Hey thanks for the response… Well I viewed as many videos as i could find
    under off-grid self watering. And I couldnt find the specific one I need. I
    hear you keep referring to wicking and a sock Im sure you have a vid on
    this I just havent found it. I wanted to see what kind of sock are you
    using and how far it should be up inside the soil.. thanks

    Terry Gersdorf
    August 2, 2014 at 6:14 pm
    Reply

  8. I tapped the hole in the bucket with a pipe tap and able to use Watts
    PL-3005 quick connect and Watts A-731 with no orings and didn’t have any
    leaks being a machinist I only had to buy 2 of each and my float had a
    compression fitting on it I now have strawberries and 1 tomato plant right
    now

    toddlfrank
    August 2, 2014 at 6:50 pm
    Reply

  9. @PopPrepper Thank you very much Pop.

    LDSPrepper
    August 2, 2014 at 7:45 pm
    Reply

  10. I’m going to incorporate a 275 gallon water tote to my container garden.
    How could I attach it to this system?

    imasurvivornthriver
    August 2, 2014 at 8:07 pm
    Reply

  11. @AnnBearForFreedom You would need to have the bottom of all the buckets at
    the same height. Then it will work great.

    LDSPrepper
    August 2, 2014 at 9:02 pm
    Reply

  12. Great idea. You certainly could do that.

    LDSPrepper
    August 2, 2014 at 9:43 pm
    Reply

  13. Why does the control bucket have an outlet (requiring another nipple etc).
    Is there a reason you don’t just drill a hole above the water line and run
    a primed siphon hose like you do for every additional bucket?

    Paul Gnuyen
    August 2, 2014 at 9:45 pm
    Reply

  14. @fossiesmommy2009 3/4″ and 1/4″ however you may need to use a different
    size bit for the float.

    LDSPrepper
    August 2, 2014 at 10:27 pm
    Reply

  15. @MyFreedomChannel I don’t have them named as part 1, 2, etc. But they are
    in my playlist.

    LDSPrepper
    August 2, 2014 at 11:00 pm
    Reply

  16. Thanks for the suggestions. I do not know how to post a pic here for you. I
    made some adjustments before your response and added all 8 buckets back in
    line. Now it is the 2nd to last bucket that is leaking out of the over-flow
    hole. It is not nearly as bad as it was before but still weird that the 2nd
    to last is the problem. I will try raising it and keep you posted. The last
    bucket in line is the ultimate with spinach. Thanks again.

    Lonnie Hunter
    August 2, 2014 at 11:41 pm
    Reply

  17. I have done everything in the video in setting up the buckets. I tested in
    my garage with the reservoir, control bucket and one reservoir bucket for
    the plant. Everything was perfect. Yesterday I set up 8 buckets in line and
    overnight lost 5 gallons of water. The last reservoir in line is continuing
    to draw water. I have taken 4 buckets off and the result is the same. The
    water is draining out of the last bucket. It will not stop pulling water.
    The site is level and I am at a loss. Any ideas?

    Lonnie Hunter
    August 3, 2014 at 12:37 am
    Reply

  18. This is perfect for a bad area in my yard, thank you! This year I’m going
    to have some items I only want in planters, and with new gardens going in,
    I wondered how I was going to find time to water new containers, if I did
    them this year, so this will sure do the job of watering Them for me. Now I
    can do both!!! Fantastic!

    Sheila6325
    August 3, 2014 at 1:11 am
    Reply

  19. Thanks for the videos. My patio is slightly slanted, do I need to level the
    buckets for the system to work?

    kevharjr
    August 3, 2014 at 1:55 am
    Reply

  20. i love this we live in a desert and trying to grow anything here is just
    plain nasty and it’s super windy i love that i can put these on my cement
    which seems to be the only place with a wind block lol

    lilpixxxie
    August 3, 2014 at 2:01 am
    Reply

  21. GOOD STUFF!!! I LOVE IT!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!

    imasurvivornthriver
    August 3, 2014 at 2:29 am
    Reply

  22. Also from post below. I will not use white buckets or paint them a dark
    color. I have algae growing in them and it has clogged my drip line twice.
    I will permanently fix the drip lines in the bottom of the buckets instead
    of rocks as the roots have grown so large into the feeding bucket that it
    has pushed the tubes and in some cases out of the water. This is a great
    system to use and like I said my plants are simply amazing. Thank you very
    much ldsprepper.

    keithscoupons
    August 3, 2014 at 2:40 am
    Reply

  23. No need to top water if the plant is getting all the water it needs from
    below. I have only had to top water once, when I found the cotton in the
    sock decomposed and the sock wasn’t wicking. I am changing to using a 3″
    net cup instead of socks/cotton.

    LDSPrepper
    August 3, 2014 at 3:16 am
    Reply

  24. I have been using this system for about a month now and these are my
    observations and things I will do different next time. My tomatoes and
    peppers have exploded with growth using this system and I love it. Make
    sure that your using a pretty level area. I have 12 plants in a small area
    that I though was level but had a slant of about 4 inches. That is enough
    to really play havoc with setting it up. You have to put something under
    the lower buckets to bring them up pretty level with the others.

    keithscoupons
    August 3, 2014 at 4:15 am
    Reply

  25. @antadefector I do have a syringe and think it is a great way to start the
    siphoning. Thanks for the suggestion. House plumbing is much more
    expensive. These buckets stack very well with the lids.

    LDSPrepper
    August 3, 2014 at 4:55 am
    Reply

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