Off-Grid Self-Watering Container Gardening System: Step-By-Step
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…
25 Responses to Off-Grid Self-Watering Container Gardening System: Step-By-Step
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
@PopPrepper Thank you very much Pop.
LDSPrepper
August 2, 2014 at 7:45 pm
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
@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
Great idea. You certainly could do that.
LDSPrepper
August 2, 2014 at 9:43 pm
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
@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
@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
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
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
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
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
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
GOOD STUFF!!! I LOVE IT!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!
imasurvivornthriver
August 3, 2014 at 2:29 am
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
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
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
@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