Container Gardening

**Ron Mauer Sr** · 1st October 2012 04:27

Found these very interesting videos for container gardening by Larry Hall.

Look for links within the Youtube comments for information about where to purchase parts.

How To Build A Self Watering Rain Gutter Grow System!

The Original Self Watering Rain Gutter Grow System!!!!

How and why I invented The Self Watering Rain Gutter Grow System!!

Update on the Kiddie Pool Grow Bag System! Looking Great!

This is Incredible! The Self Watering Grow Bag Grow System! You got to see this!

The Self Watering Rain Gutter Grow System Using Grow Bags! This should be Interesting!!

Or you can see them all posted on my blog, page Food Production – Container Gardening.

**Arrowwind** · 1st October 2012 17:58

This system seems highly impractical for me due to the large amount that I garden but for my tomatoes it might be just perfect.

I plant tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets because I have to move them in and out the first three weeks or so during our growing season due to chilly nights.
So Im thinking to set up a rain gutter in my sunroom for the night and one outside for the day.

Watering them all twice a day, sometimes 3 times a day is really time consuming and this year Ive been thinking that next year I'll have to increase to about 15 buckets instead of 4 to grow the amount of tomatoes I want.

I have two questions that I haven't found the answer to yet.

The float that attaches to the hose.... what does that do? and where do you get them. Do they somehow turn the water on and off?

the little net baskets, where do you get them? oh here. found them.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00

one other unrelated gardening question... does anyone think that growing tomatoes in a 3 gallon bucket could be sufficient?

**Ron Mauer Sr** · 1st October 2012 21:06

Posted by Arrowwind (here)

The float that attaches to the hose.... what does that do? and where do you get them. Do they somehow turn the water on and off?

the little net baskets, where do you get them? oh here. found them.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00

one other unrelated gardening question... does anyone think that growing tomatoes in a 3 gallon bucket could be sufficient?

Sources for parts are listed in the comment section of the first Youtube video.

The float valve ($8.27 + shipping) shuts off water to the gutter when the gutter is full. A garden hose is connected between the rain gutter and either a rain barrel or a house spigot with pressurized water. Either method is self watering.

Any 3 inch diameter net cup should work, such as those you found on Amazon.com.

I do not know the answer to your question about container size for tomatoes. If the bucket is too small the tomato plant may be a little smaller than it would be in a larger container.

**olgraybear** · 1st October 2012 21:29

one other unrelated gardening question... does anyone think that growing tomatoes in a 3 gallon bucket could be sufficient?

Hi,
From my experience with container growing versus non-container planting, I believe that you shouldn't have any problems planting in a 3 gal. bucket.
One way you could check is as the plants that you have growing in the 5's, as they get to the point that you see that they are not going to produce anymore, pour them out and see just how much space they take and use.

**penn** · 1st October 2012 23:11

Really cool! Do you have issues with mosquitoes in the water?

I have a few earth boxes that the mosquitoes do not seem to bother but I also have a few "grow boxes" that seem to attracked mosquitoes because of the 2-3 inch water fill opening.

**TargeT** · 1st October 2012 23:27

Posted by penn (here)
Really cool! Do you have issues with mosquitoes in the water?

I have a few earth boxes that the mosquitoes do not seem to bother but I also have a few "grow boxes" that seem to attracked mosquitoes because of the 2-3 inch water fill opening.

Plant some mosquito repelling plants, like:
Citronella
Horsemint
Marigolds
Ageratum
Catnip

:-D
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2011/04/5-...elling-plants/

**write4change** · 2nd October 2012 00:07

Posted by Arrowwind (here)
This system seems highly impractical for me due to the large amount that I garden but for my tomatoes it might be just perfect.

I plant tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets because I have to move them in and out the first three weeks or so during our growing season due to chilly nights.
So Im thinking to set up a rain gutter in my sunroom for the night and one outside for the day.

Arrowwind,

Have you heard of anyone trying to grow tomatoes in the new way with upside down pots? I saw some on a clothes line in Texas. They were all cherry tomatoes which I am told freeze well. I have been freezing blueberries and they are wonderful put them in my purse to take to the movies.

Any way I found a place here that is selling the pots for a dollar. I am thinking of buying about 20 or so when I go back to Texas.

**Arrowwind** · 5th October 2012 18:38

Posted by write4change (here)
[Any way I found a place here that is selling the pots for a dollar. I am thinking of buying about 20 or so when I go back to Texas.

Yes, the upside down plants grow well, ive seen them and they were, come to think of it, in 3 gallon pots, maybe even smaller. Just be aware that when you water them water will run out onto the floor so put them in the right place.

**Strat** · 6th October 2012 16:28

Posted by Arrowwind (here)
Watering them all twice a day, sometimes 3 times a day is really time consuming and this year Ive been thinking that next year I'll have to increase to about 15 buckets instead of 4 to grow the amount of tomatoes I want.

I have rigged a watering system that works great for me, but I plant in the ground. You could probably modify my technique to suit your needs. I have a regular garden hose with smaller black plastic tubes attached to either side of the hose. It's really easy, effective and inexpensive to make. To water a bunch of plants all you do is turn the pump on, wait a minute or two, then turn the pump off. Then wallah! you just watered all of your plants.

I may be planting (broccoli) tomorrow, I'll take a pic of my setup if I do.

**Arrowwind** · 6th October 2012 16:32

I do use an irriagation system in my beds that I pick the parts up at home depot for. It eliminates needing to stand around to water things.

I was thinking that with the buckets placed into the rain gutters that the plants would never get dry. Buckets get dry it seems, faster than things put in the ground. Every time they got dry I could see their stress. I was thinking that the rain gutter system would keep them moister for long periods... and I guess I just really need to get some peatmoss into those buckets too.

**Strat** · 6th October 2012 16:45

Yeah the buckets dry out really fast. Here in FL they need literally about twice as much water as plants in ground. I don't put them in full sun (even though the 'directions' say they need full sun) for the same reason you mention, you can see the stress. Plant looks droopy and leaves start curling up.

**Ron Mauer Sr** · 23rd April 2014 01:03

Inexpensive 5 gallon buckets can be used instead of the more costly Earthboxes.

Easy to move, the buckets can be used on sunny roof tops in the city, in suburbia, or on the farm. No need for power tools after the buckets have been built.

Buckets can be placed on rock, concrete, or poor soil. Anywhere there is sunlight. Just add a preferred growing medium to the bucket.

The double bucket design with internal water reservoir and cover minimize the maintenance usually needed watering and weeding a conventional garden.

Here are 3 variations to the simple design, just in time for Spring.