Quote:
Originally Posted by dice
Are you handy with a drill and sabre saw? Those are the basic
skills needed to build your own self-watering containers.
Use the search form at the top of the page, and search for
"Earthtainer", "HEB" (stands for "homemade earthbox"),
and "swc" ("self-watering container"), and you will find
numerous threads on these.
Designs range from elaborate to simple, but they all share
these basic elements: a water reservoir in the bottom with
drain holes on the sides (so excess water can flow out
without flooding the container); a platform that holds
the container mix up above the reservoir; a wicking basket
(can be a piece of 4" abs pipe with holes drilled in it and
some fabric stuffed in it to keep the container mix from
dispersing into the water reservoir); and a fill tube that
extends down through the container mix and platform
to the water reservoir.
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I have been reading these threads as my DH seems averse to following the directions from Raybo's Earth-tainer closely. He found perforated drain pipe for the "water table" supprts (I think it's the stuff for lateral lines on a septic system) and brought it home. Now I'm trying to find alternates for the wicking basket. He wants to use a piece of the perf. drain for the wicking containment area (can't really call it a basket anymore, can I?) and was wondering how the knee-high nylon stocking thing works?... as in how do you secure it to the water table, or do you just stuff it with media and tie it shut, stuff it in the tube, and mound planting medium on top (ie raybo's muffintop
)
I love my husband's creative ability but his "easier" ways sometimes turn out to NOT be easier.
Thanx in advance,