self-watering bucket instructions - university of florida...•two 5 gallon buckets or one 3 gallon...
TRANSCRIPT
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Self-watering Bucket Instructions
By Extension Agents Trevor Hylton and Molly Jameson
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What You Will Need
• Two 5 gallon buckets OR one 3 gallon bucket and one 5 gallon bucket (see next slide for explanation)
• One 2’ 1” PVC pipe
• Ratcheting PVC Cutter
• One 16 oz wicking basket – purchase at a hydroponic supply store or make your own (container of cottage cheese, butter, etc. with holes)
• Drill with ¼” drill bit
• Hole saw kit
• Two 1” screw nails
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Why Use Different Size Buckets?
• The advantage of a 3 gallon bucket inside a 5 gallon bucket is that you will have more bucket space for water and can water less frequently
• The disadvantage is that you only have 3 gallons of growing space, instead of 5 gallons with the two 5 gallon bucket method
• If you want to maximize your growing space (such as growing a large tomato plant), use two 5 gallon buckets, knowing that you will need to water more frequently
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Tools
Ratcheting PVC Cutter Hole Saw Kit Drill
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If using 3 and 5 gallon buckets, drill holes into 3 gallon bucket
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Hole for 1” wide PVC pipe
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Hole size may vary by wicking basket size
Be sure wicking basket will not fall through hole
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Hole for wicking basket
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Place bucket with holes into 2nd bucket
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Use PVC cutter to make diagonal cut
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The cut will allow water to freely enter lower bucket
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Insert PVC pipe and wicking basket
(If you made your own basket, drill holes in the bottom and along the lower sides)
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Wicking basket will be filled with soil and will soak up water for the roots
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Drill ¼” hole in outer bucket, just below bottom of inner bucket
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This is the drainage hole
Water is stored in lower portion of outer bucket
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Drill nail into outer bucket and PVC pipe
Drilling through lower bucket into PVC pipe will secure PVC pipe and help keep buckets locked together
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Nail should be visible in PVC pipe
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Make more secure with second screw on other side of outer bucket
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Add pre-moistened soil mix and plant!
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Pour water into PVC pipe…
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…until it begins to drain out of hole
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Optionally, remove outer bucket handle
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Optional lid
A lid can help slow evaporation losses and decrease weed pressure, but could increase risk of fungal diseases, is difficult to remove once plant has grown, and cannot be used if growing multiple plants in one bucket
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Let it grow!