Gardening: My Tomatoe and Pepper Progress

[applescrap]

Okay. So trying to finish it before the next round of storms that are supposed to arrive tonight. Put feet on both ends to allow me to level it and provide some stability.
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There is a reason they are shorter than the width of the top that I will get to later. But I need to move it outside now to make room for a car before we likely get more hail.

I did cut the access hole to be able to adjust the float valve. But I don't want to just leave that open because of mosquitoes, so I took leftover pipe and split it, then fitted it over the valve access hole.
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Awesome work, yeah I have to use mosquito dunks they work good though. So cool. Now I have seen versions where they just lay the pipe in the ground and the bag sits on the ground. Yep here some pics of it and stuff.

I'm like the ones where they make a frame and use pond liner.

 

[applescrap]

They need filled every day. I don't mind at all (I work from home and enjoy my time with the plants). However, there has to be something better. I'm going to work on Gen 2 of my bucket system. Probably something similar to what Travis is working on above, but with a float valve to keep it full.

I'm super happy with how this has turned out for me. Everything has grown spectacularly.

Thank you so much, well I guess I'm going to work on the set up doesn't take a whole lot of adjusting but the brass T's need to be plastic for this application, i will get them online.


I'm a terrible artist but I think I've seen people use slight elevation change with a float on the low end to keep them filled. Or is it float on the high end. Will somebody who's really smart please figure this out for me thanks. I I use one float per pool. But technically one float could run a huge framed Garden area

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[Staestc]

Love it Travis. It's gonna be super awesome. If you're planting seeds, better get them going indoors asap.

I'll go with plants to start given that it's the middle of May! I'll start seeds next February!

 

[Staestc]

They need filled every day. I don't mind at all (I work from home and enjoy my time with the plants). However, there has to be something better. I'm going to work on Gen 2 of my bucket system. Probably something similar to what Travis is working on above, but with a float valve to keep it full.

I'm super happy with how this has turned out for me. Everything has grown spectacularly.

I have the float valve already but have not installed it yet. I will probably use a Homer bucket as a reservoir until I can rig up a rain barrel to one of my down spouts. I can't install the valve yet because I have not had time to head to the store and get the fittings to attach to the valve.

I'm working up plans for something else new for herbs. One thing I need to figure out is how to have a float valve in one place that will turn on water when needed but that water must be delivered to another place. I found some float valves with threaded inputs and outputs that may work, but most of them need a long float arm and a big float ball (think toilets). I will post a picture of my plans when I get one put together. I'm looking at 60 plants in a roughly 4.5' x 1.5' area! And it will be self watering

Scrap, where are you getting your bags, like the 7 gallon and 1 gallon ones you mentioned above?

 

[applescrap]

I got a really good deal on the one gallon and 3 gallon root bags from a store in Denver that I think didn't know what they had. I think the company is called root pouch or root bag bag. The seven gallon bags are Walmart bags. They make hundred gallon bags too all the way down to one. They are rated by the thickness of the material some are really thin some are thick. The 7 gallon bags are Walmart grocery bags. Those aren't the right floats , the floats you need are the kerick floats. They are used in acid tanks and are diesel. There are two kinds one with a slip on fitting, one with screw on. The slip on fitting is the one for daisy chaining

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[Staestc]

I have a Kerick float for the one I'm building currently. The ones I need are unfortunately 24V electric switches. But I can't figure out how to build this new thing without electricity! Yet. Still designing.

 

[passedpawn]

I have a Kerick float for the one I'm building currently. The ones I need are unfortunately 24V electric switches. But I can't figure out how to build this new thing without electricity! Yet. Still designing.

If you have water pressure and a float valve, you don't need electricity. At least that's my stance until I understand what you're really trying to do

I used a Kent float valve for my fish tank for 20 years. Never failed. At one time I had it tied to 60psi and it kept a sump full all the time.

 

[Staestc]

@passedpawn I'll explain it shortly. Okay, how about now! Lol But I've thought about it a great deal. I'll have 10 or more pipes all at different elevations and each with different plants with potentially different water usage. It is easy to fill everything up and know that they are all full. I toyed with the idea of just putting a float valve in the lowest pipe and once it trips it would deliver water to the whole stack until the lowest pipe with the switch is full, which means every other level is full. But if I have plants at some middle level that are high water demand plants, they could well go dry before some low water demand plants in the lowest tube with the float switch used up enough water to flip the switch and refill the whole stack. The only inexpensive way to fix that is to monitor the water level in all pipes, turn on the water when any one gets low, and refill the whole stack. Lol. Ravings of a mad man!
Here is the concept:
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60 plants or more or less, depending on what size plants, in a 4.5 x 2 foot space. I need to remove two of the wheels, or use locking casters, but you need to be able to turn the thing around to make sure all plants get their share of sun.

 

[Staestc]

Oh, BTW, I got a tomato planted tonight in the thing I'm actually building!!
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[passedpawn]

@passedpawn I'll explain it shortly. Okay, how about now! Lol But I've thought about it a great deal. I'll have 10 or more pipes all at different elevations and each with different plants with potentially different water usage. It is easy to fill everything up and know that they are all full. I toyed with the idea of just putting a float valve in the lowest pipe and once it trips it would deliver water to the whole stack until the lowest pipe with the switch is full, which means every other level is full. But if I have plants at some middle level that are high water demand plants, they could well go dry before some low water demand plants in the lowest tube with the float switch used up enough water to flip the switch and refill the whole stack. The only inexpensive way to fix that is to monitor the water level in all pipes, turn on the water when any one gets low, and refill the whole stack. Lol. Ravings of a mad man!
Here is the concept:
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60 plants or more or less, depending on what size plants, in a 4.5 x 2 foot space. I need to remove two of the wheels, or use locking casters, but you need to be able to turn the thing around to make sure all plants get their share of sun.

I'd just do a continuous loop, keep if flowing 24/7 with a small submersible pump to all the levels. Loop feeds from your reservoir which maintains level with float valve. Man, I want to do that myself!

 

[passedpawn]

Well that idea really only works if it's all on one level. Back to the drawing board.

 

[passedpawn]

No, it works. Just like my fish tank. Pump in reservoir pushes up to all the troughs (not in series, but in parallel). Trough's overflow at their top. Overflow returns to reservoir.

Uses electricity for the pump

 

[Staestc]

Like I said. Electricity! Lol. I'm an aquarium guy too. Or at least I was. 38 hobbies ago. Continuos circulation has merit and simplifies the system though. I will have to think about that. It may be possible to raise the water to the top just by aerating it in the riser pipe/line. If that would work it has potential, plus the benefit of aerated water for the plants. I don't want to run a water pump all day everyday though. Need to keep thinking on this one.

 

[applescrap]

Cool idea strawberry wall?, i like one float per level and just use tees to combine and connect them. Or you could probably get away with one float per level by connecting the tubes. Super easy just like I do with the pools. They are entirely self watering I literally plant and walk away. Here's a picture from my first year where you can see the t,s

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[Staestc]

That strawberry wall is awesome!

The Kerick float valves won't work with typical garden hose pressures so I would need a water pressure reducer or a water storage container that's above the highest pipe. I could put a tank on the bottom that's big enough for a bigger float valve that will work at 40-90 psi water pressures but it would not sense when the pipes are low. A float tank on top that keeps itself full at hose pressures and a Kerick valve in each pipe would work if the top tank can be made small enough to not make the thing too unstable.

With electricity I can cheaply put a 24V float switch in each pipe wired to a 24V sprinkler valve and run it off a 24V sprinkler transformer, but you have to be near an outdoor electrical outlet. If I blow off the outdoor outlet, I could use 2 12v batteries big enough to run the sprinkler valve (think small batteries not car batteries) and mount a small solar panel on top to trickle charge the batteries! Lol. Getting expensive then!

 

[estricklin]

I am definitely going to be moving some of my peppers to buckets at the end of the growing season!

I've got to do some weeding this weekend and I will post some more pics. For now my night shades still don't have any blooms.

 

[applescrap]

That strawberry wall is awesome!

The Kerick float valves won't work with typical garden hose pressures so I would need a water pressure reducer or a water storage container that's above the highest pipe. I could put a tank on the bottom that's big enough for a bigger float valve that will work at 40-90 psi water pressures but it would not sense when the pipes are low. A float tank on top that keeps itself full at hose pressures and a Kerick valve in each pipe would work if the top tank can be made small enough to not make the thing too unstable.

With electricity I can cheaply put a 24V float switch in each pipe wired to a 24V sprinkler valve and run it off a 24V sprinkler transformer, but you have to be near an outdoor electrical outlet. If I blow off the outdoor outlet, I could use 2 12v batteries big enough to run the sprinkler valve (think small batteries not car batteries) and mount a small solar panel on top to trickle charge the batteries! Lol. Getting expensive then!

I'm sorry I'm not sure I'm understanding I use 5 of them in a daisy chain with T,s on very powerful water pressure, what am I not understanding

 

[Staestc]

I'm sorry I'm not sure I'm understanding I use 5 of them in a daisy chain with T,s on very powerful water pressure, what am I not understanding

After I wrote that I went looking for float valves that will work at the pressure of urban waterlines and it turns out that Kerick makes them too and that they all look about the same. They are different though. Ones for higher pressure lines have different valve geometries and use larger floats and rods to move the float away from the valve for more leverage.

Something I read lead me to believe that the smaller valves with the built in floats were not capable shutting off 50 psi water pressure. They will survive up to 100 psi but they can't shut it off. That could be completely wrong and all the valves they offer may work fine with city pressures.

Control Devices, LLC now owns Kerick and their web site is crappy as far as maximum working pressures. They list flow rates though. It could be that plumbing designers just know that if a float valve list a flow rate for 100 psi then it can shut off 100 psi.

Any idea what model valves you have are Scrap?

 

[applescrap]

I can find out for you later today but by the time you hook up the adapter and run one quarter inch line to it does that lower PSI? Also the garden hose to one-quarter inch adapter is split, so you can just turn water pressure down there as well. These don't just shut off they shut off with authority I think this is an non-issue but I will get you the model

 

[applescrap]

Yeah there's no way the pressure in that quarter inch line is the same as the garden hose right?

 

[applescrap]

They were like $5 each I want to see on Amazon I thought I had one still in wrapping but I don't I'll try to go back in my Amazon account later

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[Staestc]

I looked back at the one I got off of Amazon and it clearly says max pressure is 100 psi. I'm going to assume that is working pressure and these valves will work at garden hose pressure. I will test it before I order 10 more of them though!

This will change the design yet again.

 

[Staestc]

Yeah there's no way the pressure in that quarter inch line is the same as the garden hose right?

It does not matter what size line is going to the float valve when the valve is closed. The pressure is the same when the water is not flowing. I'm assuming that all the Kerick float valves will work on water hose pressures and I was just wrong before.

 

[Staestc]

They were like $5 each I want to see on Amazon I thought I had one still in wrapping but I don't I'll try to go back in my Amazon account later

It's cool. Mine looks just like yours.

 

[applescrap]

Got some t,s today myself. I like these they are quick disconnect. Brass one's really don't grab the plastic right and the barbs can split the plastic so these are a good option they're 6 bucks each too I'm going to give them a try

 

[Staestc]

Picture or link to them?

 

[estricklin]

I took a couple pics while doing some weeding yesterday, geez. Next year I think I'm going to lay down a drop cloth or something.

The cucumbers and okra aren't going to grow too good until it gets really hot.

 

[Staestc]

You must not have rabbits like we do. I'm hoping that having my plant of the ground will keep them from being part of the nightly bunny fiesta here!

 

[Staestc]

I got two Habaneros planted. I have several more plants but ran out of bags. Bought a few to play with, put them on the list when I figured out that's what I wanted to use, wife took them off because she thought I already had them, then I have been to Walmart twice since then, including today, and forgot them each time!View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1463356358.718562.jpg

 

[estricklin]

Oh we have plenty of rabbits here, but my two 90 lb Labs are the gate keepers.