I wasn't sure if this idea would even work. I just kinda did it. But I'm so glad I did! First I would like to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE this for my container garden! I would do it again and again!
I hate this term "self-watering" because it implies that you never have to do anything. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I prefer to view it more of a root hydration system that a watering system. And it's not foolproof by any means. If the bottle were to get too full then you could drown your plants.
It has worked marvelously for me this year so far, and I would love to share it with you! It's so simple to do and it's inexpensive! It's early enough in the season that you could pick up some young tomato plants for a few dollars and pot a couple. You could get pounds and pounds of tomatoes all season long for just a few dollars investment!
You can get the bucket from Firehouse Subs for $2 with a lid, food grade. Or just a good ol paint bucket from lowes for around $3. The soil I used cost $1.50. It takes about 1/2 a cubic foot of soil to fill a bucket. I used the kind for gardens with fertilizer mixed in that's $3 per cubic foot. Then you need a knife, a 2 liter plastic bottle, and your seedlings. If you choose to purchase seedlings then it might cost you a few bucks, if you choose to grow them it might cost you a pack of seeds. All in all, you're looking at around 5 bucks max initial investment give or take. Next year even less because you'll already have your bucket.
You can grow 5 pea plants, 4 bean plants, or 2 tomato plants in them (I believe) spaced properly. They seem to be coming up well for me that way anyway so far. I will certainly keep you guys posted on it.
Start with your plastic bottle. Carefully punch 4-6 slits in the bottle I usually punch 2 near the neck, 2 near the middle, and 2 near the bottom. This just allows any water that you fill into the bottle to seep out into the roots.
Once your bottle is sufficiently holey you'll place it in the 5 gallon bucket with the lid still on (so as to not fill the bottle with dirt)
Fill all around the bottle, trying to keep the bottle in the middle. Fill all the way to the top, some dirt will settle in the coming days.
Once the dirt is all in, remove the lid.
You can now plant your plants. In this example, I am planting tomato. I will plant one plant on either side of the protruding lip of the bottle equidistant from the bucket's edge.
I got these droopy tomatoes from a local farmer. I put the little stake in indicating which type of tomato is planted there. And in just under a week...look at the transformation!!!!
NOT SO DROOPY ANYMORE ARE WE????
As with any plants you will want to steak them and support them as they grow. I plan to do mine with wooden dowels and twine.
I have successfully done this with Peas, Tomatoes, and Beans so far.
You can see where I used my K cups to start this one. I wrote a blog on that, in case you didn't see it.
I use the K cups to cover the top of the 2 liter bottle because it's easy to remove, identifies the plant, and keeps rainwater from overfilling it!
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