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Easy container mix for peppers – 2021 recipe. This is what I’m using with my drip system pepper and tomato plants for the 2021 growing season.
The base container mix is composed of:
1 x 2.8 cu-ft bag of well-draining commercial potting mix (I used Sungrow commercial potting mix, aka Fafard 3b)
1 x 1 cu-ft bag of compost manure (I used Black Kow) – This provides a small amount of fertilizer, mostly Nitrogen, to help the plant along until the slow-release kicks in.
About a large colander full of extra perlite – This offsets the added density from adding the compost manure.
After adding to the 5 gal bucket, I add:
1 x 1/2 cup of bonemeal
5 x Tbsp of Osmocote 14-14-14 (or slow-release macronutrient of choice)
5 x tsp of Essential Minor Elements (or micronutrient of choice)
I install the plant, water it in, and set it up on my drip system. The drip system runs for 15 minutes, twice a day. Each 5-gal container has 2 x 1/2 gal/hour emitters.
Also, these links will provide information, but you might want to source them locally. The cost of Amazon is a lot higher. They are probably factoring in shipping costs.
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This year I’ve transplanted most of my sprouts from the AeroGarden Bounty and my DIY system, into Styrofoam wicking cups. These are super easy and quick to make. They are nice intermediate vessels for the plants until being moved to their final location. These setups also provide more flexibility than standard double cups do. For instance, you could remove them from the bottom cup and set in something larger for the plant/s to drink from.
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Aphids on plant
Pyrethrin is my preferred method of aphid control, especially with severe infestations. I use the Bonide brand of pyrethrin concentrate. It’s important to mix it fresh when you need it, as the pyrethrin breaks down relatively quickly after mixing.
This is an update on my two White Devil’s Tails each growing in a different type of wicking system. One is in an EarthBox style self watering container, when the potting mix is the wick. It is a 5 gallon bucket within a bucket. The bottom one contains the reservoir. The second one is one five gallon bucket with a 6 inch net pot bucket lid containing the plant and a wick that hangs down into the bucket. The overflow hole is set about 1 – 1/12 inches below the bottom of the net pot. You can see the original video where I set this up here.
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Introduction
I started out with a Drip Depot irrigation kit that was closest to what I needed, and added what I thought I might need as far as extra tubing, connectors, etc… I chose to do two main rows that support pairs every 36 inches. I suggest sketching out what you think might work best for your area, given the space and number of plants and go from there. I recommend taping over the ends of any exposed tubing until it is ready to connect. This will help prevent dirt from getting in the line, which could clog the emitters.
Parts Needed
Timer
Back flow preventer/vacuum breaker
filter
Pressure reducer
tubing, connectors and emitters
My main line is 1/2 inch tubing, connected with perma-loc fittings, and 1/4 inch tubing connects that to the drip emitters, which feed and water the plant. The connections between the 1/4 inch and 1/4 inch lines are made with barbed 1/4 inch fittings.
I am trying a fert injector for the first time this year, but they are not necessary to get started. If you don’t use one, you’ll need some kind of slow release fertilizer mixed into your potting medium. This way, every time they are watered, they are fed too. Previously I have used 14-14-14 Osmocote. This year I am feeding Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 using the fert injector.
Process
Starting at the spigot, I recommend a Y-valve with individual shut-offs so that you can attach and use a watering hose independently of your drip system.
I recommend using a timer to turn the water on and off each day. This would be the first part to connect to the spigot, or Y-adapter. After that you need a filter, following by a pressure reducer/regulator. The 1/2 inch line connects to the pressure reducer. I use a perma-loc fitting for this. I branched my main line off into two lines using a t-fitting and and elbow fitting, both perma-loc.
To keep the 1/4″ attachments consistent, I found the side of the 1/2″ tubing where there is printing and orientated that to the top. I rolled out the amount of tubing I needed for each line. I used perma-loc ends to terminate the 1/2″ lines.
I measured points every 36 inches and placed a piece of masking tape at each one. Using a 1/4 inch punch tool, I made a hole at each 36″ interval and installed a 1/4″ barbed tee.
On each side of the tee, I added a 24″ piece of 1/4″ tubing, at the end of which I added another 1/4″ barbed tee. From that end I added two 12″ pieces of 1/4″ tubing and installed a drip emitter on each one. This design provides two drip emitters per plant. It gives better coverage, and some redundancy in case one gets clogged. It is easier to pre-assemble the parts that will connect to the initial 1/4″ barbed tee.
Conclusion
Once all of the connections are made you can turn on the system and make sure there are no leaks, and the drip emitters are functioning properly.
Video
Part 1
Part 2
Video Transcript
Part 1
0:00:00.000,0:00:02.260
Hi this is Peter Stanley, welcome to my channel
0:00:02.260,0:00:03.960
today I want to talk about drip irrigation
0:00:03.960,0:00:06.460
and the components of a basic drip system
0:00:06.460,0:00:10.880
and then I want to give you some tips and strategy for designing your own
0:00:12.000,0:00:13.360
and lastly I’ll show
0:00:13.360,0:00:14.880
my drip system as an example
0:00:14.880,0:00:16.700
at the very basic level you need
0:00:16.840,0:00:18.040
your water source
0:00:18.320,0:00:19.440
usually a spigot
0:00:19.440,0:00:19.960
or something
0:00:19.960,0:00:21.480
and then attached to that
0:00:21.800,0:00:23.400
optionally a timer, but
0:00:23.400,0:00:24.500
I recommended it
0:00:24.500,0:00:25.840
this automates your system
0:00:26.640,0:00:28.240
which is the whole point
0:00:28.240,0:00:31.400
after that you would have a, it’s very important to have a back flow preventer
0:00:32.060,0:00:33.260
or vaccum breaker
0:00:37.020,0:00:37.820
and a filter
0:00:37.820,0:00:41.660
keeps stuff from getting into your drip lines, clogging them up
0:00:41.880,0:00:44.120
and after that a pressure reducer
0:00:44.120,0:00:45.120
pressure regulator
0:00:45.460,0:00:48.020
this keeps from hammering your system
0:00:48.020,0:00:49.160
and then you would have a
0:00:49.860,0:00:50.740
mainline and
0:00:50.740,0:00:53.140
usually some kind of connector to connect
0:00:53.140,0:00:55.340
the two, I use the perma-loc fittings
0:00:56.760,0:00:58.200
doesn’t have to be but
0:00:58.200,0:01:01.320
and then your main line it’s typically a 1/2″ line
0:01:02.260,0:01:04.740
connect and then go out to your plants
0:01:04.940,0:01:07.180
and then end would be a terminator
0:01:07.180,0:01:08.760
it could be like another perma-loc fitting
0:01:08.760,0:01:10.760
and to connect your main line to your plants
0:01:11.620,0:01:14.020
typically you would use 1/4″ tubing
0:01:14.480,0:01:15.920
you could do one or two
0:01:16.200,0:01:17.880
and attached to the end of
0:01:18.660,0:01:20.740
the 1/4″ line are drip emitters
0:01:20.740,0:01:22.980
and that’s what waters your plant
0:01:22.980,0:01:24.360
so like if you had a container
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plant, this could stake down next to your plant
0:01:29.140,0:01:29.940
and water it
0:01:29.940,0:01:31.400
and typically the emitters
0:01:31.420,0:01:32.780
are different rates
0:01:32.780,0:01:34.380
different kinds really
0:01:34.460,0:01:35.820
pressure sensitive
0:01:35.820,0:01:37.700
emitters are typically 1/2 gallon
0:01:38.920,0:01:39.480
per hour
0:01:39.680,0:01:40.400
or 1 gallon
0:01:41.380,0:01:41.940
per hour
0:01:43.660,0:01:44.780
2 gallon per hour
0:01:44.780,0:01:46.180
I use the 1/2 gallon per hour
0:01:46.180,0:01:49.200
you could use the faster rate, you would just run them for less time
0:01:49.900,0:01:51.020
to connect to the
0:01:52.940,0:01:54.060
1/2″ to 1/4″ line
0:01:54.060,0:01:55.700
I use the barbed connectors
0:01:55.700,0:01:57.600
and if you just wanted to do a single connector
0:01:57.600,0:01:59.800
you would just use like a straight
0:02:00.020,0:02:01.460
and this will give you
0:02:01.460,0:02:03.360
zoomed in look at the main line
0:02:04.160,0:02:05.440
and also would use a
0:02:05.440,0:02:07.100
a tool to punch a hole in the main line
0:02:07.100,0:02:08.360
and then your connector
0:02:09.240,0:02:11.160
one end would go into the hole
0:02:11.160,0:02:13.460
and the other end would attach to your 1/4″ line
0:02:14.080,0:02:15.840
you could do a, I use the tee
0:02:15.940,0:02:16.740
connectors
0:02:16.740,0:02:17.980
and that allows you to run
0:02:17.980,0:02:20.800
two lines and it kind of gives you a way to do pairs
0:02:23.500,0:02:25.260
so with that you would have
0:02:25.900,0:02:27.660
they kind of look like that
0:02:27.660,0:02:29.380
so the bottom would attach here
0:02:30.660,0:02:31.300
each line
0:02:31.560,0:02:33.960
each end would connect to a 1/4″ line
0:02:34.940,0:02:35.980
and what I do now
0:02:37.100,0:02:38.300
is actually on the
0:02:38.300,0:02:40.260
end instead of one emitter I do two
0:02:40.260,0:02:42.440
so I’d add an additional tee connector there
0:02:43.880,0:02:46.600
smaller 1/4″ lines and then two emitters
0:02:47.460,0:02:49.540
gives a little better coverage
0:02:49.540,0:02:51.600
and it adds some redundancy as well
0:02:52.360,0:02:53.800
so things to consider
0:02:53.800,0:02:55.320
when you’re designing your own
0:02:55.840,0:02:57.120
your growing space
0:02:59.620,0:03:00.980
the number of plants
0:03:04.700,0:03:05.660
type of plants
0:03:08.360,0:03:09.480
spacing which is
0:03:09.760,0:03:11.280
determined by the type
0:03:11.280,0:03:13.860
how much room to give between your plants
0:03:14.640,0:03:15.680
and your budget
0:03:16.200,0:03:18.520
so taking that into consideration
0:03:18.600,0:03:22.040
I would first sketch out your system first, on paper
0:03:24.180,0:03:26.500
and then price out all of your parts
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You can cut your costs in half for AeroGarden sponges by buying the 60 cell size Bio Dome refill sponges from Park Seed. You can buy the Park Seed sponges directly from Park Seed of course, but Amazon also sells them. The Amazon price is usually a little higher, but the shipping costs at Park Seed might offset the difference. Sometimes they offer free shipping, or other specials. I’m not an affiliate of Park Seed, but you can sign up for their newsletter learn of specials they have. The AeroGarden sponges can be found at the AeroGarden website and Amazon. All things considered, the biodome sponges are roughly about half the cost, and work just as well. Honestly I like using them better.
There are some slight differences. The AeroGarden type are round and denser. The Park Seed version’s sides are squared off, and less dense/more spongy. They are about the same length.
The biodome sponges fit in the white AeroGarden baskets just fine. You might have to pull it down from the bottom to snug it in. The biodome sponges also seem to work better in the AeroGarden seed starting decks. Once they become wet, they expand and fill the hole better than the AeroGarden sponges.
The other day I showed a wick system design using a 5 gallon bucket, and wick attached to a 6 inch net pot. To test the effectiveness I need a control setup to compare against. For this I’ll use a 5 gallon self-watering container. This is a known and tested design used by many growers. It is essentially another version of wick system, but the potting mix is part of the wicking mechanism.
Control System
The control system is made from two 5 gallon buckets, one nested in the other. The internal one has 1/4″ holes drilled in the bottom to form an aeration screen, and a 3 inch hole in the center for a three inch net pot. Potting mix is filled down into the net pot and the rest of the internal bucket which contains the plant. The bottom bucket has a 1/4″ overflow hole that is placed 1/2 – 3/4 inch below the bottom of the internal bucket to prevent nutrient solution from touching the bottom. This is a proven design similar to commercial Earth box systems.
Comparison
The principles of both designs are the same, just the method of wicking are different. I will setup the traditionally wick system with another White Devil’s Tail, which is the same age as the one in the other system. Both will be fed the same hydroponic nutrients. Both with receive the same amount and type of lighting. They will initially be inside under a 400 watt CMH light, and will go outside later.
Conclusion
If the new version works the same or better, I will use it for future self-watering setups. The advantages are having a much larger reservoir, and requiring less potting medium. Also only one bucket is needed instead of two. Overall the net pot wick system would be less expensive to setup than the traditional self-watering container.
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Introduction
This is a very small scale version of other self-watering wick systems similar to Earth Boxes. This tiny very I will describe uses the exact same principles as the EarthBox, and can be easily scaled up. It is very easy and inexpensive to make. You can use mostly (or entirely if you get creative) recycled materials. The system in my example here is ideal for plants ranging from spouts or seedlings up to small plants that will fit in a 20 ounce cup (for this example). The plant and supporting medium (potting mix, coco fiber, etc…) will sit at top of the cup inside a 3 inch net pot. A strip of wicking material will touch the supporting medium and affix to the bottom of the net pot. It will hang down and wick nutrient solution up from the bottom to the plant. The plant will draw water/nutrients as it needs. Once it is setup, the grower will need to fill the reservoir as needed.
Potting mix (or similar) enough to fill the net pot and upper part of the Styrofoam cup
A 1/4″ – 1/2″ wide strip of wicking cloth a little less than the length of one of the cups. Strips of microfiber cloth worth really well. Just test a piece first by holding the end in some water and see if it wicks up to the top.
Knife
Nutrient solution – Mix to a strength appropriate for the plant. To start with, use something no stronger that what the plant was in previously.
Steps
Cut the inside bottom out of one of the Styrofoam cups.
Tie one end of the wick cloth to the bottom of the net pot, making sure some of the cloth is exposed to the inside of the net pot.
Push the net pot down into the top of the cup that you cut the bottom out of.
Determine the distance from the bottom of the net pot and bottom of the Styrofoam cup that it is in. Then add to it the offset between the bottom of the two cups when one is placed inside the other.
Make a mark of the combined lengths on the outside cup (one that doesn’t have the bottom cut out) from the bottom. Then make a mark below that about 1/2″. This second line (lowest one) is your max fill line. This will allow an air gap between the bottom of the net pot and the top of the nutrient solution. If the nutrient solution is too high and touches the net pot, the plant will drown.
Transplant your seedling or small plant into the top of the inside cup and make sure to water it in.
Fill the bottom cup with nutrient solution up to the max fill line determined above.
Place the cup that contains the plant and wick into the cup that has the nutrient solution, making sure the wick hangs down into the solution.
Place the plant under a grow light.
Follow-up
Periodically lift the inside cup out and check the nutrient level, adding more as needed. As the plant grows it will consume at a faster rate, so you’ll need to check and fill more frequently. You could optionally place the inside cup or cups into a tray and fill up to the max fill line. You’ll just need to make a few small holes in the bottom of the plant cup up to the fill line so that nutrient solution that’s in the tray can enter. If you use this method you won’t need the bottom cup.
Alternatives
As soon in my video, you can use other materials to craft small self-watering wick systems. One example is a large 32 ounce cup with holes make in the lower portion and wick attached. This is placed in a 20 ounce up, and it leaves plenty of room for nutrients. Another example is a plastic ocean spray bottle cut in half with holes drilled in the nozzle end and in the cap. Wick is tied through the cap and this is inverted into the lower part of the bottle. The point is you can be creative and use what you already have if you don’t have the exact materials mentioned above. All of these examples make excellent and effective wicking systems.
