Automatic rain water vegetable garden

[davefrommd]

I just finished planting 18 tomato plants in my automatic rain water garden. I am growing Cherokee Purple, Brandywine Red, Brandywine Pink, and Big Boy, will be planting next cucumbers hooked up to the same automatic rain watering system. I make my own potting mix from peat moss, garden tone organic garden fertilizer, pulverized lime pelleted lime, Epsom salt and last years potting mix, i mix each 5 gallon bucket with these ingredients individually to keep the quality of my potting mix consistent. I have a 60 gallon and a 40 gallon rain water storage tank i am using it for these tomato plants, I will be switching over to my 275 gallon or 330 gallon rain water storage tank once i make sure the adjustable mini float is set right in the 4" x 10' schedule 40 PVC pipe.

 

[LIcenter]

That's interesting. How are the bottom of the buckets modified to draw up the water? Also, do you ever have a problem with the float valve sticking open due to dirt infiltration?

 

[davefrommd]

I drill a 2 7/8" hole with a hole saw then slip in a 3" plastic new cup then cut a piece of a cotton t shirt or rag around 8" X 8" and stuff it on the inside of the net cup to keep the potting mix inside the bucket. I am beginning to have algae problems with the lighter orange color, I would use a darker color next time. no problem with mini float sticking, i use a pressure washer water filter connected directly to the rain water tank. the oval opening above the mini float is covered with a slightly rounded square piece of copper about 6" x 8" square

 

[DirtMechanic]

That is a neat setup! Does the lower ph rainwater eat or corrode the metal bits over time?

 

[davefrommd]

I don't do any soil testing and don't seem to have any corrosion problems, One problem i have encountered is the orange 5 gallon buckets seem to turn yellow as they get older and are causing an algae problem. If i had to do it again i would have bought the darker blue buckets, i may paint the lighter yellow colored buckets a dark color to keep out sunlight. picture is how the tomato plants grow.

 

[LIcenter]

I'm really finding this thread fascinating. Thanks for the tour davefrommd.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I don't do any soil testing and don't seem to have any corrosion problems, One problem i have encountered is the orange 5 gallon buckets seem to turn yellow as they get older and are causing an algae problem. If i had to do it again i would have bought the darker blue buckets, i may paint the lighter yellow colored buckets a dark color to keep out sunlight. picture is how the tomato plants grow.

Haha No sense testing soil if you are not planting in it! The buckets are fading because UV light. Its electrical phase is opposite to the charges that hold polymers together. UV inhibiting boat/marinewax would help and hold up to the elements pretty well.

Here the temperature difference between a light white color and a dark color in the sun can be 50 degrees. Would the heat impact the roots if you went darker?

 

[davefrommd]

With the orange color getting lighter i am noticing an algae problem, i will be painting those yellow buckets a dark color which should stop the algae. I'm not sure on the dark color and temperature changes, all i know is no sun light should shine through the bucket.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Aluminum paint might be the thing. Heat rejective opacity. A primer like " plastic magic" will help keep your paint on.