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View Full Version : DIY - Large Self Watering Container


Zeebie
02-14-2016, 09:23 PM
Hey guys.

My banana plants where starting to get a bit to large for their pots, on one occasion during strong wind one plant took a tumble. The ideal solution for me was that i was going to plant them into the ground, however i lost employment and but not knowing if id be staying in my current house or not.

I decided a larger pot would do the trick, only problem is for one of the required size they are $300aud each.. which is well outside my budget and quite insane, so i choose to do an DIY upgrade. This way i could be cheap and i could take them with me, if i need to move in the future.

So i have decided to make a guide on how to do it, if anyone else is looking at moving in that direction.

Making a pot is simple. Self watering, is slightly different. Which i think in order to make one you need to understand that basics of how one works and ill simply explain it below.

Self watering pots, have a reservoir at its base, this is part of the container that holds the water, from there capillary action (Is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity.) This is also known as wicking, and effectively waters the plants the roots upwards.

There is a wicking material between the reservoir and dirt to stop the dirt just filling up the reservoir.

Where to start? You need a container large enough to suit the requirements

I was going to use IBC however cost ruled them out.

I found a local dairy farmer who had an excess of 200lt Plastic drums. They buy acid based cleaner that is water solvent, however their supplier does not take the drums back when empty as it is seen as a disposable product.

I brought the drums for $5 each which is well within my budget.

http://puu.sh/n8hzV/f1551773cb.jpg

Now that i had sourced the containers. Next step was preparing it.

Firstly i used a saw and cut both the lids out of the containers, Then i sanded the rough edges back so they would no longer be a hazard and cut my hands.

I then washed the containers out several times, to make sure there was no longer a trace of cleaner that was stored in there.

http://puu.sh/n8hHG/9514c597e3.jpg

Flipping the containers upside down, and measuring 1,1/2 inch from the bottom, i marked the location for drilling a drainage hole. Reason being we do not want water in the reservoir to become stagnant.

http://puu.sh/n8hLK/3aa690df88.jpg

Using a 20mm hole drill, i drilled the holes into the drums.

http://puu.sh/n8hTN/a0b4186220.jpg

After tidying up the excess flaked plastic around the edge of the hole with a razor blade, i got my an 20mm agricultural connector and cap (cost me $1.50)

http://puu.sh/n8hW1/c112d1b21a.jpg

Threading the connector through the hole, it came in nice and tight.

I then used silicone around the hole, on both the inside and outside of the drum.

http://puu.sh/n8i4D/8dc76354d8.jpg

Once the Silicone was dry, i screwed the cap onto the end.

So the connector does not get clogged and so we don't loose any spacing material to be placed in the reservoir, it needed a filter, so i took a small bit of shade cloth and a cable tie and made a cheap and nasty filter.

http://puu.sh/n8icF/3a40f34309.jpg

The next step, is to repeat the process, expect dont cap, as we are creating an over flow drainage port. As we don't want the soil to get water logged.

http://puu.sh/n8irP/6d39a805d3.jpg

I then went out and got some PVC pipe, 3 meters worth, cut into 2x1m and 2x50cm lenghts, i brought two elbows and four end caps.

Using the pieces i made two L shaped piping. In the short section of the L i drilled small holes every 1inch. all around it.

http://puu.sh/n8iyZ/7cac46b256.jpg
http://puu.sh/n8iIV/2827297a0e.jpg

Using pipe glue and leftover silicon, i stuck the L shape together and the bottom end cap (do not glue the top cap on, We use the PVC pipe to add water to the reservoir, but the top cap is used to stop mosquitoes traveling down and breeding)

I now started to put stones into the bottom of the drum for the resovair and positioned the PCV pipe roughly halfway between the drainage and over flow ports.

I then filled to the height of the drainage port with stones.

http://puu.sh/n8iUh/9037af06d5.jpg

With the reservoir created, it was time to add a wicking material over the stones, to act as a barrier to stop the dirt entering the reservoir. i used shade cloth.

http://puu.sh/n8j4u/b5611d9cc5.jpg

I had some left over top soil, so i filled used a wheel barrow and mixed through some fertilizer for banana plants to make my own blend of soil for the plants.

As my existing pots where only 14inchs deep, i filled the drums with dirt until it was 15~16inches from the top.

With help, i gently laid the plant over and pressed on the edges of the pot till the plant just slid out of the pot with no effort.

http://puu.sh/n8jd3/5bc6128f93.jpg

As you can see the roots where starting to get a little bit bound and grow back up towards the top of the pot.

Carefully i got the plant into its new pot, with someone holding it in the up right position so the plant was not on a lean, i filled the remaining dirt around it and packed a little bit on top of it. I then watered it in.

http://puu.sh/n8jjL/35e758fc59.jpg

I then repeated this process for the second plant

http://puu.sh/n8jq3/4e4634b6a1.jpg


One thing you need to remember about making a self watering pot, is that for the first week or two, you will need to water the plants the traditional way, to keep the top soil wet as the capillary action can take some time to initially work.

This is how i made my new self watering pots :)

Mark Dragt
02-15-2016, 12:26 AM
Thanks for posting the detailed how to. Very cool idea. Please keep us informed on how it works for you.
:woohoonaner:

cincinnana
02-24-2016, 09:29 PM
Just saw this.....

Awesome pics and great concept....

Zeebie
02-24-2016, 10:46 PM
Just saw this.....

Awesome pics and great concept....

I've added two more to my collection since creating the thread. I need to get some more dirt for the 4th pot. So i effectively have three in use atm.

Zeebie
03-14-2016, 07:27 PM
Just wanted to throw an update in here for everyone.

The wicking effect is working wonderful. It is keeping the soil how i want it. Ive had a few weeks of extremely hot weather 38~40c /~100F.

I have found that during the hot weather every 3 days when i top up the reservoir i am adding roughly about 20lt's to each pot.

During winter which is coming up soon, i know the bananas don't like wet feet, so ill be taking the drainage caps off and letting the reservoir empty and that should then dry out the soil. :)