How to Plant a 24" ePlanter CONVERSION SYSTEM 101

Welcome to my step-by-step PICTORIAL instructions on how to plant a 24" Sam's Club/Costco ePlanter conversion system.

This message was edited May 5, 2010 11:47 PM

Step #1

Secure your components:
24" or larger planter (with the drain plug installed to hold water in)
a plastic colander to fit your ePlanter
a 22-24" length of PVC pipe (longer is better -- when the greenery gets bushy you can still find it!)
a sturdy plastic straw to aid in overflow drainage (McDonald's malt straws are the best!)



This message was edited May 5, 2010 11:50 PM

Step #1 view #2

Another view of the components in place from above.

Step #2

Pack potting mix tightly around sides of colander, under and over the drainage straw, and behind the fill tube. Pack tightly just to immediately over the top of the colander.

Step #3

Bring potting mix over top of colander and fill ePlanter 1/4 full. Pat mix down gently. Use garden hose sprinkler to water in well until run-off occurs.

Step #3 continued

Overflow is established and system is tested.

Step #4

Fill ePlanter to halfway. Pat potting mix down gently and water in well again.

Step #4 continued

Overflow system working very well. No obstructions!

If water only spurts or gurgles out, grip straw firmly and push in and out of drain hole a few times (carefully) until a continuous flow is established. Be careful not to push straw all the way in or pull it all the way out! If straw ever plugs up, run a wire hanger through to remove debris and re-establish flow.


This message was edited May 6, 2010 1:15 AM

Step #5

To the final 1/4 of your potting mix add your amendments and mix in well:

FOR TOMATOES, add 2 cups pelleted Dolomitic lime

FOR BRASSICAS, mix in 2 Tbsps. Bloodmeal (Nitrogen), aged compost, and/or decomp leaves. Cabbages, broccolis, cauliflowers, squash, cukes, and kohlrabis love growing in organic mediums.

Step #6

Fill ePlanter to top with final 1/4 of amended mix, set plant, and water in well one final time, until run-off is established.

After watering in, pour 2 cups of balanced fertilizer in a 2" ring around your ePlanter, as far away from new roots as possible. Recommended fertilizers for eBuckets/ePlanters will have any combination of numbers between 10 and 15, e.g., 10-10-10, 13-13-13, 10-12-15, etc.

Sprinkle top gently with garden hose so as to moisten (but not disturb) the fertilizer ring (run-off has already been established).

Position trellis and/or plant stake.

NOTES:
1. eBuckets/ePlanters are generally covered to prevent rainwater/hosing from washing away topsoil. Also, covering keeps the soil warmer and keeps water from splashing up on plants. If using the a lid (for 5-gallon buckets), cut holes for fill tube and plant using hole bits. You may cover a planter with a square of dark plastic cut to fit. Use duct tape or a bungee cord to secure plastic cover to planter. Cut "x" slits in the plastic for the fill tube and seedling to fit through.

2. eBuckets/ePlanters will be a bit heavy after being filled with wet potting mix and the water in the reservoir. It is advisable to situate buckets/planters in their intended final location before planting. Or, have a plant dolly on hand!

Hope these pictorials are helpful to you.

This message was edited May 6, 2010 12:07 AM

All done!

Well done! I bought 20 of these at Sam's last year at the end of the season for $4.88 each and have been experimenting with them myself. When I made my buckets, I had holes in the bottom of the colander for air. Thanks for sharing. Kelly

wow.

I wonder how a dwarf citrus or avocado would do in one? But they like to dry out, so maybe not.

Would be great for planting melons and pumpkins though.

I would love to do some in those pots! I have two that I got at Costco last spring, but can't find anything like that now. I have tried Costco, H.D., Lowes (they had something similar for $39. 99), Big Lots, and Tuesday Morning. I also look at the local nurseries, and at Mainly Seconds, but to no avail. Any body have a source?
The buckets work ok, but they don't look too well on the patio. I ended up setting the buckets in some cheap plastic pots and covering them with coco matting, but I would like to find something a bit larger than 5 gal. for my tomatoes.

The cheapest I've seen 24" containers was $19.99 at Walmart a few months ago. Now they're back up to the normal price $24.99-$29.99 :( Can't imagine getting them for $4.88 each. I would have bought 20 of them as well.

They would definitely be great for tomatoes.

Ray: I planted a dwarf meyer lemon and a dwarf banana and a dwarf key lime in huge nursery pots, they are about 15 lb pots. I wished I could figure out how to make self watering out of them!
joy

Ray: I've been contemplating trying raspberries, blueberries and grapes next Spring/Summer myself and you have a point there, just need to put a trellis up right beside them hey? LOL
joy

bump!

Hi all,

I am new to gardening, and soaking in everything I can. I am really into Hibiscus. So, what is this contraption for exactly. I found your thread on the hibiscus site. Someone was asking about a better way to root cuttings, and another suggested this thread for eplanters. What does the tube do? And the collinder? I don't mean to sound dense, just need to learn is all.

Thanks,
~Kristen

Not dense at all, Kristen.

A self-watering container is one with a built in water reservoir in the bottom. Your plants will wick the water up from the reservoir as they need/want to, so no chance of over or under-watering at any time.

The tube runs down through the potting MIX (never use garden soil or potting soil in a container -- it'll compact harder than concrete...) and thru the colander and down into where the water sits. You fill the reservoir thru this tube until the water reaches the level of that straw, and flows out, letting you know the reservoir is filled to the proper level.

The part of your potting MIX that is packed down around the sides of the colander is in constant contact with the water. This MIX acts like a sponge, wicking the water up toward the top. The part of your potting MIX that is sitting on top of the colander will remain fresh and aerated (oxygen is important to the plant's root system), and will only become as wet as the plant wants when it draws the water upward. You actually end up watering far less to keep the reservoir filled, which is a great help in the garden!

Visualize the old kerosene lamps, and how the wick soaked up the kerosene in the bottom of the lamp. As the kerosene burns off at the top when the lamp is lit, more kerosene is wicked up to fuel the light, until the lamp runs dry. Then you have to add more kerosene.

Same concept with the eBuckets! The plant draws the water up thru the soil and drinks at will. In this case, however, you don't ever want your reservoir to go bone dry, because the wicking action will be broken. In that (rare) case, you'd need to water from the top of the potting mix, until the water runs down thru the soilbed and establishes the capillary (wicking) action with the damp soil packed around the colander.

And, there you have it!

And, thanks for reminding me about a hibiscus. It would actually grow beautifully in a 24" ePlanter because they drink a LOT! Watering them every day can become painful! I'm gonna go get me a new tropical hibiscus and outfit another large ePlanter!

Hugs!

Hope this was helpful. Ask away if you have any more questions.

Linda

Thanks, I am like a sponge since I signed up to Dave's. Im learning a ton. Thanks a bunch. There is so much about this site that I need to learn though. Like (stickies?)

I found a site where you can make your own stickies with yellow constuction paper and this glue stuff and paperclips. Haven't tried it yet; but will later on.
joy

blupit007, were you refering to the yellow sticky traps for flying insects, or the "stickys" at the top of some forums?

Like I said, DUH, you were probably talking about the stickies at the top of the forums???? I was talking about the stickies for catching aphids and such. LOL I had a few tomato sandwiches this afternoon, as I had 4 ripe early girl tomatoes.
joy

I was refering to the ones after some comments. but the other stickies are great too! would love to hear how to get rid of the bugs as well. but what does it mean when someone writes about something and then there is (stickies) after it?

That, I couldn't tell you.
joy

I believe that means that the information is in the stickys at the top of the page

might be a summer project---thanks for posting--

Hi,

Does the tube go into the colander and the straw into the side of the colander and out of the pot? Do you use a regular straw?

maureen

Yes, Maureen.

You're drilling one hole in the top of the colander for that tube, just like you see it. And then you drill a hole for the straw in the side of the colander. You drill a correspondening hole in the planter so the straw will fit parallel to the ground, just below the top of the colander. I've tested many, many straws, and the McDonald's malt straws are, by far, the biggest and sturdiest around. Start collecting them.

I usually buy a soda or SOMETHING, and ask for a couple of malt straws. They usually give me two at a time.

Ok brainstormers: I need an invention of a 10 gallon self watering container, get with it, need the layouts now. LOL
joy

Joy, are you talking about a round or rectangular system. Either one uses exactly the same principles of construction. I was using the storage box system (10 gallons or larger) for several years before the bucket; the eBucket system came about as a scaled down version of that.

Gym girl this is a fantastic explanation for converting a decorative container; I was able to get 5 similar planters for $5 at a pottery shop closeout (reg price $20). I had thought of the citrus tree route and would be interested in seeing what others have done with trees.

BTW, our little idea just celebrated its FIRST BIRTHDAY (July 9, 2009 the idea was born). I am still in awe of the way it has spread!! Even in an extremely hot, dry summer, with neglect, it has proven it can do the job!!

http://mckarion.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/frugal-gardener-drought-takes-its-toll/

gessieviolet: Yepper, I'm thinking dwarf trees here myself and in self watering containers large enough to accomodate them, now if I can just get my grandson to think dwarf I'll be alright, he keeps on talking about that dragon fruit plant, eeks, that thing is huge. I'm still thinking that one over. LOL
joy

Let me see if I can help you decide about the Dragon fruit Joy. I see alot of them around here as I drive down the street. They support them with 2"x 4" frames and they train them at about 7' . Mine got too heavy for the hanging basket, so when the hanger broke, I just set it on the ground and forgot it. Now it has climbed the 9' block wall, and gone over the top, looking for more sun. It has some wicked thorns too!
I don't think you could ever grow one to fruiting size in your climate, let alone in a container. I'm relatively certain they won't take freezing temps.

OCCarol: I think you might be right as I was reading that they don't flourish and below 50 degrees could do some real damage to them; so, would have to have their own heating system, ie, cover and heat for sure, as they would be too big to bring into the house, let alone left in a container to do so. My daughter grumbles enough at me when I start my seedlings in the house and the seed starting mats and lights go up. LOL The very reason I resorted to doing my seed starting in coconut coir pellets, not messy at all.
joy

Hi Gymgirl, I love the one box idea, but have one question.
The Ebox idea has room for air above the wicking area for oxygen to the root system.
Do you think without this space, the roots will get enough oxygen?

Regards Tinki

Tinki,
Your drain hole is below the bottom of the potting mix, creating a space.

You could cut a length of pvc pipe and drill some holes thru it. Then, run it horizontally thru the potting mix higher up. You'll need to drill two additional holes in the sides of your container to run your aeration tube thru. Trim the ends off or not... This should give you all the oxygen you want/need.

Linda

Gymgirl, the penny just dropped, there is space in the colander above the drain pipe. Thank you
Tinki