self watering vertical garden with recycled water

http://www.instructables.com/id/Self-watering-vertical-garden-with-recycled-water-/

Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop

Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottlesby tiero on June 10, 2013

Table of Contents

Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: 3d project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Planter design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 4: Watering system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 5: Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Step 6: Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19


Intro: Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottlesHere how i made my vertical vegetable garden, starting from used big water bottles as planters. An automatic watering system keep the right moisture, collecting water inexcess, using power from pv panels and a little wind turbine (vawt)

Step 1: 3d projectThe green wall is composed by 72 water bottles cut and placed upside-down on a wooden shelf.Two independent water reservoir are present: the main is placed on the side of the building and composed by eight 200 liters barrels linked together, for collecting rainwater. The second one is composed by three plastic "new jersey" street barriers, that can contain 80 - 100 liters each, placed under the shelf.The circulating system is composed by two 12v pumps, powered by a hybrid power system, a vawt turbine in conjunction with two 10w pv panels.Energy is stored in a 12v car battery via charge controller and a timer regulate the watering cycle (at this moment the set up is 1 min at 7 am and 1 minute at 7 pm.Water is pumped from second reservoir to the top of the shelf, into a PVC pipe ( Dia 4 cm) where i drilled eighteen 3 mm holes (one for each planter of the first row). Aftermoisten the first row, water go down to the rows below until go back to the starting tank.With hand activated valve i can refill the second reservoir with rain water from blue barrels.

Image Notes1. hybrid green power system2. hybrid green power system3. Rain barrels4. Plastic "new jersey" street barriers5. water bottle planters


Step 2: Planter designLast year I obtained from my friend Ricky a hundred of 18l PET bottles round and square shaped, ideal for my project.The prototype of planter was a cut bottle filled with 1/3 of expanded clay and 2/3 of soil. To prevent the mixing of the clay, i decided to use felt bags sew from a matbought on the internet. This solution create an air gap between the internal wall of the bottle and the soil, adding some aeration to the system. This bag are reusable andpermit to remix the soil after harvest.To obtain a little reserve or water in the planter i used a piece of pvc pipe ( 4 cm dia) sealed inside the bottle neck with rubber bands, but after some try i discover a betterway to do the job, using the plastic cap of the bottle and a piece of hose.To protect the PET bottle and roots from direct sun, i cut a juta net, found on ebay for few euros. This natural material give the bottle a rural/vintage look. To hold the mat iused a juta cord.

Image Notes1. A gift from my friend : 100 18lt plastic water bottles with caps

Image Notes1. cut plastic bottle2. felt bags3. felt bag4. rubber bands5. bottle cap with water hose

Image Notes1. six holes each wood plank72 total2. six holes each wood plank72 total3. Hole to hold the bottle


6. juta cord spool7. cut of pvc pipe8. juta net

Image Notes1. Bottle leans on the neck collar


Image Notes1. plastic cap with cut of water hose2. Planter water reservoir.Size can be adjusted moving up or down the hose

Image Notes1. water reserve filled with expanded clay aggregate

Image Notes1. juta net envelope protect plastic bottle and roots to direct sunlight


Image Notes1. Expanded clay aggregate in the bottom2. felt bag to prevent the mixing of the soil and expanded clay

Image Notes1. this piece of pipe prevent clay pebbles go down when the cap is removed


Step 3: FrameThe shelf is build in cheap pine wood, 12 plank 200x35x5 cm and 4 timbers 10x10 cm, 300 height.

Image Notes1. screwed wood blocks


Image Notes1. this 1 cm iron rod 1m height is for anchor a net for the climbing plants(tomatoes, peas, beans)2. plastic cap to protect the head of the timber

Image Notes1. screwed wood block


Step 4: Watering systemtwo cheap 12vdc pumps are set to lift water from the "new jersey" one minute at 7 am e one at 7 pm, enough to keep the right moisture of the planters.

Image Notes1. buil in hole with cap2. strong plastic street barrier

http://www.instructables.com/id/Self-watering-vertical-garden-with-recycled-water-/Image Notes Image Notes


1. pipe fittings2. cap drilled

1. i put this pvc pipe under the lower shelf to recover the water in excess andtransport it into the tanks2. tee and ground pipe fixed3. elbow4. elbow

Image Notes1. outlet water hose2. outlet hole3. rubber grommet

Image Notes1. outlet pipe in place

Image Notes1. two 12 volt water pumps 9 euro each from ebay


Image Notes1. drilling hole for pumps


Image Notes1. inlet hoses from the pumps2. 3 mm hole

Image Notes1. circulating test: everything works fine.2. circulating test: everything works fine.

Step 5: Power


Image Notes1. pvc pipe 4 cm dia2. glue3. alluminium rod, 1 m and 1,7 cm dia4. plexiglass laser cut plate

5. plexiglass laser cut plate

Image Notes1. scaffold foot2. scaffold pipe3. brushless 12 vdc alternator, max 50w4. pv panel, 10w5. pv panel, 10w


Image Notes1. poliurethane foam to seal the shingle hole

Image Notes1. charge regulator2. 12 vdc timer3. 3 phase rectifier4. wire from turbine and pv panels5. wire to the pumps

Step 6: Vegetables

Image Notes1. strawberry2. hose from rain barrels


Image Notes1. mixed lattuce

Image Notes1. white rapanello


Image Notes1. purple beans

Image Notes1. peas


Image Notes1. tomatoes and chili peppers2. beans and peas

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self watering vertical garden with recycled water

Documents

rain water

water inexcess

water bottle plantershttp

planter i

big water bottles

recycled water bottleshere

independent water reservoir

cut bottle