How to make a self-watering container for growing peppers - DIY step by step guide

How to make a self-watering container for growing peppers - DIY step by step guide
In this video, I show step by step, how to build a self-watering container. These are also known as sub-irrigated planters. The bucket-in-bucket setup is a very common self-watering container design. They work similarly to the Earth Box and the GroBucket. The GroBucket is actually a lot easier and quicker to build. A lot of folks have asked for the video. I'm doing a comparison now between the DIY self-watering container, and the GroBucket, each growing Olive Rocoto peppers. I make these for growing pepper plants, but you could really grow anything in them.
Materials needed: (as an Amazon affiliate I earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through the following links)
- 2 x 5-gallon buckets - amzn.to/3fBJqDz
- Drill - amzn.to/344EOR0
- 3-inch hole saw - amzn.to/3vgLw2b
- 1 1/4 inch hold saw - amzn.to/3hMNOCs
- 5/16 inch drill bit - amzn.to/3fcilaZ
- 2 x 3-inch net cups - amzn.to/3fDuULw
- Zip ties - amzn.to/2Sl3IZL
- 3 feet of 1-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe - amzn.to/348boRT
or you could just make a GroBucket (I am not sponsored by or affiliated with GroTech)
GroBucket kit (requires a 5-gallon bucket, drill, and a 5/16 inch drill bit) - amzn.to/3wqiltJ
My GroBucket setup video - • GroBucket self-waterin...
Watch Khang Starr's video on this same type of self-watering container / sub-irrigated planter build - • How to Make a Self-Wat...

[@philipsteele1277]

Very nice set up Peter. It does save , a little money. Some people appreciate things they make their self more than buying it.

[@pepperdactyl]

I felt really good about making my first one, but that faded later after around the eighth build.

[@barryelizando4597]

I followed your previous video on this and love my self watering buckets. I do like the idea of buying the ones already done. Its a pain clearing all the holes from plastic shreds stuck to the holes. Nice more in detail video Peter.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks, Barry!

[@abdallaakoud1166]

Excellent and elaborate. I shall share this with my local farming group. Thanks Peter for this very educational video.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks!

[@MattGarver]

Great how to build a SWC video, I like your comment about the cost of growbuckets and simpler approach. Since the growbucket is specific to buckets, I can see your information being very helpful to using totes and other containers for SWC purposes. Thanks for your source on black buckets!

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks, Matt. I hope the black buckets become available again. I'm running low. I punched holes in a bunch of mine for outdoor growing containers, thinking I could always get more later. They are great for hydroponics, totally block light.

[@livinglifeonlifesterms2450]

Thanks Peter! I ordered 3 GroBuckets from your previous video. Looking forward to putting extra peppers in them. Take care

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks, for watching!

[@davidfrana2753]

I get food safe buckets from a local bakery. Donut icing and glazing comes in them.

[@pepperdactyl]

Yes, they work fine

[@PeppersnGlowworms]

I like to use old buckets from a bakery, too! And yogurt containers as small pots...

[@trulsnilsen2658]

Its no problem using PP

[@TheFlyingStefan]

Thank you, for the great video, Peter :)

[@pepperdactyl]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@togarashi8086]

Great video Peter! Liked how you use the fill tube as support.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks 👍

[@Yoav76]

Awesome video!

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks!

[@nwiaquatics]

Awesome video Peter.. I have a lot of 5 gallon buckets that will convert to this. I like the other setup too which I'll watch that video soon.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks, Joe!

[@Kevin.K-CTH]

ALOHA Bro Awesome.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks!

[@ithompson79]

Great content as always Peter 👍👍👍 really love the ease and quickness of the Grow Bucket hopefully they have some sales eventually... 😅

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks!

[@dmac9150]

Drill the 1" hole for the fill tube close to the side of the bucket, and you can secure with a loose zip tie to a hole drilled at the top of the bucket or even to the bucket handle. With the zip tie loose enough, you can still remove the pipe if you ever wanted, and with hole for tube closer to size of bucket, it has some support and won't be in your way when filling with media. Also, I have been using fabric at the bottom, even in the net cup, to keep all the media in place. I like cheesecloth, but lightweight row cover material, or insect barier works well. Even a piece of an old sheep with work, and roots can grow through if they get that far

[@kml5414]

Great video, thx. I was looking at these vs Grobucket setup ... Can you advise which system actually holds more H2o in the reservoir for extended time between refilling ? Thx

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks for watching. I haven't measured the volumes between systems. But from looking at how much it takes to fill them, they're roughly about the same.

[@Chipato]

👍 Videos Peter. Greetings from Germany. I use/recycle free buckets of cut flowers (different sizes) and cappilary cord.

[@pepperdactyl]

Hi! Thanks, for watching.

[@joegullett8056]

Very cool tweaks that I wish I had done before I made all of mine. The number of aeration holes, the extended netcup, and the air gap for the drain hole are things I wished I’d done. If folks don’t want to get a miter box, a simple 90-degree PVC elbow is what I use at the bottom of my fill tubes.

[@gforcekaras]

Or drill holes into the pipe towards the bottom.

[@pepperdactyl]

Great tip!

[@pepperdactyl]

That's a good tip with the elbow. Thanks for watching!

[@praneethasworld]

Nice video stay connected frnd

[@james-jq8sk]

Just before Peter added the potting mix into the 5 litre bucket at 14.07, I noticed a small plastic bag in the net cup? What was that?

[@pepperdactyl]

It was just there to protect the small camera I had in the bucket. It's not needed for growing.

[@silverfoxes65]

It is my understanding that HDPE is considered food safe. Most of the buckets I have looked at have HDPE on the bottom. Hope this helps.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks! That's great to know. A lot of people ask me about it.

[@michaelleewagaman301]

Yes they are food grade.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks for sharing that.

[@PeppersnGlowworms]

With that NASA cap this video make me think of "The Martian", where that one astronaut left behind DIYed a potato farm! Thanks for the step-by-step video, but I think my own methods will stay somewhat crude for the time being...

[@pepperdactyl]

Lol! I have a Titanic hat somewhere, but couldn't find it.

[@skippes_view]

what was in the zip lock bag that was in the bottom of the diy bucket when you put the first scoops of soil in ??

[@gforcekaras]

His go pro lol!

[@loganflaherty7096]

I'm assuming a camera for the brief dirt fill shot

[@pepperdactyl]

It's a small camera. The shot didn't look as good as I hoped it would but I used it anyway

[@doodahgurlie]

After seeing you build it from scratch vs the GroBuckets...yeah, $13 isn't that much. LOL!

[@pepperdactyl]

Yeah, that's how I feel about it.

[@blasermann1994]

I use a solo cup instead of a net cup. I like the idea of putting the fill tube toward the center. Is it sturdy enough?

[@gforcekaras]

Might be a PITA later when the plant growth gets in the way of refilling. Make sure the tube is long enough I guess?

[@pepperdactyl]

I have made several of these, and not had any problems with sturdiness. Sometimes, the plant can get in the way of it, and it's necessary to extend it up some. It depends on the plant.

[@pepperdactyl]

Yes, in some cases, I've had to extend it up some. Thinking back, it might be better to just put a short one on the side, the way the GroBucket is and use something separate for plant support. In a couple of instances with it near the center, the plant did get in the way some, when trying to put a funnel in, to pour nutrients. Extending up fixes it, and does give the plant more to attach to.

[@gforcekaras]

@@pepperdactyl One fix would be to use a short pipe one on the side but when it comes to watering, use an angled, 22.5 degrees?, PVC elbow attached to a another short pipe.

[@neveralmost3892]

There will be a number stamped on the bottom of the bucket between 1 and 5, if I remember right. It may be inside the triangular recycle arrows. That's the key to looking up if the plastic is food safe or not.

[@pepperdactyl]

Thanks for the info

[@dmac9150]

I was concerned too but started looking at research on the subject, and learned that food stored in non-food safe containers can pick up either gasses or particles of plastics, but the plant roots don't absorb the gasses, and of course don't pass the plastic particles through their roots. It turns out that the gasses and plastic particles are simply too big to be absorbed by plant roots, which only pass small ions, and not complete molecules over a certain size. The name 'food safe' can be misleading, and has led people to fear using other plastics for growing in.

[@tevhidtevhid5727]

I wish you luck, if we don't add peat. How about we add only red soil? Does this system work

[@pepperdactyl]

You can use straight coco coir or coco/perlite mix, or regular potting mix. I wouldn't use actual soil, red clay, etc... The main requirement is that it is well draining, meaning if water poured into it, it would quickly run out the bottom. Also helps if the pH is relatively neutral.

[@dmac9150]

@@pepperdactylCoco is not as hydrophobic as peat. It absorbs water much better even if completely dry compared to peat moss. Coco also is supposedly more 'neutral' ph and doesn't leach as much, and doesn't decompose as fast as peat. I'm not completely sold on the idea that coco is more sustainable, but as long as the coco comes from a waste product and native jungles aren't being destroyed just for the fiber, it may be better than harvesting more peat moss than nature can make in the same time.

[@user-ns5pi3qb5p]

you can save time and money not buying net pots by simply drilling a one inch hole in the centre and use a microfibre cloth

[@Rcman1223]

GroBuckets are $39.99 each I don’t know what your seeing for $13.99

[@pepperdactyl]

The 39.99 is for a 3-pack of GroBucket kits, so the price per GroBucket setup is a little over 13.00 each.

[@johnharrison2511]

That plastic dust and bits from drilling, you really should not be just sweeping it onto the ground. It's just more microplastic on top of all the plastic used for these projects. It's personal choice I suppose but remember that plastic turns animals into hemaphrodites, so less is best. It's an environmental pollutant that we can think doesn't matter but it does. You only get one chance to collect it and bin it. Also the grow bucket would avoid a lot of that dust etc. If it's not food grade, then you run the risk of growing your own food, only to get ill later on or start changing genders from the non stabilised DDE's etc. I appreciate the intent of the video and the effort made in producing it.