How to Build a Small Grow Box
Young plants require a lot of water to help them grow properly, yet too much water can be harmful for them. An innovative planter design can help you with the delicate task of feeding your plant the correct amount of water. Build a small grow box to fit your plant and the self-watering system will handle the dispersion of water to the soil. The use of a wick and reservoir allows the water to be regulated to a normal release rate and provides the plant with a consistent amount of water. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic buckets
- Power drill
- Outdoor lantern wick
- PVC pipe
- Soilless potting mix
- Slow-release fertilizer
- Plastic black mulch
Instructions
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1
Drill two holes into a large plastic bucket, one in the center and one in any corner, with a power drill. The holes should be half an inch in diameter.
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2
Surround the hole in the center with quarter-inch holes. Drill eight or 10 holes into the plastic surrounding the bigger hole.
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3
Insert an eight-inch-long outdoor lantern wick into the center hole in the bucket. Leave four inches in the bucket and four inches out of the bucket.
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4
Put the bucket inside a slightly larger bucket. The bottom of the inside bucket shouldn't touch the bottom of the outside bucket.
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5
Run a PVC pipe through the half-inch hole in the corner of the inner bucket. This will be the watering tube.
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6
Pour soilless potting mix into the inner bucket. The mix should come up to the rim of the bucket.
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7
Sprinkle two tbsp. of slow-release fertilizer around the edge of the bucket.
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8
Place your plant into the bucket and cover the soil with plastic black mulch.
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9
Fill the watering tube with water. Refill the tube every three to five days.
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Tips & Warnings
Make larger boxes for multiple plants.
Make sure to refill the water tube when it is emptied or the soil will dry out.
References
- Photo Credit pink flowers growing in the wooden box. image by starush from Fotolia.com
