How to Make a Self Watering Container
One of the best parts about making self watering containers for this project is that it’s cheap. Most of the supplies needed are either already laying around the house or you can easily get in your neighborhood.
Tools, materials and costs involved in making a self watering container:
5 gallon bucket (cost $0.00). I was able to get a boatload of these from the local bodegas by simply asking. Other places that you could check are your local delis or supermarkets.
12″x12″ vinyl tile (cost $7 for box of 20 $0.35/tile). Picked these up at the local variety store. Can sometimes go to tile store and get samples that they are throwing away.
20″ copper pipe (cost $25 for 10′. Cut into 6 20″ pieces $4-5/piece) This is the most expensive thing that goes into the containers. Priced out a few stores and saw upwards of $65 for 10′.
Plastic deli container (cost $0.00) Friends and family have tons of these, so asked them to save for me. Can use the various sizes for various containers.
Other tools -- marker, razor, scissor, drill with 1/4″ bit and duct tape (cost $0.00) I had all of these or was able to borrow them from people.
Total cost per bucket = $4.35
That’s pretty damned cheap.
Now that you’ve got your tools and materials. Here is how to assemble and put together.
Step 1 Put the plastic deli container in bucket and fill up with water using a measuring cup until the water reaches the top of the deli container. This gives you the amount of water that your reservoir will hold.
Write that amount along with the total bucket capacity, diameter and height on the bottom of the bucket. This will help you to keep records of what vegetables grew in what conditions.
Step 2 To make the insert for the self watering container. Trace the top outline of the bucket onto the vinyl tile. Inside of that circle, flip the container over and trace the bottom outline. This gives you a circle within a circle. Cut somewhere in between until the tile is able to rest on top of the deli container in the bucket.
Step 3 Trace the top circle of the deli container in the middle of the vinyl tile. Draw a “T” in the middle and then connect the lines to form a diamond. Use your razor blade to cut out the diamond.
The tile should now be able to rest on top of the deli container. This will allow the soil to wick the water up to the roots.
Step 4 Use your drill with the 1/4″ and drill holes all around the deli container. This enables the water to come in contact with the soil in the deli container and keep the plant hydrated.
Step 5 Measure the length from the insert to the top of the bucket. Write this down with the measurements from step 1.
Step 6 Trace the circumfrence of the pipe on the outer edge of the tile insert. Cut out the hole for the pipe.
Step 7 Put the deli container in the bucket, put the tile over it and insert the pipe. If it doesn’t fit perfect, fix it up and secure it with duct tape. Hold the bucket up to the light and mark a point that is just below the insert. Drill a 1/4″ at that point. This will make sure that you don’t overfill the bucket because it will spill out of the hole.
