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Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottles

by tiero on June 10, 2013

Table of Contents
Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

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

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

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

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

Step 5: Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Step 6: Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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Intro: Self watering vertical garden with recycled water bottles

Here 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 in
excess, using power from pv panels and a little wind turbine (vawt)

Step 1: 3d project
The 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 rain
water. 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). After
moisten 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 Notes
1. hybrid green power system
2. hybrid green power system
3. Rain barrels
4. Plastic "new jersey" street barriers
5. water bottle planters

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

Step 2: Planter design

Last 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 mat
bought 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 and
permit 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 better
way 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 i
used a juta cord.

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

Image Notes
1. cut plastic bottle
2. felt bags
3. felt bag
4. rubber bands
5. bottle cap with water hose

Image Notes
1. six holes each wood plank
72 total
2. six holes each wood plank
72 total
3. Hole to hold the bottle

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6. juta cord spool

7. cut of pvc pipe
8. juta net

Image Notes
1. Bottle leans on the neck collar

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

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

Image Notes
1. water reserve filled with expanded clay aggregate

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

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

Image Notes
1. Expanded clay aggregate in the bottom
2. felt bag to prevent the mixing of the soil and expanded clay

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

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

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

Image Notes
1. screwed wood blocks

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Image Notes
1. 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 Notes
1. screwed wood block

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

Step 4: Watering system

two 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 Notes
1. buil in hole with cap
2. strong plastic street barrier

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Image Notes

Image Notes

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1. pipe fittings
2. cap drilled

1. i put this pvc pipe under the lower shelf to recover the water in excess and
transport it into the tanks
2. tee and ground pipe fixed
3. elbow
4. elbow

Image Notes
1. outlet pipe in place

Image Notes
1. outlet water hose
2. outlet hole
3. rubber grommet

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

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

Image Notes
1. drilling hole for pumps

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Image Notes
1. inlet hoses from the pumps
2. 3 mm hole

Image Notes
1. circulating test: everything works fine.
2. circulating test: everything works fine.

Step 5: Power

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Image Notes
1. scaffold foot
2. scaffold pipe
3. brushless 12 vdc alternator, max 50w
4. pv panel, 10w
5. pv panel, 10w
Image Notes
1. pvc pipe 4 cm dia
2. glue
3. alluminium rod, 1 m and 1,7 cm dia
4. plexiglass laser cut plate
5. plexiglass laser cut plate

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Image Notes
1. poliurethane foam to seal the shingle hole

Image Notes
1. charge regulator
2. 12 vdc timer
3. 3 phase rectifier
4. wire from turbine and pv panels
5. wire to the pumps

Step 6: Vegetables

Image Notes
1. strawberry
2. hose from rain barrels

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Image Notes
1. mixed lattuce

Image Notes
1. white rapanello

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Image Notes
1. purple beans

Image Notes
1. peas

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Image Notes
1. tomatoes and chili peppers
2. beans and peas

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