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Dave's Self-Watering Greenhouse

Lisa Sture

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posted 1 year ago

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Hi, I thought you might like this idea for a self-watering greenhouse.
Reduce greenhouse watering to just occasionally in dry spells, with the added benefit that your plants will love it and grow incredibly well. Dave has adapted the design of a self-watering polytunnel to work in a greenhouse - and it works!
This was filmed in Wales ...

The inspiration came from a co-operative up the road that has a self-watering polytunnel. It actually works on a different build - and I am hoping to go and film it soon - but it was the inspiration. This system has worked incredibly well for Dave. So he then did the same to the other side of his greenhouse, leaving the dustbin out. He didn't realise how dry it had got, so is rebuilding with one in.

Sourdough Al

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posted 1 year ago

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Thank you, that is very interesting. Love the concept - the more natural, the better!

Can't wait to try in our geo-thermal greenhouse...

Lisa Sture

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posted 1 year ago

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Sourdough Al wrote:Thank you, that is very interesting. Love the concept - the more natural, the better!
Can't wait to try in our geo-thermal greenhouse...

That sounds great! Have you posted about it?

Nancy Reading

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Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Nearly 70 inches rain a year

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posted 1 year ago

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Wow! The growth of his plants was pretty impressive. I didn't catch what time of year it was, but they did look nice and healthy. I liked the description of the place he got the idea from as well, with the decking path over a central pond. Ponds do improve the atmosphere in greenhouses (as well as being somewhere for the frogs to rehydrate) although doesn't that depend on whether you're growing tomatoes or cucumbers? I forget...
I use trickle hoses in my tunnel - self made leaky hoses from a natural water source, but catching what would fall on the tunnel normally certainly makes sense. I'd have to do terraced ponds because my tunnel has quite a slope along the length.
I guess some of the super growth might be down to the new soil. If he has a good balance in there as well as the plants able to take what they need in the way of moisture, that's ideal.
Thanks for sharing this, it's certainly food for thought. Maybe when I do my earth sheltered greenhouse (in about 20 years!) I'll look into this.

How Permies works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
My projects on Skye: The tree field, Growing and landracing, perennial polycultures, "Don't dream it - be it! "

Lisa Sture

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posted 1 year ago

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Nancy Reading wrote:Wow! The growth of his plants was pretty impressive. I didn't catch what time of year it was, but they did look nice and healthy.
I guess some of the super growth might be down to the new soil. If he has a good balance in there as well as the plants able to take what they need in the way of moisture, that's ideal.

If I remember right, it was early/mid June. I saw them a few weeks before and my eyes nearly popped out at the growth. I have always heard that tomatoes like to be watered from below, and there is no change in the moisture availalble to them, so it is continually optimal. They really liked it.
Also, the greenhouse had no condensation at all, all summer - because there was no top watering. So a really pleasant, natural feeling environment.
The polytunnel that was the inspiration have attached guttering along the outside to catch the rainwater, which then is taken directly inside the tunnel and down to the soil, where excess seeps into the pond underneath. In a couple of months I'll do a video on that as well as it is also really interesting - and yes, they have frogs spawning in the tunnel!
Good luck with your growing, I know it can be windy up there!

Nancy Reading

steward and tree herder

Posts: 8507

Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Nearly 70 inches rain a year

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posted 1 year ago

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Lisa Sture wrote:
Good luck with your growing, I know it can be windy up there!

Thank you. Yes it can be a bit breezy on occasion.

I assume that Dave didn't have good access to the far end of the tunnel? Thinking about it later, it wouldn't be necessary for the pipe to go to the other end in the bed, and get the water circulation, if the gutter downpipe was at the far end to start with. But having it handy by the door, means he can check for blockage in the gutter and adjust the water level as required more conveniently.

How Permies works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
My projects on Skye: The tree field, Growing and landracing, perennial polycultures, "Don't dream it - be it! "

Lisa Sture

Posts: 49

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posted 1 year ago

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Nancy Reading wrote:

Lisa Sture wrote:
I assume that Dave didn't have good access to the far end of the tunnel? Thinking about it later, it wouldn't be necessary for the pipe to go to the other end in the bed, and get the water circulation, if the gutter downpipe was at the far end to start with. But having it handy by the door, means he can check for blockage in the gutter and adjust the water level as required more conveniently.

Dave thought it is important to run the pipe to the other end, but as I think about it, I am not sure. I think he makes the pipe turn to the other side of the bed so it forces it to have to travel across and along the bed, but he could have done that by having the overflow at the other end. However, his arrangement is neat. I will have to ask him ...

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