As the Garden Grows

  The Chapin Irrigation Bucket is a simple gravity drip irrigation system designed for small gardens using an ordinary 5 gallon bucket. When the 5 gallon bucket is raised 3.3' (1 mr) from the ground, sufficient pressure is generated to force the water from the bucket through the irrigation tape on the ground. A simple connection is made from the bottom of the bucket and tubes are connected to the drip tape. A typical system will water 2 rows that are 50' long. How It Works: 1. Water delivery: water drips slowly from the bucket through tubes directly to the plant roots. 2. Water conservation: reduces evaporation and runoff by targeting the roots. 3. Easy setup: just fill the bucket with water and set up the tubes. No electricity needed.   Benefits: 1. Water efficiency: uses less water while keeping crops healthy. 2. Cost effective: affordable and simple to maintain. 3. Improved yields: promotes stronger, more resilient crops. 4. Less labour: reduces the ...

  By germinating seeds and establishing your sprouts in the winter, you will have seedlings to get in the ground as soon as the chance of frost has passed. Egg cartons make eco-friendly, cheap seed starters to start your seeds indoors. Cardboard egg cartons are biodegradable, allowing you to plant the seedling, pot and all, into the garden. You cannot plant styrofoam cartons because they are not biodegradable, however they have the ability to hold more water without disintegrating like the cardboard ones. Your call as to which ones you prefer… Step One: Prep the Carton Like any planter, the egg carton greenhouse needs drainage. Drainage is important to prevent water from collecting and rotting the seed or roots. So poke a few small drainage holes in the bottom of each cup. You can cut the lids off of the cartons and place them underneath the seed cups to catch any surplus water. It is also a good idea to label the egg cartons as to what seeds it contains.    Ste...