Thoughts on a modular planter based garden....
I think I need to properly develop my little courtyard garden into a food growing area....
I've kind of missed the window for this year as I've just been way too busy, but I figure if I start planning for next year NOW I've got plenty of time, like 10 months!
I gave up on my allotment as I don't think I'm going to be in the area for that much longer, so it just felt futile carrying on, that and the fact that I know I'm going to be away for several days at a time several times over summer, there's no way I can keep it watered.
HOWEVER, it's occured to me that if I had a modular garden at home, smaller scale, irrigated, that could work, and that's something I CAN manage.
And, crucially, if I design it along modular lines it can all come apart and come with me if and when I move.
What is a modular planter based garden...?
It's basically just one designed around planters, things like this....
I'm feeling pallets could feature heavily as the vertical structures, no point spending money on wood when I can get it for free in the form of pallets!
And then it's just a matter of modding these so they are a bit more stable and then buying some planters, which one can pick up for cheap from Poundland but I'm inclined to buy at least a few nicer ones every year for the long term.
What to grow...?
I'm feeling really just soft fruit, greens, small roots such as radish and spring onion, all of these grow really well in pots, basically I'm talking pots and structure.
And, naturally, herbs!
Maybe chuck in an irrigation system, which would require a small water collection system. I'm thinking even just 20 litres would do it for my purposes, enough to let me go away for 3-4 nights unless it's crazy hot.
Not sure how to time the irrigation, that's the achilles heal of all of this!
And then some small scale composting and maybe even a little greenhouse thing...
Hmmm, I'm gonna get planning I think!
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Wow big bro, I absolutely love the idea of a modular garden. Using pallets is so smart and very very eco-friendly. Great thing planning early for next year. Amazing work bro !WEED
@revisesociology!
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If you can make a reservoir for a gravity fed system you can use a water cooler float valve to keep the tank full.
You just need a full time water source with pressure.
Soak hoses should do the rest.
The constant water source is the problem - no outside tap!
This sounds very doable as we say in the islands. Portable, small irrigation system, small composting system, and not to large to move.
Good Luck and maybe in 20 months you will be showing pictures of your fruit and vegetables!
:)
Hopefully, slowly but surely!
My raspberries are doing well even though I didn't cut them back last year. Something is up with the strawberries though. I will have to see if they recover, but I've had them for years. I like these plants that keep on giving. Mind you one of the gooseberry bushes died last year.
They do have a shelf life, I think you're supposed to replace strawberries every two to three years, but that's easily done with all the runners they put out in late summer!
Mine are much older than that. Just seems odd that they all look shriveled, but we still had some fruit 🍓
Fruit is what it is all about!