Whether container gardening or growing vegetables in the ground, size doesn’t matter what matters is what goes in to the soil. I do not use synthetic fertilizers or chemicals. We use kitchen scraps, leaves, branches, scrap paper, toilet paper rolls, some native soil…. My plants get the nutrients from the microbes that are breaking down all the matter we put in my containers and even in the ground. Yes, The same thing can be done in the ground as well, which I do. Do not compare yourself to large farms, many commercial farms feed their plants synthetic plant food through their watering system or topical, And some plants are designed to grow in a certain fashion with certain types of fertilizer that they use. Synthetic plant food can make plants grow bigger, and if that’s what you want go ahead and buy it. I’d prefer to grow my plants in the same fashion nature does by leaves and plant matter and other matter around here. By bringing in microbes & earth worms and other critters that break it down that creates fertilizer for the plants, as well as building my soil, in my opinion can be one of the best ways to feed your plants and it is free.
Here are the SAME Solar Fountain Kits I buy for our Yard and this is an affiliated/aff. link to the company: https://www.ebay.com/itm/204084771665?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20201210111314%26meid%3D3178bd52087f47edb157e06ac5db2e81%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D385041948049%26itm%3D204084771665%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv9PairwiseWebMskuAspectsV202110NoVariantSeedKnnRecallV1BERT&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAkDalmx3uitYGezFTZWs5mVbrqd80yMq7atQLRVXmwwZCnFpYtifswo6cgCvSsPy%2FT6nT5XSsDS%2Bw3BQAG7GvrbIm7pD9ZwoXsYgGOGWQ%2BO3d8TWp4tmfYOAuaOXg4Fh3d4QF4BG9%2FVkb9YgnPcMA5Cuhhn2H9d0wOnxZ9oH%2Fuywht5m%2BECPE4a01zY8G1b%2FZ2A%3D%3D&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338267736&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
Here is a Company that I buy from for tubing for the SOLAR FOUNTAIN Kits, this is an aff. link to their site, the size I get is (5/16″ ID x 7/16″ OD) which this aff. link will take you right to:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRA-CLEAR-PURE-SILICONE-TUBING-BY-THE-FOOT-ALL-SIZES/383617931792?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=652018086071&ff3=4&pub=5575376117&toolid=10001&campid=5338267736&customid=&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&ufes_redirect=true&siteid=0
Best Price, This is TULLE that Great Fabric SO CHEAP and last years outside here, here is an aff. link to check out, many colors, I usually get one of the greens, but any color will work great: http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575376117&toolid=10001&campid=5338267736&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FTulle-Fabric-Bolt-54-X40yds-Wedding-Bridal-Party-Favor-Decoration-Tutu-Craft%2F381670793265%3Fvar%3D650737116165
Soldering Iron works for making holes in buckets and totes, this is an aff. link to someone I have purchased a soldering iron from:https://www.ebay.com/itm/281417012369?hash=item4185c2d491:g:UTsAAOSwxH1T8nkS&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338267736&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
Video of Fountain with No Solar Pump used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb-NDhQbmtg&t=0s
This is a pump that works off a Power Bank unit, (like a phone Charger) no solar needed:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124265346756?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818142055%26meid%3D8fb16443a1d9474a8c4c81e850d0ac18%26pid%3D101113%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D143706630734%26itm%3D124265346756%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2563228%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV2bAndUBSourceDemotionWithUltimatelyBoughtOfCoviewV2&_trksid=p2563228.c101113.m2108&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338267736&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAAkG5Z52UDUgdDVuYWNsCOQz1WM2a5ohpNGc%2BbiNf1ftBgpvsnWBG%2Ba4cCmfvcDcy2D2BSrHnzFJ42ApphOTy9HIavaRVCoswxSW2KILUPWf2OYOMjNMIAk72faxxhHOQ7zsS95xJ9z1O%2F1IqSV%2BAkipHcEVcs10AHeUtUcfTieZakhlYffUNiGqOVelPjuSOvZQ%3D%3D
24 Comments
Robbie you are so lucky cuz in my location I don’t have any ground it’s all cemented that’s why my plants aren’t growing it should be, they get dry so fast and I’m having a hard time watering them in daily basis cuz if they saw any water on the side walk I get tickets for over watering or broken pipe. 😢 I let my hose in trickle it still won’t do anything, my luffa are doing well but that’s it cuz it’s on my flower bed it doesn’t go all the way on the side walk. I have a raised bed but it needs more soil I think and then I water them twice during summer now fall is coming I water once a day but still I can’t water daily cuz there’s a schedule here to water ur plants or lawn. Thanks for all the videos you and Gary made for us that aren’t so good in gardening, really appreciate your time take care ❤ur fan Emy Lytle from California 👩🌾
You can grow a couple big plants like the big farms do or grow many smaller ones that you know what is in them. Cindie and I believe in your techniques and are practicing them here in Texas with great results. Thanks to you and Gary we are duplicating your container gardens in a different zone to see if we can get a good yield ourselves. This was our first year and we had some issues with pests but we are trying to come up with some different ideas and seeing what the results are. It's definitely a classroom on your property when you garden for yourself. We just love container gardening because it's scalable and easy to move around. Thanks Robbie for keeping us thinking and giving us the motivation to start small and scale larger as we can afford the time and money. Real good stuff here on your channel. Can't wait for the next video. –chris
😁the secret is to sing to your container plants— yep, I believe it!
Is the hill your property too? Did you put in that wall?
Thank you so very much Robbie for your wonderful videos!
I too used to be disappointed in the size of my veggies, comparing them to what I saw in the grocery stores. But then I thought about how so much was being produced from my containers and reveled in how great they tasted. But the best part was being able to share what I grew with my Mom and sister, and still had enough for myself. So, thank you Robbie for sharing your success and not so successful growing tips. And I too am trying to wean myself off fertilizers in favor of more of ‘nature’s methods’, burying decaying veggies back into the containers.
My watermelon and pickle cucumbers didn't do well this season
I really love this because, Robbie, you show a clear process from start to finish of the plants, i.e. compost to abundant food, that you’re able to grow in containers!!! If we weren’t already watching for your lovely bird garden, the food gardens are a huge draw. -Watching from Zone 7 in New York 💚🪴🌹🍂🌼love to Kitty, too 🥦
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Very well explained! I'm working the same way. Big hope for fall gardening.
I live in zone 4 and tried your ideas of container gardening this year. It's much easier to water and to keep bugs away with tulle. Deer and bear tend to stay out as well (because of the tulle). Now that snowflakes could appear within a few short weeks – it's nice to have grown broccoli/kale/collards in portable containers that can continue living on my porch. Your way of growing is much more cost effective. Bagged soil doesn't grow plants all that well. It's much better to use kitchen scraps and leaves, sticks, grass clippings, coffee grounds with a nice layer of compost. Growing vegetables now is much more enjoyable and easier. My container garden was in the middle of my driveway so that I could see it from my kitchen windows. Now the containers must be moved before the snow falls – but that is OK. I've got plenty of peppers, tomatoes, and marigolds that are making-do with sitting indoors in pots. I will try to grow some "collard trees," altho they may not become as big as you have.
The trees are protecting us from the lava deep beneath us.
Yes Big veggies doesn’t matter ….it’s the nutritional value you get that counts. Excellent info on making the healthy soil 🙏🏾
Great video again👏👏 and so supportive for all of us who are trying to simple grow our food!
The good thing is that I don't have anyone else around me that growing their food. I'm the only one in this neighborhood so I don't have anyone to compare my balcony gardens 😂
Thank God I've found your channel and I can talk with some beautiful people about nature!!! 😇 Thank you so much ❣️🌻✨
Robbie
You are an amazing example of how we all should do so many levels to share love and kindness information just think if we all did a garden smaller than yours but enough to supply ourselves neighbor how much better off this world would be bless you Mary
It's not just large farms adding synthetic fertilizer, I've seen other YouTubers that keep adding so many store bought fertilizers on a regular basis. I added up all the charges this one guy kept saying to buy and it was over $300. I stopped watching these people! You are no doubt brilliant and I am very grateful for your channel! It's helped me out so much!
Besides fertilizing the heck out of everything with synthetic fertilizers, the farmers are also spraying everything with pesticides so they have perfect looking fruits and vegetables to sell. That is not something that I want to feed my family. Nothing in nature is perfect looking and I love it that way! Thank you Robbie and Gary for teaching us Mother Nature’s way of doing things! I love all your creative ideas that I can use to grow more than enough for my family! ❤️
Hello. I am a new subscriber. ONe of your moderator's , Malachi 7 referred me to your nice channel.
"What I Learned This Year"…well, these country snails can get through tulle even if it's as tight as Fort Knox…rollie pollies multiply worse than rabbits and they get through tulle quicker than the snails…never forget that you dumped kitchen scraps in a bucket and put a lid on it and set it under the picnic table and forgot it was there since March…don't wait until 2 days before the temperature drops at night and drag all the totes into the greenhouse and not check for critters and then find out you've got Granddaddy Long Legs, crickets and Walking Stick insects partying after you seal up the greenhouse for winter…most of all I learned I made a ton of mistakes but it was fun doing it!
Like your 👒. I have to always remember to wear one outside.
Hope the spot on your face turned out harmless. Have had so many pre-cancerous areas removed. Not a fun prospect to deal with.
There are wide brim hats that have a solid brim, a solid top, but the sides are a mesh material to allow for air flow. Much needed for those hot, hot days to let the hot-headed air to escape.
I think they are referred to as Contractor Hats.
You guys are so awesome, building a garden like this. It has so much creativity for others to borrow. You have a very lucky family. Thank you for sharing all of this with us.
I"m doing a mix. I have doubled what I can grow by adding containers where I could not grow in the past because of tree roots, etc. I also have a good in-ground plot. I've found that putting out containers (full of compost in place debris and holes in bottom) in and around the in-ground plants acts as fertilizer for them. Its a win-win! 🙂 The pots mulch and feed the in-ground plantings and also grow more on top.
Did you ever think you’d be a teacher of sorts ? Well you have ! Thanks for sharing your life with us Robbie 💐💐
I was wanting to grow sweet potatoes. I live at the beach in Southern California and I don't have much room. Do you grow sweet potatoes too in a tub. I was thinking of sitting a tub on grass on a chair like you do.