How to Grow Food Off the Ground in Pipes, (especially Hanging Plants)

by kingofeye in Living > Gardening

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How to Grow Food Off the Ground in Pipes, (especially Hanging Plants)

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Growing food in pvc pipes. Save water, keep pests away and many other benefits

Hi here is my instructable on how to grow vegetables off the ground to avoid pests , decrease water use, organically fertilise and save you bending over to pick up the vegetables so no more back pain. Also a very good idea when you can grow off the ground where there is snow because your veg can be covered with a gloche or glass jar and the rising heat from the ground will keep it warm

Find or Buy a Pipe

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So go out and get a pipe about 10cm-15cm wide and cut to desired height taking into consideration about 30cm off the bottom that will be buried

Dig a Hole

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2015 13:46.jpg

So make a whole a put in the pipe about 30 cm deep and cover with soil

Step on It

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Dance around the pipe to make the foundation strong

Fiill It With Compost Material

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2015 13:46.jpg
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2015 13:46.jpg

Go and get your juciest compostable leftovers and half fill the pipe. Don't forget to push it all in with a stick to really get it compact.MIx in some soil every 5cm. You could also put some worms in there

Add More Soil

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2015 13:46.jpg
2015 13:46.jpg

Just add more soil and tap every now and then to keep it all moving downwards and compacting

Add Plants and Guide

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2015 13:46.jpg
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2015 13:46.jpg

Add you seedlings and water . This method will reduce slags and pests, save water and help your plants grow using organic decomposing power juice in their own pipe. Did i mention no back breaking bending over to pick fruit. In this example i grew tomatoes and used the peg to guide then downwards to avoid the risk of snapping later. You can grow anything at any height in any space and even have climbers like sweet peas climbing up the sides if its not a tumbling plant like strawberry or tomato . I have also grown flowers on the ground . Another good thing is that in the winter ,even with snow the veg is kept off the ground and with a gloche or glass jars you can protect the veg and the rising temperature from the compost will keep it warm. Enjoy

Take It to the Next Level

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You can get creative with pipe sizes and height as well as configurations. You can grow anything this way. Also great for frosty or snowy areas where the food is kept off the ground and rising heat from the compost keeps it nice and warm. A cover would be a great protection for the seedlings too.
In the last picture i added some drip irrigation system too

UPDATE

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2015 10:50.jpg
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here are some pictures if the pipes two months later and three months later