Self build project questions
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5 years ago
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5 years agobry911
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Rooftop and Self-Watering Garden Projects
Comments (11)Nice pictures, very extensive setup you have there. I guess I'm going more for a raised-bed scale type of setup, only on a slanted roof, along with being self-collecting and self-watering. Load - I've played around with it as I've proceeded. I have 3 water berms, which hold at least 5 gallons each. The mix is only 4-6 inches deep, at most 2-3 lbs per 12 cu " . If you think of it as a cubic foot being a 5 gallon pail there is probably a gallon of water and 1.5 gallons of mix at most per cubic foot. So I don't think I'm at even 20 lbs per sq. ft of roof in use, and I'm using about 2/3 (25 sq ft)of each side of the roof. I don't really know what this roof is rated for, but it has 2x4' trusses every 2 feet under 3/8" OSB ... seems pretty sturdy ... from what I read, most garages are rated for 25-30+ lbs, but I'm trying to get up to speed on how to caluclate loads more accurately. Squash Growth - Yeah, I got a little wild, but wanted to make sure I got my money's worth. I'd estimate each pair of plants has about a gallon of space. They're doing fine so far. Got a good rain a few days ago, and they are showing good growth. The top berm dries right up, the bottom one doesn't seem to, at least not yet. Too early to tell if the system is wicking. As wicks, I have halves of gallon jugs cutting up through an aeration bench of flexible plastic on one side, 1/2 inch wire on the other. Mix - there's nothing terribly exact. I'm trying to do it on the cheap. One side is mostly leaf compost and a horse bedding / manure mix. The other side is both of those and a lot of double shredded pine in there, too. I threw a few pounds of Milorganite (CRF) around. I can see with all your smaller containers that change out is an issue. This year, I guess I'd be happy to see everything hang together and produce a decent crop. I can't see going with perlite, peat moss and some of the fancier things on something of this scale right off until I have a better understanding of the "gritty mix" or such sytems and their applicability. In just toying with leaf compost only last year, everything (some tomatoes and beets) was ok for a few weeks, but then went yellow, I assume for lack of N, if not a lot of other things. I have some tomatoes, canteloupe, sweet corn, and pole beans on the east side. I'm trying this out for a few reasons. One, there are some real practical advantages to getting things up away from pests. Also, I think 20 foot squash vines might be more manageable up there than on the ground. We'll see in they need extensions or trellising. In general I think we may need to do things like this to remain a free society, frankly. I'm thoroughly perturbed by the Malthusians , and this is my statement against such ideas. I also looking into integrating a fish pond into this sort of thing as an aquaponics setup. Looking for better, lighter, sturidier materials. Any suggestions, especially with fertilizer regimen, and possibly wind and sun screening are welcome....See MoreNewbie Question: Self-waterer/E-Box & Pumpkins
Comments (1)Sorry. Didn't make myself clear. What kind and how much fertlizer would be recommended for growing pumpkins in an E-box? The 6-6-6 or 10-10-10 generally recommended for tomatos? Some other kind/amount? Thanks!...See MoreSelf Contracting the Four Gables Farmhouse by Mitch Ginn Build
Comments (49)Jhvrga, please excuse my ignorance but what is it about this house that makes it difficult to build? (you said in one of your earlier comments that it is not considered an easy build). Your house looks beautiful by the way. Perfect setting too....See MoreSelf-building a house
Comments (10)Have an acquaintance who moved across country and did this on the studio they're building. FWIW, which is probably zero, they did not apply a top coat or finish material to their charred wood. Gorgeous! ETA DH and I finished our house ourselves after it was framed. We mostly worked on the weekends for several years. I used a product called American Clay on the walls instead of paint, and some five years after "finishing", I have started to find small areas, tucked in out of the way corners, where we changed a light fixture, meant to put trim and didn't or just forgot to finish, I guess, and have bare drywall. I'm thinking about covering them with random stick and peel wallpaper strips. Best of luck on your project!...See MoreMark Bischak, Architect
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