Background

Throughout time, plants have evolved and developed different strategies to spread their seed for future generations. The indeterminate plants sprawled out with long vines and many flushes of fruit to routinely scatter seed around the mother plant. Determinate plants put all of their “eggs” in one large, delicious, bountiful basket of fruit, hoping to lure in birds and other critters to help spread seeds. Over time, humans have selectively cultivated plants based on these growth and fruiting characteristics to suit our needs.

Determinate vs Indeterminate Growth in Plants

Botanically speaking, indeterminate growth keeps on going throughout a plant’s lifetime, while determinate growth is finite. 

An indeterminate (ID) plant will continue to grow larger and taller, and bear a steady, continuous supply of fruit to harvest over a longer period of time. Indeterminate growth is often synonymous with vining plant varieties, such as vining tomatoes or vining pole beans. Each stem ends in a growing tip, and will usually keep on growing and producing until frost comes along. Due to their sprawling nature, indeterminate plants often need some sort of trellis or support system.

In contrast, determinate (D) plants are more compact, bushy, and short-lived in nature. They generally have one main growth spurt, reach a certain size, and then yield a single large set of fruit all at once (or during a short period of time). Once a mature determinate plant has produced its main “bumper crop”, the plant will drastically slow down in production or stop growing entirely. Bush tomatoes and bush green beans are prime examples of determinate plants.

Examples of Indeterminate and Determinate Plants

In the garden, the terms indeterminate (vining) and determinate (bush) are most commonly used to describe the growth habits of different tomato varieties. See tips about how to grow and train each type of tomato below. Many other types of plants can fall into these two categories as well.

Other common indeterminate plants include eggplant, peppers, melons, and peas. Eggplant and peppers are especially long-lived, and can even be overwintered as perennials.

Cucumbers, beans, potatoes, and squash can be either determinate OR indeterminate depending on the cultivar. Just like tomatoes, there are “bush” cucumber varieties vs vining cucumbers. Summer squash like bush zucchini are determinate (though they produce over many months), while vining winter squash varieties are more indeterminate and take longer to mature. Both early and mid-season potato varieties grow like determinates, while late-season potatoes are considered indeterminate and bear longer.

Generally speaking, annuals tend to follow a more determinate pattern of growth while perennials are more indeterminate in nature. 

Pros and Cons 

Indeterminate varieties bear more fruit overall, but offer prolonged, staggered, and more manageable harvests. This makes them popular among home gardeners. Most folks likely prefer a slow and steady harvest of tomatoes all summer long, rather than having to deal with pounds and pounds of fruit maturing all at once! Though indeterminate plants grow larger and longer, they can easily be trained vertically up space-saving trellises.

On the other hand, determinate plants mature faster, and “come and go” more quickly in the garden. This makes them ideal to use in succession planting, places with short growing seasons, or as short-lived fillers between other plants or seasons (especially things like bush beans or zucchini). The bumper crop provided by determinate plants is also excellent for canning or preserving a lot at once.

Determinants are more compact, making them great for small spaces and container gardens. They don’t require elaborate support structures, though some may benefit from a simple cage or stake to keep the plants upright. Determinate crops can also be attractive in commercial agriculture settings, enabling mechanical harvests all at the same time. 

What are semi-determinate plants?

Some crops (including tomatoes, beans, squash and peas) can be semi-determinate, and exhibit growth patterns somewhere between indeterminate and determinate. This category of plants usually boasts one large bounty of fruit, but can be coaxed into continued production by routinely harvesting their fruits – which frees up energy and signals the plant to produce more. Semi-determinate varieties will often grow bigger than determinate plants, but not nearly as large and sprawling as true indeterminates. Due to their decently long harvest window, I consider zucchini and summer squash semi-determinate. Celebrity and Moskvich are an example of semi-determinate tomatoes. 

Growing Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes

When it comes to tomatoes, it’s paramount to know if you’re growing indeterminate or determinate varieties! Indeterminate (vining) tomatoes are by far the most common, though there are quite a few determinate tomato cultivars available too – sometimes referred to as bush or patio tomatoes. The plant or seed description will usually specify which type it is, and may simply say (ID) or (D). See a list of popular varieties below.

Determinate or bush tomatoes are best grown in cages – like these sturdy DIY tomato cages. They’re ideal to grow in containers, in small patio gardens, or in places with short growing seasons. Determinate tomatoes should not be pruned, since they only have a finite amount of growth and fruit to bear! 

Conversely, indeterminate tomatoes can be trained or pruned in a number of ways. Training and pruning indeterminate tomatoes offers a number of benefits, including improved fruit quality, reduced disease prevalence, and saving space. Or, you can simply let vining tomatoes grow wild and unpruned in a large cage like determinants. See this guide to learn 7 ways to train and prune tomatoes, including our favorite DIY tomato trellis system. 

Determinate and Indeterminate Tomato Varieties 

Determinate tomato varieties include: Mountain Merit (our favorite), Plum Regal Roma, Red Racer, Plum Perfect, Mountain Princess, Tasti Lee, Iron Lady, Gold Nugget, Washington Cherry, and Bush Early Girl – among others.

Indeterminate tomato varieties include: Pink Boar, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, San Marzano Roma, Amish Paste, Green Zebra, Rose de Berne, Valentine, Mountain Magic, Granadero, Beefsteak, Better Boy, and most cherry tomato varieties. Sakura is our favorite variety of cherry tomato.

And that’s a wrap! As you a can see, there are a lot of important differences between determinate vs indeterminate plants. They both have their benefits, so we like to grow some of each. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments below, and share this article if you found it useful! Thank you so much for tuning in today, and happy growing.

The post Determinate vs Indeterminate Plants: Important Differences to Know appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

This guide will walk you through how to install a simple drip irrigation system for raised garden beds. Video and photos are included. We installed this drip system to irrigate our large grow bag garden, yet it’s perfectly suited for traditional wood garden beds, metal raised bed kits, in-ground garden plots, and more! 

Last year, I also shared a tutorial on how we installed drip irrigation in our wood raised beds using drip tape, PVC pipe, and automated valves. We love that option too, but the system I’ll show you today is even easier to set up. Zero plumbing skills are required! It’s also a little less permanent in nature – enabling you to easily disconnect or store your irrigation system during the winter if needed. (Though you could also connect this type of drip system to hard pipe and valves too.)

In this article you will find:

• A list of supplies needed to make a simple raised bed drip irrigation system that connects to an outdoor faucet or tap. 
• A YouTube tutorial that shows the step-by-step process.
• A written summary of the steps shown in the video, with photos for quick and easy reference.
• We’ll also talk about water pressure, winterizing, and how long to run raised bed drip irrigation systems.

A note on our grow bags: We have both 100-gallon and 150-gallon grow bags in our “calendula farm”. Unfortunately our exact bags are no longer available, but this is another well-rated option with similar dimensions and specs.

Supplies Needed for an Easy Raised Bed Drip Irrigation System

 
We get almost all of our drip irrigation supplies from Drip Depot. They’re fantastic! The affiliate links found in this article gives us a small commission at no cost to you. We greatly appreciate your support, which enables us to share tutorials like this with you!

1. A nearby hose tap (spigot or faucet). For the best results and pressure, choose a tap that’s within 50 feet or closer from the raised beds. See pressure notes to follow. It’s usually not all that difficult or expensive to have a new faucet installed closer to your beds if needed!
   
   
2. A 4-in-1 faucet adapter, which is specifically designed to connect drip irrigation to a hose tap. It comes with all the parts you need (that you can also buy separately): 1) a filter to prevent sediment from entering and clogging the drip system, 2) a backflow preventer to protect your drinking water supply from contamination, 3) a pressure regulator (drip systems need to operate at 20 to 30 PSI), and 4) a coupler/adapter that the ½” drip irrigation tubing connects to.
   
   
3. Standard ½ inch irrigation tubing, which is commonly available in 100 foot rolls. For larger projects, consider 250 foot rolls or a 500 foot roll if necessary. This tubing will create the bulk of your easy raised bed drip irrigation system. Get enough tubing to run from the tap, between the beds, up the sides of the beds, and also to create the “header” inside each bed”.  
   

4. ¼” dripline tubing, which comes with pre-installed drip emitters. You’ll need enough to run several lines down the length (longest side) of each raised bed – explained more in the “header assembly” section to follow. For example, one 4×8’ raised bed with 4 rows of dripline will require about 32 feet of dripline tubing.
   
   Note that drip tubing comes in various flow rates and emitter spacing. For this project, we chose drip tubing that has ½ gallon per hour emitters every 6 inches, and space the rows of dripline every 8 or 9 inches across the bed. I find that 6-inch spacing provides nice even saturation and allows for flexible planting throughout the raised beds.
   

5. ¼” barbed couplers to connect the ¼” drip tubing to the ½” main line tubing headers.
   
   
6. A punch tool, used to add holes and attach the drip tubing to the ½” black supply line.
   
   
7. Figure 8 clamps to end the main ½” lines. You’ll need one for each header, and possibly more to end other lines in your system – depending on the layout.
   
   
8. Goof plugs, to end/cap each of the ¼” drip tubing lines. These can also be used to plug unwanted holes in the 1/2″ tubing.
   
   
9. Various ½” couplers (including tees and elbows), used to run ½” tubing line between and up the sides of your raised beds. This varies depending on your system layout. I suggest drawing out your system to determine how many couplers you’ll need. We prefer to use PermaLoc couplers over compression fittings. They’re durable and reusable, making it easy to make adjustments or repairs! On the other hand, compression fittings are more permanent and tubing must be cut to make changes. 
   

10. Galvanized landscape staples to hold the drip line in place.
    
    
11.  Scissors to cut the drip tubing. I also find pliers are helpful when working with the ¼” couplers. 

Optional Supplies

• A battery-operated faucet timer to easily automate your raised bed drip irrigation system. In this particular project, we used a 2-outlet hose timer (what we already had on hand) that can be used to connect two drip lines to a single tap. Or, you can use a single outlet hose timer. They even make 3-outlet timers for systems with 3 zones. We’ve been using these timers for years and they still work perfectly! I haven’t even had to change batteries on some that have been running for two years.
  
  
• Shut-off valves for each bed. Install one of these simple on/off valves in the header or riser of each raised bed for the utmost control! That way, you can turn off the water to certain beds if some are in use while others are not. Or, turn the valve halfway to restrict/reduce water flow to beds that have less water demand than others (e.g. for drought tolerant crops like peppers). We skipped this option in this particular project, but did install individual valves on each raised bed in our main garden space.
  
  
• A hose splitter or Y-valve. With this, you can connect the drip irrigation system to a faucet (on one side of the splitter) while also still maintaining a free outlet to use a garden hose, fill watering cans, etc.

Drip Irrigation System Layout and Pressure 

It’s best to not surpass 100 to 200 feet of solid ½” irrigation tubing (the main line that runs from the tap and between beds). Otherwise, your raised bed drip irrigation system may not have adequate pressure towards the far end of the lines. 

For very large areas (where more than 200+ feet of line is needed), it’s best to split the system into separate zones or shorter lines that will run at different times if possible. For instance, from two different taps, or with two separate lines using a 2-outlet hose timer. This is also helpful if you have various beds/areas with different water needs.

Drip components are designed to operate under 20 to 30 PSI. It’s usually necessary to use a pressure regulator in drip irrigation systems because high pressure can “blow out” sensitive drip parts. Normal house water pressure can be as high as 80 PSI. 

Yet if pressure seems too low in your raised bed drip system (and your house/tap pressure isn’t crazy high), you could experiment with NOT using a pressure reducer at the tap. When in doubt, use a hose thread pressure gauge at the tap you’re connecting the system to to assess the pressure starting point. Then you can simply unscrew and remove the pressure reducer component from the 4-in-1 adapter if needed.

How far should I space drip lines in raised garden beds?

It’s best to space drip irrigation lines in raised garden beds every 6 to 12 inches – and no wider than 12” apart. 

For example, in our 4×8’ raised garden beds, we installed rows of dripline every 9 inches evenly across the bed – or four lines total per bed. With emitters every 6” along the lines, this provides a nice even distribution of water that saturates the entire bed, allowing us to plant along the drip lines or in between. This is especially helpful for closely-spaced plantings like root veggies.

After all, one of the many benefits of growing in raised beds is that you don’t have to follow rigid row planting, unlike traditional field row crops. Plus, the more damp soil there is around, the more the worms, nematodes, and beneficial microbes will thrive! Last but not least, watering in a wide swath around plants (as opposed to directly at their base only) encourages roots to explore, growing larger and wider. That leads to bigger, healthier plants! 

How to Install an Easy Raised Bed Drip Irrigation System

Step 1: Assemble Headers with Drip Lines

Each raised garden bed or planter needs a “header”. The headers are made with ½” solid tubing that sits inside one of the short ends of the bed, where the smaller dripline tubing connects to. 

If you’re installing drip irrigation in multiple raised garden beds of the same size, I find it’s easiest to make just one header in or near the garden bed to figure out the size and spacing. Take note of the measurements, and then use that header as a guide or prototype to pre-assemble the remaining headers in a clean work space. (Such as a concrete patio or large table.) That way, there is less risk of getting soil inside the parts as you work – which can clog your emitters! Assembling the headers first also makes the rest of the system install very quick and easy.

Header Assembly

• Measure and cut the solid 1/2″ solid tubing to fit inside one short end of your raised bed. If you’re using figure 8 end clamps to end the line, leave a couple extra inches to fold over.
  
  
• Cap one end of the header line with a figure 8 clamp or other end cap.
  
  
• The other end of the header will receive water from the main supply line and riser. The design of your header connection will vary depending on your system layout. We added an elbow (90°) PermaLoc adapter to one end of our header, which connects to a riser that runs up the outside of the bed. See photos below.
  
  
• Measure and cut ¼” drip tubing lines. Make them long enough to run the length of the bed and connect into the header.
  
  
• Measure and/or mark where you want each row of drip tubing to attach to the ½” header, spaced evenly across the bed (between 6 to 12 inches apart).
  
  
• Use a punch tool to create holes in the main header tubing. Be sure the holes are all facing the same direction so the drip tubing will lay flat on the soil surface.
  
  
• Attach drip tubing to the header. Insert a ¼” barbed coupler into one end of the ¼” drip tubing. Then push the other end of the barb into the header tubing.
  
  
• Finally, cap/end each ¼” drip tubing line with a goof plug. 

Step 2: Connect Drip Line to Tap

• Optional: To easily automate the raised bed drip irrigation system, add a simple faucet timer to the tap first. You can also add a hose splitter before the timer, leaving one side of the tap free for other things.
  
  
• Next, screw on the 4-in-1 faucet to drip adapter.
  
  
• Connect the ½” drip tubing to the coupler at the end of the adapter.
  

Step 3: Run Drip Line Between Beds

• Run the ½” main line from the hose tap or faucet to the raised garden beds. Use tees, elbows or other couplers to create rows between beds as needed.
  
  
• Each bed will need a point of connection and riser. Cut into the main line near the bed, insert a tee or elbow (depending on the layout of your lines), and add another piece of ½” tubing up the side of the raised bed. Another option is to hide the riser by running it under and inside the garden bed.
  
  
• Optional: Add a shut-off valve for each bed, explained in the supplies section above. The valve can be installed along the riser, or as part of your header.
  
  
• It is okay to cover or bury the ½” mainline drip tubing in several inches of mulch, bark, soil, gravel, or other cover.
  
  
• Leave the very ends of the lines open for now (not capped) so you can flush the lines before adding the drip components. 

Step 4: Install and Connect Headers

Before adding the headers to your raised beds, flush the main lines to remove any potential debris that could clog emitters. Simply turn the water on and let it run freely out of the end of the lines for a minute or so. 

After flushing the lines, connect the headers to the risers you’ve added to each raised bed. Tuck the header inside the short end of the bed and attach it to the riser. Secure it in place with landscape staples or pins. Next, position the drip tubing lines evenly down the length of the bed and pin them in place too. 

Using the System

When you’re ready to use your new raised bed drip irrigation system, simply turn on the tap! If you’re using a hose timer, leave the main faucet ON at all times, set the timer, and it will let water into the lines per the schedule you specify. 

Once the system is set up, it’s easy to calculate water use and flow rate! Count the number of emitters per bed, then multiply that by the emitter flow rate. For example, each grow bag shown in this example has 28 emitters, and each emitter is rated for ½ gallon per hour. That means each grow bag would receive 14 gallons of water per hour the system runs. 

How long should I run my raised bed drip irrigation system?

It depends! Every garden has different water demands based on the unique climate, soil, season, temperatures and rainfall patterns. It also depends on your mulching practices, and how thirsty your plants are. Larger, mature plants generally “drink” more water than smaller ones. Soil protected with a nice 2 to 4″ layer of mulch will stay damp much longer than bare soil, greatly reducing water needs.

In general, it’s best to provide less frequent, deep, long watering as opposed to short shallow bouts of water every day. This will encourage deep healthy roots and stronger, more resilient plants. Try to water enough to keep the soil evenly moist at all times, but allow it to dry out ever-so-slightly between watering. Of course, you never want the soil to be totally dry! But remember that plants breathe through their roots – so the soil shouldn’t be constantly sopping wet either.

In our climate, we typically run our raised bed drip irrigation system for about 45 minutes, twice per week. The time you run your system will also vary depending on the type of emitters used. For instance, if we were using drip tubing with 0.25 gallon per hour emitters (instead of 0.5 GPH), we would run the system for twice as long.

When direct-sowing seeds, plan to provide additional overhead or hand-watering during the first few weeks. That will help keep the top of the soil nice and damp during germination and early root development.

Winterizing raised bed drip irrigation systems

As with all types of irrigation, it’s best to winterize your raised bed drip irrigation system before freezing conditions arrive. At minimum, thoroughly drain the system and protect it with a nice deep layer of mulch. Leaving standing water in pipes or valves can cause them to crack when the water freezes and expands. Or, to further reduce the risk of damage, folks in extremely cold climates may want to remove the drip irrigation components completely. Store your supplies in a protected location over winter, such as in a garage or similar.

Thanks for irrigating with me!

After reading this, I hope you feel empowered and prepared to go install an easy raised bed drip irrigation system of your own. Once you understand the basics of irrigation, the options are endless! You should be able to adjust and tweak things to create an ideal irrigation system for your garden or project. Please consider pinning or sharing this post if it was useful. Also feel free to ask any questions in the comments below. Thank you so much for tuning in today, and enjoy!

You may also enjoy:

• How to Build a Raised Garden Bed (video included)
• All About Calendula: How to Grow, Harvest, and Use Calendula Flowers
• How to Install Drip Tape Irrigation in Raised Garden Beds
• 17 Ways to Save Water in the Garden and Landscape
• Rainwater Harvesting 101: How to Set up a Rainwater Collection System
• Companion Planting 101 and Printable Chart
• How to Remove or Kill Grass (and Grow Food, Not Lawns!)

The post Easy Raised Bed Drip Irrigation (from Faucet or Spigot) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Starting seeds indoors is rewarding and easy to do. It gives you a jump start on the growing season, and a few helpful tools make all the difference in the world. Without adequate bright light, seedlings will grow floppy and weak. Without the right soil medium, seeds may struggle to sprout or grow strong roots. Yet investing in quality indoor seed starting supplies will help you grow strong, happy, healthy seedlings (and loads of homegrown food) for many years to come! 

This article is proudly sponsored by Gardener’s Supply Company, our favorite Certified B Corp for seed starting supplies and other garden goods. This post also contains affiliate links that help support the work we do here at Homestead and Chill. We’re so grateful for your support!

Setting up an Indoor Seed Starting Area

You can start seeds just about anywhere indoors. In a garage, basement, spare room… wherever you have a little free space! Some of our friends start seeds right on their dining room table, or even on a closet floor. Ideally, the area should be protected from extreme temperature swings and have a power outlet nearby. We’ve been growing from seed for nearly a decade, and have used everything from a greenhouse to an insulated shed to a single shelf in our guest room. Work with what you have!

7 INDOOR SEED STARTING SUPPLIES

1) Seed Starting Medium

Seeds should be planted in a light, fluffy, sterile medium so they can easily sprout and grow their tiny tender roots. Potting soil, compost, and garden soil are often too heavy and rich for seeds to germinate, or will lead to uneven germination and slow growth. Plus, using soil from your garden could potentially introduce unwanted disease or pests to your seed starting supplies!

Instead, choose a mix that is specifically designed for sprouting seeds – like this organic seed starting mix. I recommend pre-moistening the mix prior to planting seeds. Make it damp, but not soggy!

2) Seedling Trays and Pots

One of the most essential seed starting supplies you’ll need is containers to sprout seeds in. Yet there are tons of different styles available: plastic pots, soil blockers, paper pots, and more. Each one has its pros and cons, and every gardener has their own preference on what to use!

Here are a few popular options:

• All-in-one seed starting kits make it exceptionally easy to get going. For example, this Growease kit includes a 12 or 24-cell seedling tray, a self-watering wicking reservoir to prevent overwatering, and a clear humidity dome to keep things nice and damp during germination. It’s also made of durable, BPA-free, post-consumer recycled plastic! This Growease combo pack also includes seed starting soil, and this kit offers extra large cells.
  
  
• If you like classic trays and cells but want to avoid plastic, consider this awesome galvanized steel self-watering seed starting tray. It also has a wicking reservoir, is quite snazzy-looking, and should last forever! Pair it with these compostable wooden plant markers to complete the set.
  
  
• One of the most sustainable options is to avoid pots entirely and create your own soil blocks using a nifty soil block maker tool. However, you’ll still need a bottom tray to nest the soil blocks in, like these reusable heavy-duty 1020 trays.
  
  
• If you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own newspaper pots with the assistance of a paper pot maker. Even though newspaper is biodegradable, I suggest to gently peel away the pot (compost it) or at least tear off the bottom before transplanting the seedlings outdoors. If planted, paper often degrades more slowly than plant roots grow, leaving them restricted and root-bound. The same applies to any pre-made “plantable” biodegradable pots. 

QUICK TIP: No matter which pots or trays you choose, it’s helpful to keep them covered with a reusable humidity dome or clear plastic after planting seeds. This prevents the soil and seeds from drying out, and aids in rapid germination. However, it’s very important to remove the cover as soon as the seeds sprout!

3) Grow Lights

From the moment they sprout, seedlings need ample bright direct light to thrive. Without it, they grow undesirably tall, weak and floppy (also known as getting “leggy”) as they stretch out in search of better light. Unfortunately, ambient light from a sunny window is generally not strong enough to grow healthy, compact seedlings indoors, especially during the shorter days of winter. Yet that’s where grow lights come in to save the day! 

For the best results, keep grow lights on over seedlings for about 14 to 16 hours per day. An outlet light timer really comes in handy here! It’s also best to keep the lights low over the seedlings, hung just a few inches above them and then raise the light as the plants grow. (Some LED lights require more clearance, so check the manufacturer’s recommendations.)

Grow light options

Like other seed starting supplies, grow lights come in a wide array of shapes and sizes to suit different gardeners’ needs – ranging from single light fixtures to specialized multi-tier shelving units with built-in grow lights. Here are several great options to consider:

• An LED Tabletop light is perfect for starting a modest amount of seedlings on a table in your garage, basement, or other spare space. The light is suspended from a durable, adjustable frame that allows you to easily raise the lights as the seedlings grow.
  
  
• A 2 or 3-Tier Sunlite Garden provides space to grow a generous amount of seedlings on a dedicated shelving unit, equipped with high-quality adjustable grow lights. They come with a choice of standard fluorescent lights, efficient LED lights, or high-intensity LED lights that offer 50% more light. This is what we use! See all Sunlite Garden sizes and styles here.
  
  
• Gardener’s Stack-n-Grow light system is a fantastic way to start small, and then add more grow lights as your indoor seed starting adventures expand in the future! The base has two 3-foot T9 fluorescent lights, and then you can simply stack more tiers on top as needed. It also comes in an LED version. 
  
  
• Do you already have a shelf, or just need a light? Consider this classic four-tube T9 light fixture paired with an adjustable pulley to hang it. Or, these compact high-output LED magnetic lights that will easily stick to the underside of a metal shelf or similar. 

Check out all of the awesome grow light options from Gardener’s Supply Company here.

4) A Heat Mat

For fast and even germination, most seeds prefer soil temperatures around 70-75°F to sprout. Warm soil also encourages speedy root growth! Seedling heat mats are specifically designed to keep soil in the ideal temperature range. They come in a variety of sizes, and are very helpful when starting seeds indoors, in a garage, or even in a greenhouse – especially during cooler times of year. 

5) A Watering Can 

Before seeds sprout, it’s great to use a spray bottle to keep the top of the soil moist. However, once they do sprout, it’s best to switch to bottom-watering. (That’s when you pour water into the tray below the seedlings, and the soil drinks it up from the bottom.) A watering can with a long narrow spout like this makes bottom-watering a breeze.

Bottom-watering seedlings offers many benefits. It encourages roots to grow deep into the soil, keeps the soil more evenly moist, and reduces the risk of damping off or disturbing seedlings. It also reduces the likelihood that you’ll overwater! Just be sure to only add so much water that the soil can completely soak up within a few hours.

6) A Fan for Airflow

Good airflow is key for growing healthy seedlings. It helps prevent damping off, a fungal disease that results in sudden seedling death. As they wiggle in the gentle breeze, air circulation also makes seedling stems grow stronger and therefore reduces the risk of damage or shock once transplanted outdoors (part of the important hardening off process). 

So, plan to have a fan nearby! We have a large standing oscillating fan in our grow room, but this handy 6” clip-on fan is perfect for smaller spaces. Keep the airflow directed near the seedlings, but not so direct or strong that it causes them to bend over.

7) Gentle Fertilizer

The last item on this list of useful indoor seed starting supplies is fertilizer. However, seedlings don’t need fertilizer right after they sprout. In fact, it can actually harm or stunt them if used too early! But as they get larger, seedlings will greatly appreciate added nutritional support in the form of a mild fertilizer – especially if it will still be a number of weeks until they’re transplanted outside. 

Dilute fish fertilizer or seaweed extract are excellent gentle choices for seedlings. I recommend mixing the fertilizer concentrate with water and then pouring it in the tray below the seedlings to soak up, just like bottom-watering. Wait to start fertilizing seedlings until they’ve grown a couple sets of true leaves, or at least 3 weeks after germination or older. Follow the manufacturer recommendations in regards to amount, or even err on the lighter side. We also like to make homemade aloe vera fertilizer for seedlings as a special treat. 

And that concludes this list of must-have indoor seed starting supplies.

Growing your own food from seed is an incredibly rewarding and exciting thing to do. There are so many awesome varieties and options out there! I hope this guide helps you feel more prepared to grow along – with the right tools to succeed! Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below. If you found this information to be useful, please consider sharing or pinning this post. Thank you for tuning in today, and happy seed starting!

You may also like:

• Seed Starting 101: How to Sow Seeds Indoors
• When to Start Seeds: Garden Planting Calendars for Every Zone
• 12 Places to Buy Organic, Heirloom and Non-GMO Garden Seeds
• Seed Storage: The Best Way to Store & Organize Garden Seeds
• Transplanting Seedlings Outside: Tips for Success
• See our full collection of helpful seed starting articles here

The post 7 Useful Seed Starting Supplies for Success Indoors appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

As a gardener, it’s important to understand chill hours, especially if you’re growing fruit trees. After all, selecting a fruit tree variety with the wrong chilling hour requirements for your area can lead to lackluster fruit production – or no fruit at all! So read along to learn about chill hours, including why they’re important, which trees need them, and how to find the number of chill hours in your area.

I’ve also included some general tips on selecting fruit trees (like, don’t forget the cross-pollinators!) and a handy chill hour chart for dozens of popular fruit tree varieties at the end of this post.

What are chill hours? 

In the world of horticulture, chill hours refer to the total number of hours between 32 and 45°F that an area receives on average each winter. Denoted as “CU” (chill units), chill hours are essential for certain plants to break dormancy and set fruit come spring.

Chill hours don’t need to be consecutive. Rather, chill hours are noted as the cumulative total hours in that temperature range occurring between November and March. Hours below 32°F don’t count. And for every day that reaches over 60°F, one half-hour of chilling hours is subtracted from the total. 

It’s crucial to pay attention to chill hours when selecting fruit trees for your garden. If not, you may spend precious time, money and energy tending to a tree that will never bear fruit for you! For instance, a fruit tree that needs 800 chill hours will not produce fruit if planted somewhere that only receives 500 chill hours. Read the tag or description of the tree; it will tell you how many chill hours it needs!

Chill hours are different from cold hardiness, which is the lowest temperature that a tree or plant can tolerate without dying. 

Why do trees need chill hours?

Scientists still don’t fully understand the physiological changes that occur in trees in response to chilling hours. What is known is that cold temperatures trigger a hormonal response that allows buds to develop into viable flowers and future fruit once the weather begins to warm up again. Without adequate chill hours, the fruit tree’s flower buds may not bloom in spring, or the flowers may open unevenly – resulting in lesser, late, or no fruit production at all. Leaf growth may also be interrupted or delayed.   

Fruit trees aside, many other plants rely on cold temperatures to grow well too. Blueberries, kiwis, garlic, echinacea, native milkweed, tulips, nut trees and other deciduous trees – just to name a few. You may also hear this referred to as “vernalization” or “cold stratification” (which are two slightly different things, but similar concepts). 

What types of fruit trees require chill hours?

Most fruit trees require some chill hours in order to bear fruit. Peaches, plums, nectarines, apples, figs, cherries, apricots, persimmons, pears, pomegranates, and more. Aside from a chilling requirement, these fruit trees all have something else in common: they are deciduous, or lose their leaves over winter. On the other hand, avocado, citrus and mango trees (some of the few evergreen fruit trees) do not require chilling hours at all.  

Among those listed above, apples, pears, and stone fruit are notorious for needing the greatest number of chill hours, while persimmons, figs, and pomegranates require the least overall. However, the number of chill hours needed varies greatly depending on the cultivar – even among the same type of fruit tree! 

Take apples for example. Most apple varieties need between 500 to 1000 chill hours. Ever-popular Gala apples require around 500 chill hours. Golden Delicious needs 600-700. Red Delicious needs up to 800 hours or greater. Yet there are several varieties of apples that only need 200-300 chill hours (such as Anna or Golden Dorsett) making those a great choice for mild climate gardeners. 

As you start to look around, you’ll see there are fruit tree varieties with chilling requirements suitable for every climate or growing zone! 

How to find how many chill hours my area receives?

There are a lot of resources available online to help you find the number of chill hours in your area. See the map below for a general idea. I’ve also put together a list of a few chill hour lookup tools below, but you can usually find the answer with a quick Google search for your town or county too!

Chill hour lookup tools:

• California Chill Calculator from UC Davis
• AgroClimate Southeast Chill Hour Map (Florida and Georgia)
• Texas Chill Hour Map
• Another great option is this map lookup tool. First zoom in to your area, and copy or jot down the name or code for the nearest weather station to you. For example, ours is E8214 (though some are all letters). Then, enter that weather station ID number in this “Get Chill” database to see how many chill hours your area accumulates! 
• You can also click on various sections of this national chill hour map to zoom into specific states and localities.
• I’ve found that these tools provide slightly different results for our area, so I like to check several to compare and average them.

Choosing Fruit Trees for Your Area 

When choosing fruit trees, be sure to select varieties that need the same number or fewer chill hours than your area receives. For example, our area gets an average of 400 chill hours, so we’d want to select varieties that need 400 hours or less. That’s not to say varieties with low chilling requirements can’t be grown in areas that receive more though! Many varieties are well-adapted to both mild and colder climates. But generally speaking, the higher the chill hours needed, the more cold-hardy the variety is. That said, be sure to choose trees that are compatible with your hardiness zone!

Keep in mind that average chill hours are reported. Meaning, some years may accumulate more or less chill hours depending on the weather that particular winter. Therefore, it’s wise to plant a variety of cultivars with a range of chilling requirements to offset odd years. 

Yet if you have limited growing space, play it safe by selecting fruit trees with chill hours needs well below your average to help ensure a good crop despite a slightly warmer winter. In our area, that would mean planting fruit tree varieties that only require 100-300 chilling hours (as opposed to the full 400).

If possible, buy trees from local nurseries. In addition to the perk of supporting a local business, they’ll most likely carry fruit tree varieties that are well-suited for your climate. The staff is usually quite knowledgeable and willing to provide guidance as well! Otherwise, Fast Growing Trees and Nature Hills Nursery are two reputable online tree retailers. 

Don’t forget a cross-pollinator!

Many fruit trees need a partner tree nearby for cross-pollination and to set fruit, including most apples, pears, plums, sweet cherries, and avocados. Two trees are considered a good match for cross-pollination based on their pollen type and when their flowers bloom. Most often, it is a second variety of the same type of tree (e.g. a Fuji apple and a Pink Lady apple). 

Some trees may be described as self-fruitful, self-fertile, or self-pollinating. This means they will produce decent fruit without a cross-pollination partner nearby. However, most “self-fertile” trees often produce an even more bountiful harvest (in both size and quality) if a partner tree is provided! Refer to the description for the fruit tree variety you’re interested in for more specific pointers. 

The important work of fruit tree cross-pollination is usually mostly done by bees, though the wind and other pollinators can play a small role too. To cross-pollenize, bees can carry pollen quite a distance! A neighbor’s tree several blocks away may help to pollinate a tree in your yard. However, it’s recommended to keep partner trees within 100 feet or closer for the best pollination results. 

Popular Fruit Tree Varieties & Chill Hour Requirements 

And that concludes this lesson on fruit tree chill hour requirements.

I hope this was helpful, and that you learned something new. (I actually learned a few new facts myself, which is always fun!) Now comes the hardest part: narrowing down your choices! Once you you’ve selected a few new fruit trees for your garden, be sure to pop over to our Tree Planting Guide; it’s full of tips for success. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below. Also please consider pinning or sharing this post if you found it useful. Thank you for tuning in!

You may also like:

• How to Grow Pineapple Guava (Feijoa): Cold-Hardy Tropical Fruit
• Growing Avocados: Varieties, Climate, Planting & Care
• 20 Awesome Avocado Varieties (Type A & Type B Avocados)
• How to Grow Fig Trees
• 18 Fantastic Fig Tree Varieties to Grow at Home
• How to Grow Purple Passion Fruit and Maypops

The post What Are Fruit Tree Chill Hours? Helpful Charts + Area Maps appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

This article will cover three different options to set up drip irrigation for containers or pots:

• SECTION 1: First I’ll show you how to easily connect drip irrigation emitters to pots, wine barrels or other containers from an existing drip system. 

• SECTION 2: If you don’t have an existing drip line to connect to, we’ll also cover how to set up a brand new drip irrigation system for pots – right from an outdoor faucet or garden hose.

• SECTION 3: Finally, I’ll share how we set up a drip irrigation system for containers connected to existing PVC pipe.
  

Looking to set up drip irrigation for raised garden beds? See this tutorial on installing drip tape in raised beds, or this extra-easy raised bed drip system that connects to a spigot. Also, this guide covers more tips on gardening in wine barrels – including how to prep them for planting, soil, example plant spacing, and more.

Option 1: Connecting Drip Irrigation to Pots from an Existing Drip Line

If you already have an existing drip line nearby (you know, the ½” black irrigation tubing) then you’re in luck! That’s the easiest way to add drip irrigation to containers. If your ½” main line tubing is within 5 to 10 feet of your pots, you can simply add ¼” micro-tubing from the main line right into the containers. Follow the simple instructions below.

Or, if your existing drip ½” main line is a bit farther away, you can easily extend it to be closer to your pots. Simply cut the existing main line with sharp scissors, add a ½” coupler or tee, and then connect a new section of ½” irrigation tubing to extend the existing line where needed. Cap the open end of the new main line with a figure 8 clamp. Avoid distances much over 100 feet to maintain good pressure in the lines.

Supplies Needed

• ¼” microtubing
• ¼” barbed couplers or connectors
• Drip emitters of choice, such as 1 GPH or 2 GPH drippers, bubblers, or micro sprinklers.
• Irrigation hole punch tool
• To make a DIY drip emitter ring like ours (shown below), you’ll also need these 1/4″ barbed tees and this ¼” drip emitter tubing.
• Galvanized steel landscape staples to pin everything in place
• Optional: 1/4″ elbow connectors or 1/4″ shut off valves – explained and shown below

Instructions

1. Use an irrigation punch tool to add a hole to the ½” main line somewhere close to the pot or container you wish to water.
2. Insert one end of a barbed coupler into ¼” microtubing, and the other end into the hole you made in the mainline.
3. Run the micro-tubing over to the base of the pot and secure it there with a landscape staple. Then continue to run the tubing up the outside of the pot and into the top. Cut the microtubing where you wish to attach an emitter, such as at the base of a plant or in the center of the pot.
4. For an even more clean appearance, you can add a barbed elbow connector to the microtubing at the top rim of the pot, enabling it to sit more flush against it. Simply make a cut in the tubing at the top and insert the connector to create a corner (shown below).
5. Finally, attach a drip emitter of choice to the end of the microtubing. Emitter options explained more below. 
6. Pin everything in place with landscape staples.

Drip Emitter Options for Containers

It’s easy to customize a container drip irrigation system to meet the unique needs of your plants, climate, or pot size! However, it’s hard for me to say exactly how much you’ll need to water. There are just too many variables. In general, most plants prefer a consistent watering schedule that dampens the soil deeply, but is also allowed to dry out ever-so-lightly between watering. Plants breathe through their roots, so most do not enjoy constantly soggy soil. The emitters you choose and the duration you run your drip system will influence how much water each plant receives.

For larger containers or plants that enjoy ample moisture, use a bubbler or micro-spinkler (several if needed). Those offer a higher GPH flow and will water more surface area. For smaller pots or drought-tolerant plants, a single 1 GPH or 2 GPH drip emitter may be sufficient. 

You can also find specialized drip emitter rings that are made for watering containers – like this 5 inch ring, or this 10 inch option. Or, see how we make our own drip rings below! They can be customized to any pot size, including wine barrels or extra large grow bags. Another optional step is to add a 1/4″ valve to the line feeding each container so you can shut off water to individual pots if needed. 

Option 2: Creating a New Drip Irrigation System for Pots From a Faucet or Garden Hose 

It’s easy to set up a new drip irrigation system for pots from an outdoor faucet, or even connected right to the end of a garden hose. Zero plumbing skills are required! Though you’ll need a few additional supplies (plus those already listed above in Option 1):

Supplies

• ½” irrigation tubing (main line)
• This 4-in-1 adapter. It screws onto the faucet or garden hose on one end, and then has an adapter to connect the ½” irrigation tubing to the other. It also has a pressure reducer (required), filter, and backflow preventer. This is a very important piece. Drip irrigation systems must operate at 20 to 40 psi, and are also sensitive to debris. The pressure reducer and filter will prevent blowout and clogging respectively, and the backflow preventer will protect your household water supply from outdoor contaminants. 
• Figure 8 clamp to end the ½” main line. 
• Optional but highly recommended: a hose timer, which will automate your containers drip irrigation system! You can find hose timers with a single outlet, or those with two outlets: one for your drip line, and the second for your regular garden hose (or another drip line).
  

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Instructions

1. Choose a faucet or spigot near the containers you wish to irrigate. To maintain adequate pressure, no more than 100 feet away is ideal. See the note below for further distances.
2. Optional: Add a hose timer to the faucet. If not, you can simply turn the faucet on and off manually to water. 
3. Screw on the 4-in-1 adapter, and connect the ½” main line tubing to the end of the adapter.
4. Run the mainline along the base of your pots. You can bury the mainline under a few inches of soil, gravel or mulch to hide it. 
5. Cut and end the mainline using a figure 8 clamp.
6. Now, follow the instructions provided in Section 1 above to add microtubing and drip emitters to each container. 

Note: If your faucet is more than 100 feet away from your containers, attach a durable garden hose to the faucet first. Run it out towards the containers, and then screw on the 4-in-1 drip adapter at the far end of the garden hose (opposite the faucet). This way, the garden hose will maintain good (higher) pressure before it’s reduced at the adapter/drip connection. Hopefully you can keep the hose tucked away (e.g. alongside the house, or under shrubs) so it’s not a tripping hazard or eyesore. 

Option 3: Connecting Drip Irrigation for Containers to PVC

One final option to set up drip irrigation for pots is to connect a new drip line to PVC. We just recently did this in our new garden. We tapped into the PVC lines that water our raised garden beds to add drip for 6 nearby wine barrels. Check out the step-by-step photos below!

Supplies Needed

• ½” drip irrigation tubing (main line)
  
  
• Figure 8 clamp to end the ½” main line (unless you create a loop like we did).
  
  
• PVC glue, primer, and a pipe cutter (most likely)
  
  

• A pressure regulator, backflow preventer and filter. All drip irrigation systems must have the incoming water reduced down to 20 – 40 psi. A filter prevents debris from entering and clogging your drip system. A backflow device will stop soil and other contaminants from getting back into your household water supply. Our PVC system already had a filter, backflow preventer, and pressure regulator (40 psi) installed at the head assembly/start of the system. If your PVC system lacks these components, I suggest using this 4-in-1 adapter at your point of connection. Then you won’t need the adapter below. Note that it connects to a ¾” MHT PVC part (hose thread, not pipe thread).
  
  
• If your PVC line already has a pressure reducer, backflow preventer and filter upstream like ours, then all you need is a PVC-to-drip tubing adapter. This part will vary depending on the diameter of your PVC pipe and overall system configuration (e.g. glued vs threaded). For instance, we first attached (glued on) this 3/4″ threaded coupler to our PVC pipe. Next we screwed on this 3/4″ adapter that connects to 1/2″ tubing. Here is another adapter option with a shut-off valve included. Browse various drip tubing fittings from Drip Depot here. They’ll have what you need! If you’re new to irrigation, pay attention to hose thread versus pipe thread fittings for compatibility between parts (noted as MHT vs MPT). See photos and more details below.
  
  

• Finally, you’ll need the other supplies listed under Option 1. Such as ¼” microtubing, barbed couplings, drip emitters of choice, and optional valves for each container.

Instructions 

1. Find a PVC irrigation line near the containers you wish to irrigate. A dead end is ideal, though you could create a tee or dead end using various PVC couplings and fittings. Bring the line up to the soil surface with a riser if needed. A good pipe cutter and PVC glue will come in handy here. 
   
   
2. Connect the ½” drip line using an adapter that is compatible with your system (described in the supplies sections above).
   
   
3. Also add a pressure reducer, filter and backflow preventer if your system doesn’t already have those in place.
   
   
4. Now run your ½” main drip line to/around the base of your containers as needed. 
   
   
5. Follow the instructions provided in Option 1 to add microtubing, valves and various drip emitters to each container.  

And that is how to set up a drip irrigation system for containers and pots.

All in all, I understand that irrigation can feel a tad overwhelming at first. But it certainly isn’t anything to be afraid of! It’s mostly just puzzling pieces together. I hope this how-to makes you feel confident and comfortable to go set up a drip irrigation system for your containers too! We rely on ours so much. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below. Also please considering sharing or pinning this article if you found it useful. Thank you so much for reading!

You may also like:

• How to Install Drip Irrigation to a Hose Bib or Faucet (video included)
• Installing Drip Irrigation for Raised Garden Beds (video included)
• Gardening in Wine Barrel Planters: The Ultimate Guide
• How to Build a Raised Garden Bed (video included)
• Rainwater Harvesting 101: How to Set up a Rainwater Collection System

The post How to Set Up Drip Irrigation for Pots, Wine Barrels, Containers appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

What you’ll find in this article:

• A quick introduction to wine barrel planters
• The benefits and perks of gardening in wine barrels
• Tips on where to buy wine barrels
• Plant spacing recommendations and examples
• Adding drainage holes to wine barrels
• Filling the barrel with soil (how much and type)
• Fertilizer recommendations
• Irrigation tips
• Plenty of photos for wine barrel garden inspo!

About wine barrel planters

Wine barrels are used in the winemaking industry (no kidding, huh?). They’re very durable, usually made of thick oak wood planks with metal rings around them for stability. Most folks use half wine barrels for gardening (aka, ones that have been cut in half). Full-size wine barrels aren’t used as often since they’re exceptionally tall and require a lot of soil to fill them! You may also be able to find quarter or three-quarter wine barrels in some places too. 

Benefits of Gardening in Wine Barrels

• Wine barrels are awesome for growing food, flowers, herbs, or even trees in small spaces like patio gardens. 
  
  
• Because they’re fairly light and portable (compared to other garden beds), wine barrel gardens are the perfect solution for renters. You can bring them with you when you move!
  
  
• Wine barrels are nice and deep, providing ample room for a wide variety of plants to flourish, including deep-rooted crops like tomatoes or carrots. 
  
  
• Gardening in wine barrels creates a controlled environment which you can tailor to a specific plant’s needs. For example, fill the wine barrel with acidic soil or use acidic fertilizers to grow blueberries or potatoes. Wine barrels are also ideal for growing and confining invasive plants like mint. 
  
  
• Unlike other raised beds, gardening in wine barrels requires no assembly, building skills or tools (with the exception of a drill to add drainage holes).
  
  
• Wine barrels add character and curves to the garden. Even though we have dozens of large raised garden beds, we always add wine barrel planters for a little whimsy too!
  
  
• It’s easy to make wine barrel planters mobile on hard surfaces. Simply screw heavy-duty casters to the bottom! This is especially useful in small spaces where you may want to rearrange things based on the sun exposure, entertaining, or other needs. 
  
  
• Wine barrels last a long time – for several years minimum, up to 10 or more (depending on quality and climate). Learn how to make your wood raised garden beds last as long as possible here.
  
  
• Believe it or not, wine barrels are technically a “waste product” of the wine industry. Therefore, gardening in wine barrels is sustainable! You’re doing your part to reduce waste by giving them a second life. 
  
  
• Since they’re self-contained, wine barrels are automatically mole, vole and gopher-proof. (A huge perk here!)

Where to buy wine barrels for gardening

If you live in wine country like we do, you’re in luck! Wine barrels are generally pretty easy to find at local nurseries, Tractor Supply, and on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. Big box garden centers often carry them too, especially to kick off the spring garden season. Here are some wine barrels currently available from Home Depot. They don’t ship to home, but might be able to transfer to your local store. You can also usually find faux wine barrels like these stylish ones made from fir (though they likely won’t last as long as the real ones). 

If you can’t find wine barrels, keep an eye out for whiskey barrels too! Whiskey barrels are also typically made from oak, very durable, and great at retaining soil and moisture. They’re just a tad smaller than wine barrels; full size whiskey barrels hold 53 gallons of liquid rather than 59 gallons like wine barrels. When in doubt, call around and see what you can find – including wineries or distilleries in your area!

How many plants can I fit in a wine barrel?

You’d be surprised at how many plants you can fit in a wine barrel planter! The surface area is just over 4 square feet, much larger than your average pot.  However, it’s still important to maintain proper spacing between plants – just like you would in any other garden bed. Crowded plants won’t thrive as they compete for root space, nutrients, water, sun and airflow.

You can grow the following plants in standard half wine barrel planter:

• 1 tomato plant
• 1 dwarf fruit tree or fruiting shrub (e.g. blueberry bush or pineapple guava)
• 1 large ornamental shrub, artichoke, or hemp plant
• 1 bush zucchini or squash plant, perhaps 2 if it’s a trailing variety.
• 1 or 2 broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower plants
• 2 or 3 climbing cucumber plants 
• 2 or 3 pepper plants or eggplant
• 4 kale, collard greens, bok choy, or similar large leafy green plants
• 6 to 8 heads of lettuce, strawberry plants, fava beans, or bush beans
• 10-12 onions, depending on variety
• 12+ snow or snap peas (planted in a ring around a central trellis or teepee support)
• Up to 20 bulbs of garlic
• Dozens of carrots, radishes, or turnips
• Several annual flower or herb plants, depending on variety
• Other crops we like to grow in wine barrels include turmeric, ginger, horseradish, rhubarb, and so much more!

Don’t forget about companion plants! Even if your barrel only fits one or two large plants, you can tuck a few smaller ones around it. For instance, one tomato plant in the center with a couple basil or marigolds around the edges.

Adding drainage holes to wine barrels planters

Before filling your wine barrels with soil, use a drill and large drill bit to add at least 6 large drainage holes spread evenly across the bottom of the barrel. We’ve added ¾” holes in the past, which is a great size but drains the drill battery fast. (The bottoms are really thick!) In the most recent wine barrel planters we set up, we added about 9 half-inch holes instead. I wouldn’t recommend anything smaller than half-inch.

This is a crucial step; one you cannot skip! Think about it: wine barrels and whiskey barrels are made to hold liquid without leaking. Sure, they may drain a little between the seams as they age, but overall they’re excellent at retaining moisture. If you don’t add plenty of drainage holes, the soil will get too soggy and plants can easily drown and rot.

We also usually add a layer of durable water-permeable landscape fabric to the bottom of the barrel to prevent the drainage holes from getting clogged with soil. That is a great way to ensure invasive roots like mint runners don’t escape from the bottom of the barrel too!

Elevate before planting

Avoid setting your wine barrel planters directly on soil. Instead, elevate them slightly on bricks or pavers to reduce wood-to-earth contact on the bottom. This will prevent the bottom from rotting – and extend the life of your wine barrel! You don’t need to elevate barrels if they’re on concrete or gravel, but can do so if you wish. Even though most of our barrels are in gravel, we still often tuck several bricks under the perimeter to help them sit level.  Reminder: Wine barrel planters are very heavy once they’re full of soil, so be sure to do this prior to filling them up!

Filling Wine Barrels with Soil

Fill wine barrel planters with potting soil or other soil that is specifically made for containers or raised garden beds. It should be fluffy and well-draining (usually contains perlite or pumice) and moderately rich in organic matter. We typically use quality bagged potting soil mixed with some well-aged compost, but the compost makes up no more than 30% of the total volume. 

Last but not least, don’t forget to top off your barrel with a good layer of mulch! Mulch will insulate the soil, protect plant roots from temperature swings, and aid in moisture retention.

How much soil do I need to fill a wine barrel planter?

Most wine barrels hold about 4 to 5 cubic feet of soil. Once cut in half, the average wine barrel is about 27 inches in diameter and can range from 16 to 18 inches tall. A quick run of the numbers (V=πr2h, anyone?) allows us to determine the volume it holds. For reference, potting soil usually comes in 2 or 3 cubic-foot bags. So, plan on using 2 to 3 bags of soil per barrel.

Fertilizing plants in wine barrels

Like any other potted plant, wine barrels will have slightly higher fertilizer needs than in-ground gardens or larger raised beds. That is because there is more runoff and less overall soil volume to store nutrients. 

Plan to amend your wine barrel planters at least annually, maybe more depending on the plant’s needs. For instance, one round of fertilizer in the spring before planting short-lived annual veggie crops would be sufficient. However, trees or other perennials growing in wine barrels may benefit from fertilizer 2 or 3 times per year. 

We amend the soil in our wine barrel planters with the same types of mild slow-release organic fertilizers we use in our raised garden beds, including kelp meal, neem seed meal, alfalfa meal and basalt rock dust. Or, try this all-in-one organic all purpose fertilizer. Here is another great option specifically for fruit trees.

We also like to water with homemade aerated compost tea a few times per year, which provides gentle nutrients along with important beneficial microbes! Mycorrhizae is another excellent natural addition to support root growth and fruit production, and increase overall plant health and resilience.

How to water wine barrel planters

Irrigation needs vary drastically depending on your climate and what you’re growing. For example, large plants with expansive root systems require more frequent water (and the soil dries out faster) than young plants. Most plants prefer consistently damp soil. But remember, they also breathe through their roots! So, water your wine barrels often enough so the soil doesn’t fully dry out between watering, but also doesn’t stay sopping wet all the time. When in doubt, do a “finger check” and explore several inches below the soil surface to assess moisture.

There are a number of ways to water wine barrels. Most of our barrels are all connected to automated drip irrigation, which is incredibly convenient! Learn how to connect wine barrels (and other pots or containers) to drip irrigation in this tutorial. I even show you how to set up a simple new drip line to a nearby faucet or spigot, or to PVC pipe. Then of course there is good old-fashioned hand watering with a garden hose or watering can.

Clay ollas can greatly reduce the amount and frequency you need to hand water! Before setting up automated drip irrigation to our newest wine barrels, we’d often stick a medium GrowOya inside the barrel and plant around it. If you’re not familiar with ollas, they are vessels that you bury in the soil, fill with water on occasion, and the water slowly seeps through the porous terracotta into the surrounding soil – helping the soil stay moist much longer! Discount code “deannacat” will save you 5% at GrowOya.

And that concludes this guide on gardening in wine barrels.

As you can see, there are dozens of benefits to gardening in wine barrels – and even more plants that you can grow in them! It’s also probably pretty obvious that we love using barrels in our own gardens. I hope you enjoyed learning more about them, and are able to make good use of few wine barrel planters in your own garden too. If you found this information to be valuable, please spread the love by sharing or pinning this post! Also feel free to ask questions or chime in with any tips in the comments below. See you next time!

Don’t miss these related articles:

• How to Build a Raised Garden Bed: Step-by-Step Guide (and video)
• 9 Ways to Add Whimsy and Interest to Your Garden
• How to Grow Fig Trees
• Non-Toxic Gopher Control: How to Gopher-Proof Your Garden
• How to Grow Pineapple Guava (Feijoa): Cold-Hardy Tropical Fruit
• How to Grow Turmeric in Containers, in Any Zone
• How to Grow Artichokes: A Complete Guide with Photos

The post Gardening in Wine Barrel Planters: The Ultimate Guide appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Close your eyes and picture a lush garden at sundown. As the last rays of sun kiss the colorful plants, flickering tiki torches start to illuminate one-by-one as a water fountain babbles softly nearby. Gardens can be downright magical. Along with bountiful food, flowers, habitat, and beauty, they’re capable of providing immense joy and peace – especially if you make a little effort to enhance your space beyond the basics! It’s time to create your own paradise at home.

I should probably mention that I’m not a professional landscape designer, but our gardens always have ample style and beauty! Also, the tips we’ll explore today can be applied to any size garden. You’ll see plenty of photos of both modest and large spaces below. We spent many years curating the gardens at our old ⅕ acre urban homestead; it was overflowing with charm by the time we moved away! We’re still working on weaving the whimsy into our big brand new garden… slowly but surely.

HOW TO ADD INTEREST TO YOUR GARDEN

1) Mix Textures, Materials & Shapes

Use a variety of plant textures, ground cover and hardscaping materials to create balance in your garden. For instance, I like to incorporate curved lines, round stones, large boulders, tree stumps or interesting branches, potted plants and wine barrel planters into our landscape to soften the space and offset the hard angles created by our rectangular raised garden beds and pavers. I also find using a combination of gravel and bark or wood chips (nearby, but not together) creates a nice blend of rustic and modern. Visit your local bulk landscape supply company to see what materials they offer.

Play with height and add interest to your garden by mixing a combination of raised beds and in-ground planting areas. You could even arrange your garden beds in an interesting pattern, such as a U-shape or herringbone layout. Raised planting spaces don’t have to be traditional wood garden beds either! We’ve created terraces and large elevated perennial planter beds using stone blocks (shown below). Galvanized steel raised beds also add a unique flair. See this article for more ideas about alternative raised garden bed materials.

In perennial landscapes, mix plants with various heights, leaf size or structure, and bloom times. Add flowy plants like native ornamental grasses or ferns to balance the more structured ones. On the flip side, we like to incorporate stately cacti and agave to complement all of our other softer plantings. Trees create the most majestic vibes of them all. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment! You can always change plants later.

2) Play with Color

In addition to plants and flowers, there are plenty of other ways to add pops of color to your garden. Incorporate colorful ceramic pots, yard art, outdoor pillows and patio furniture, shade umbrellas, or an outdoor rug. Heck, you could even paint your fence or arbors! Black fences and arbors have been especially trendy lately.

Hardscaping materials like flagstone or gravel can make a color statement too. In our old garden, we used stunning pastel-colored cobblestones that looked gorgeous against the blue-green gravel. Yet the materials in our new garden are a bit more rustic and natural. I love both for different reasons!

Decide if you want to stick with a particular limited color scheme, or mix and match many colors for an extra playful space. For example, we grow annual flowers in every color of the rainbow, but I usually choose purple, pink and yellow flowers in our perennial landscape. I also tend to be drawn to blue, green or purple pots, pillows and other accents.

3) Light it Up

Solar lights are one of my favorite ways to add interest to the garden! Come evening time, our outdoor spaces feel downright magical. We use a combination of solar pathway lights and awesome flickering solar tiki torches (they look like real flames!) that have held up wonderfully over the years. Our arched trellises are adorned with solar fairy string lights, which we’ve also strung along fences and around garden beds over the years. Overhead bistro lights are always fun, and add even more functional bright light for entertaining. 

And of course, don’t forget a fire pit! In addition to light, fire pits provide warmth and cozy ambience. We absolutely love our low-profile round gas fire pit, perfect for kicking your feet up to warm by the fire. Other ways to add mood lighting in the garden include tabletop lanterns, citronella candles, or landscape spotlights under trees. I absolutely love the way they light up our oak canopy! See more details below.

Tip: Did you know that you can change the batteries in many solar lights? If the lights start to look weak or stop working, simply swap out the batteries with new rechargeable solar batteries. Also, you can turn them on and off to conserve battery life – rather than leaving them on all night long. 

4) Adorn with Art 

Add personality, flair, and interest to your garden with outdoor art. Adorn the space with metal sculptures, statues, a cute sign, garden flags, murals, or other artistic accents that suit your style. Pop in an old wagon wheel, a few little mushrooms or gnomes if that tickles your fancy! Get crafty and make your own art, or look around your local garden centers. I’ve also seen some creative flower beds made from old clawfoot bathtubs or wheelbarrows.

Gardener’s Supply Co has some really cute yard and garden decor options – including metal sculptures, weathervanes, wind spinners, statues and more. Don’t forget to add a pretty hummingbird feeder for our little friends!

We have a variety of decorative metal flowers, birds, leaves, suns, and butterflies throughout our garden space, along with a few fun windmills and this adorable rustic steel hummingbird. Our old homestead was dubbed “the beach jungalow”, so I created a sun mural out of sand dollars. I also found a fun “garden” sign at our local nursery, and then customized it with small copper tubing to create the shape of a rising sun. We also made a rad insect hotel (which is honestly serving more as an art piece than functional bug hotel at this point. Lol.)

5) Define Borders & Pathways

Define your space by accenting borders or transition areas with edging, decorative rocks, pavers, logs, attractive fences, arbors, arches, low-growing shrubs, or other materials. This could include the edges of a pathway, around an in-ground flower bed, a central patio area, the perimeter of the entire garden, or a statement at the entrance to the space. Adding a few stepping stones between garden beds makes the space look far more interesting and complete. It’s amazing what a big difference a few details can make! 

6) Grow Vertical

One awesome way to add interest to your garden is to grow UP. Use vertical trellises, arches, or arbors to create dimension – and increase your usable growing space! In the veggie garden, things like pole beans, peas, vining squash and cucumbers all love to climb. Passionfruit and kiwi are two vining perennial fruits. Other beautiful ornamental plants well-suited for climbing include jasmine, wisteria, bower vines, trumpet vines, black eyed susan, or trailing roses. 

There are also some really awesome vertical garden towers (not just for trailing plants) that are perfect for small or urban spaces. Finally, don’t forget about hanging baskets – especially around your porch or patio garden!

Need some trellis inspo? Check out our step-by-step tutorial on how to create an inexpensive DIY (flat) trellis. As far as arched trellises go, we found ours at a local nursery – but I know many folks make similar ones out of cattle or hog panel too! Or, check out these beautiful arches and arbors from Gardener’s Supply. I especially love their rounded “moon gate” or modern Gracie ones.

7) Water Features

No yard or garden space is complete without a water feature, IMHO. Water features can provide flowing movement, soothing sounds, and also offer an important lifeline to wildlife and pollinators! A water feature can be as simple as a birdbath, as stately as a fountain, or as elaborate as a pond and waterfall. In deeper fountains or bird baths, add a few large stones for bees, small birds, or lizards to safely perch on. 

We’ve found all of our water features at local nurseries, though I do love the look of this highly-rated ceramic bird bath and this beautiful cascading lotus fountain. You can also get crafty and create your own small pond in a wine barrel, galvanized metal tub/trough, or a pot that doesn’t have a drainage hole. Add a basic pump and turn it into a fountain! 

If you’re concerned about mosquitoes, keep in mind that they need standing water to breed in – and 10 to 14 days to complete their life cycle. So, a running fountain is not a concern! Refresh your bird bath water at least once a week to avoid long-standing stagnant water. In larger ponds, consider adding a handful of mosquito fish to keep them away. 

8) Music to My Ears 

Sometimes the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the breeze is all you need. Yet other noises can add pleasure and interest to your garden too! (Especially if you live near a busy road or highway like we do.) We’ve already covered a popular option in the water feature section above; the sound of trickling water from a fountain is oh-so-calming! I also love the sounds of deep melodic wind chimes and rain chains. 

Tip: If your fountain is too noisy, try reducing the water flow with one of these handy tube clamps. It made our new fountain sound so much more peaceful.

More often than not, we also play music while we’re out in the garden! We simply grab our favorite wireless “Move” Sonos speaker to bring out to the patio with us, plus open the back windows. The Move is all synced up with our home Sonos speaker system via WiFi, but is also bluetooth compatible. This Bose bluetooth speaker is also highly portable and well-rated by fellow audiophiles. If you’re looking for some new tunes, be sure to check out our music playlists here. We love reggae, blues, folk, indie, alternative, and everything in between!

9) Places to Relax

Last but not least, add personality and interest to your garden with seating areas – perhaps enough to entertain! Arrange lounge chairs around a fire pit, or set up an outdoor dining space with tables and chairs. Even the most petite gardens need a bench or small bistro set! In addition to providing function and comfort, seating areas can add a lot of style to your garden too.

Elevate seating areas with pavers or flagstone, bistro lights, or even a pergola overhead! Decorate with outdoor pillows, table lanterns, citronella candles, shade umbrellas, or other accents to match your vibe. After you’ve gone through all these lengths to create such a beautiful space, it’s time to sit back, relax, and soak it all in. 

And that is how you add interest to your garden!

Well friends, I hope this article gave you plenty of ideas and inspiration to spice up your outdoor space. Remember, it took us years to get our old homestead looking as whimsical as it did, so be patient! Good things take time. (This is also me telling myself this as I compare our old garden to our new one… it feels so naked! I can’t wait for all the plant life to fill in.) Are there any other fun and quirky ways you like to add flair to your garden? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below. Now go have fun creating your own paradise at home!

You may also love:

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The post 9 Ways to Add Whimsy and Interest to Your Garden appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

What is Crop Rotation?

Crop rotation is the practice of changing or switching the crops that are grown in a particular location (e.g. a field, plot or garden bed) every season. In other words, it’s when a farmer or gardener makes a concerted effort to avoid growing the same family of vegetables in the same spot year after year. It is an essential component in regenerative and sustainable agriculture systems, alongside good mulch, companion planting, and no-till or no-dig practices. 

Crop rotation can be as simple as switching between two different crop families, or developing a planned sequence of up to a dozen crops. Allowing fields to fallow (go unplanted) or utilizing cover crops between seasons can also be part of a crop rotation routine. 

Why Crop Rotation is Important

There are numerous benefits to crop rotation. First, practicing crop rotation can naturally enhance soil fertility and reduce the demand for chemical fertilizer inputs. Even better, research indicates that harvest yields can be 10 to 25% greater when crop rotation is used in comparison to monoculture cultivation! 

Crop rotation can also help break the cycle of pests, diseases, and weeds, thereby decreasing the need for pesticides. The use of cover crops in crop rotation improves soil health while also minimizing soil erosion and runoff.  

The Rodale Institute explains that crop rotation can improve soil health and organic matter “by increasing biomass from different crops’ root structures” while increasing overall biodiversity among the soil and farm. Below ground, microorganisms and other members of the soil food web naturally thrive with variety – as do the beneficial insects, pollinators, and wildlife above ground!

Now let’s take a deeper look at a couple of these benefits.

How crop rotation improves soil fertility

Each type of plant draws slightly different nutrients from the soil. For example, tomatoes, leafy greens and corn require a good amount of nitrogen. On the other hand, legumes such as peas and beans fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and return nitrogen to the soil as they grow! Continuously planting the same crop (or members of the same plant family) in one location will easily lead to nutrient depletion or imbalance. In contrast, crop rotation allows the soil to rest, rebound, and regain balance between seasons. 

This concept extends beyond macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) to micronutrients, minerals, and even microorganisms as well. The ‘soil food web’ is a dynamic community of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and other critters that live in the soil. They’re all intimately involved in nutrient cycling, decomposition, disease suppression, and overall soil health.

The more diverse plantings we provide (including through crop rotation), the more the soil food web thrives – as do our plants!

How rotating crops reduces pests and disease

Crop rotation can break the cycle of disease or pests by removing the preferred host plant from the area. Once established during the growing season, disease-causing fungal spores or soil-dwelling organisms like cutworms, root-knot nematodes, or curl grubs can overwinter in the soil – ready and waiting to pounce on their favorite victim the following season! Growing a different or less susceptible crop in that location instead can reduce or eliminate the pests/diseases ability to reproduce or survive.

Consider powdery mildew for example (aka PM, a common fungal disease in our garden). If our zucchini plants were significantly infected with powdery mildew during the growing season, I’d try to plant something less susceptible to mildew in that location next. (Such as radishes, peppers, fava beans, onions, cabbage, or cauliflower.) It’d be wise to avoid growing other PM-prone crops like tomatoes, beans, or more squash in that spot for a season or two. They would only encourage the fungal spores to proliferate. 

Is crop rotation necessary in raised beds or home gardens?

Yes and no. Maybe so? Practicing crop rotation is an excellent goal in any setting, including raised garden beds or small plots! Home gardeners can reap many of the same benefits as larger farms. Rotating crops in raised beds can be especially useful for reducing the prevalence of persistent diseases and pests. 

However, us home gardeners already grow far more variety in our gardens than most larger operations. Many of us practice polyculture, or planting a mix of several types of crops in one small growing space or bed. I don’t know many gardeners that grow just one thing in the same bed year after year… do you? That said, crop rotation offers the largest impact and environmental benefits when used as an antidote or alternative to large-scale monoculture (the cultivation of a single crop) – which is commonly practiced in big ag, not at home.   

Furthermore, it is admittedly more difficult for a home gardener to practice “perfect” crop rotation, especially with limited growing space! We often can’t afford to give up an entire bed to fallow or grow cover crops every season. If you have several raised garden beds, it’s ideal if you can rotate crops amongst different beds each season. However, even the simple act of planting crops in alternating ends or sides of one bed is better than nothing!

Just remember: perfection is not the goal. Try your best with the space you have. And don’t forget to add companion plants to boost your crop rotation efforts!

How to Practice Crop Rotation

In the most basic crop rotation practice, simply try to grow different plant families in your beds or rows every other season. More complex rotations may span several years and involve significantly more crops, planning, and strategy. Common crop rotation schedules for large farms include cycling between corn, wheat, legumes, and other crops. 

Small farms and serious home gardeners can consider practicing a four-year crop rotation cycle, alternating between: 

• 1) Legumes such as peas, green beans, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa and fava beans.
• 2) Greens and Brassicas including kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, herbs, lettuce, and other leafy greens.
• 3) Fruiting vegetables like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, melon, peppers, eggplant, or potatoes. 
• 4) Root veggies such as turnips, radishes, beets, garlic, onion, leeks, parsnips or carrots.

Click on any of the highlighted veggies above to see our corresponding grow guides!

In a four-year crop rotation, when you start the cycle doesn’t matter, but the order does.

The legumes fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, adding to the soil. The greens and brassicas that follow then utilize a lot of nitrogen to support their leafy growth. By using up some nitrogen, the greens are also preparing the soil for the next group. Next, fruiting vegetables need ample phosphorus to develop flowers and fruit (and will focus too much on leafy green growth instead of fruit if they’re provided too much nitrogen). Finally, the root veggies are the least heavy feeders, but perform best with more potassium and phosphorus than nitrogen. Then the cycle starts all over again with nitrogen-fixing legumes.

How to Keep Track of Crop Rotation

The most difficult part of practicing crop rotation can be keeping track! Use a planner, spreadsheet or chart to keep track of what you’re growing in each bed every season. Then you can look back at previous years and also plan ahead for the future. We like to use our Homestead and Chill plot plans to map out our garden each planting season. In addition to serving as a great reference for years to come, they help me plan how many seeds to start and make transplanting day much more smooth and organized!

Some organized gardeners (and serious crop rotators) move their crops from bed to bed in sequence with the four-year crop rotation cycle. See the example below. We’ve never had enough room to follow a model quite like this in the past. But now that we have more raised beds in our new garden, we may give it a try! However there are other variables we need to consider too, such as which beds receive the best sun for the heat-loving crops versus others where more shade-tolerant plants may thrive. 

Do I still need to fertilize if I practice crop rotation?

While it’s great for the soil, you may not be able to rely on crop rotation alone to adequately nourish your plants. We recommend amending garden beds with aged compost and a top-dressing of mild, slow-release, well-balanced organic fertilizer each season. Throughout the growing season, we also like to water our garden beds with aerated compost tea – which provides gentle nutrients and boosts beneficial microorganisms. You can find our full garden bed amendment routine here.

And that’s the 411 on crop rotation.

As you can see, there are numerous benefits to practicing crop rotation. It helps your plants, soil, and the environment! Yet it can also make your head spin a little, and that’s no good. All in all, I hope that this article helped make it much easier to understand – and empowers you to try crop rotation at home if you desire! Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments below. And if you found this information useful, please spread the love by sharing or pinning this post. Catch you on the flip side!

Don’t miss these awesome articles:

• What is No-Till Gardening (aka No-Dig), Benefits Explained
• How to Kill or Remove Your Grass (and Grow Food, Not Lawns!)
• Composting 101: What, Why and How to Compost at Home
• Companion Planting 101 (with printable companion planting chart)
• How to Build Raised Garden Beds

The post How to Practice Crop Rotation (Benefits Explained) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.