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Old June 19, 2015   #1
luigiwu
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Default My Urban RGGS Container Garden

I have a very small backyard and work long hours. I'm so thankful to have come across Larry Hall's Rain Gutter Grow System technique which is a subirrigated container gardening located over a water trough (rain gutter) and controlled by a water float. Its the only reason why I can grow anything period! Its mostly 5 gallon HD buckets and 7 gallon root pouch grow bags.

Just some pictures.
Last year I did the single stem. This year I'm letting it all go and I'm already nervous about airflow...
last week:


This week 6/19: BAM! they are growing like mad! I can't take a good picture of it all as my place is small!


Picture on right is Wild Fred - it doesn't act like a dwarf - its growing crazy!



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Old June 20, 2015   #2
ricman
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Hello luigiwu,

You are looking great. It has been somewhat of a struggle for me this year, we have had 37 inches of rain in the last 60 days. The only reason I have been able to grow anything at all is because of the RGGS, the in ground gardens have been flooded out in many places. I will be spraying a bleach solution this evening to combat some early blight. Good luck gardening....GO RGGS


Rick

Last edited by ricman; June 20, 2015 at 01:50 PM. Reason: Error
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Old June 20, 2015   #3
JamesL
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Luigiwu,
Looks great!
Airflow - do some selective pruning at least at the bottom.
All this rain we are getting plus the humidity. You know what comes next.....
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Old June 20, 2015   #4
brooksville
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Looks like you have your hands full....
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Old June 21, 2015   #5
peebee
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Very nice set up there Luigiwu! I don't know what this rain gutter system is, I'll have to look it up, but if it involves actual rain, then for sure it won't work for my area . Good luck and hope you have a bountiful harvest. Let us know how it turns out.
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Old June 21, 2015   #6
luigiwu
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peebee View Post
Very nice set up there Luigiwu! I don't know what this rain gutter system is, I'll have to look it up, but if it involves actual rain, then for sure it won't work for my area . Good luck and hope you have a bountiful harvest. Let us know how it turns out.
Thanks! peebee, it doesn't need to be rain. It does involves a gutter to hold water. So instead of making self-watering containers that you have to fill up individually, the 'reservoir' becomes this continuous gutter where its plumbed to a water supply (wall spigot or rain water.) A handy dandy little float is what maintains the water in the trough for all the plants! IMO, its highly efficient and useful in areas like CA that are experiencing drought as you dont want excess water to just be running off.
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Old June 21, 2015   #7
luigiwu
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Hi Rick,
37 inches, my goodness - yet another way the RGGS shines! Like James is mentioning below, I'm going to have to brace myself for when the humidit hits hard soon...

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Hello luigiwu,

You are looking great. It has been somewhat of a struggle for me this year, we have had 37 inches of rain in the last 60 days. The only reason I have been able to grow anything at all is because of the RGGS, the in ground gardens have been flooded out in many places. I will be spraying a bleach solution this evening to combat some early blight. Good luck gardening....GO RGGS


Rick
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Old June 21, 2015   #8
luigiwu
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Luigiwu,
Looks great!
Airflow - do some selective pruning at least at the bottom.
All this rain we are getting plus the humidity. You know what comes next.....
Thanks James, How's your earthtainer garden doing? I know there will be lots of hard work ahead and I hope I'm not making a huge mistake by letting the whole plant grow with out taking off the suckers!
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Old June 24, 2015   #9
JamesL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luigiwu View Post
Thanks James, How's your earthtainer garden doing? I know there will be lots of hard work ahead and I hope I'm not making a huge mistake by letting the whole plant grow with out taking off the suckers!
Luigiwu,
My garden is progressing. Its still early in the season and I am already running late!
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Old July 19, 2015   #10
luigiwu
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My beloved rain barrels. I love them so much. I want MORE and MORE of them! The stand puts them approx 18inches high.



The genius of RGGS, automatic watering. Water from the barrels are delivered to each water troughs/gutters where the level is controlled by a mini-float.


Growing and grow, yes battling some fungal issues that may or may not have to do with the close spacing of everything. Next year I need to be less tenderhearted about pruning branches.


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Old July 19, 2015   #11
Barb_FL
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Very impressive! Everything looks great. Is that strawberry plants by the gate?

Can you describe your staking method?
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Old July 19, 2015   #12
luigiwu
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when I started this year, I fully intended to prune each plant to a single stem. Like last year, I used baler twine and clips. And then I changed my mind. There is no way I can get to every stem the taller they get so I've resorted to a secondary means where I've attached outrigers (1x2 pieces of wood) to each post. I can drill holes at the ends of the outriggers and am able to string baler twine through them, sort of creating a cage.
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Old July 19, 2015   #13
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Looks outstanding, really like your setup.

Heather
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Old July 19, 2015   #14
Worth1
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Everything looks fantastic and healthy.
Worth
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Old July 20, 2015   #15
nancyruhl
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That is one incredible garden for such a small space. Love it. It is an inspiration for all of us who garden when it shouldn't be possible.

I checked regarding my Dwarf Wild Freds, and they are actually in 3 different gardens. Not all are producing yet, but they all are dwarf with rugose foliage.
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