55 gallon drum sip containers

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ce4656

Registered:1295723042
Posts: 50

Posted 1330552890	Reply with quote #1

Had great success with SIP containers last year using bills design but finding inexpensive durable large pots that are adequate for my large trees is not in my budget. The keg buckets are large enough and inexpensive but become weak with exposure to the sun. I recently found on Craigslist 55 gallon drums for sale locally for $15. They never had chemicals inside and were previously used to transport fruit juice. I'm planning on cutting them in half and making 2 sip containers from each barrel. Not bad $7.50 for a 25+ gallon container

dawgdrvr

Registered:1326421951
Posts: 217

Posted 1330558063	Reply with quote #2

CE4656, I have had luck with growing tomato's in 1/2 drums for about 8 years now they will last about 5 years on average, before the bottom rusts out . 2 years ago I saw this infomercial for Flex Seal Leak Stopper. it's an rubber based paint . So far so good this will be my 3rd year using these sprayed drums . I paint the outside flat black to attract heat, and to get a jump start on my Mater's . http://www.asseenontvguys.com/flex-seal-leak-stopper.aspx __________________ Cody Grand Mound,WA 98579 Plantmaps Zone 7~A, Sunset Zone 4 and USDA Zone 8~A. WISH LIST: San Pedro ,Breba & Early crop Figs and ANY figs from 'Belleclare Nursery'

ce4656

Registered:1295723042
Posts: 50

Posted 1330560644	Reply with quote #3

Dawgdgrvr The drums I purchased are plastic, so I think they should last a long time with no maintenance. I saw the pics of some of your plants in SIP containers, very impresive. It is amazing how fast they put on size. I'm gonna try different potting mix combinations this season.

saxonfig

Registered:1258080612
Posts: 1,370

Posted 1330560919	Reply with quote #4

Hey guys. I'm glad to see some other folks who've been using drums like this. I haven't done so yet but was planning to try them if I can find some drums this season. ce4656, How do you set up the "SIP" containers? Cody, So you've been using the steel drums with good success? I was thinking more along the lines of the plastic ones. But if the steel ones have been working well for you I may just try some of those. I have a source for the steel drums but haven't found any plastic ones for a reasonable price yet. __________________ Fig Well And Prosper! Bill - SW KY. Zone 6b. 36.5N I'm fruitnut on ebay.

ce4656

Registered:1295723042
Posts: 50

Posted 1330566899	Reply with quote #5

Hello Bill, set them up the same as bill from nj. There's a link to his page on the f4f homepage with step by step instructions how to build. It's fairly easy and not too expensive if you can find the drums cheap. Check on cragslist.org http://figs4fun.com/bills_figs.html

drivewayfarmer

Registered:1260287641
Posts: 773

Posted 1330568305	Reply with quote #6

This is a great topic. Don't know if you saw this related thread last year , but in post #11, I show a picture of a large pot SIP I made that is a variation on Bills Fig sub irrigation setup. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/subirrigation-containers-and-figs-5112306 May be a faster and less expensive way to go with a plastic barrel as well. Best, Kerry __________________ Kerry Zone 5 NH Wish list :Galicia Negra , Col de Dame Blanca/Negra .

71GTO

Registered:1290311646
Posts: 1,002

Posted 1330570549	Reply with quote #7

I'm looking Into these set ups as well. Is there a certain type of potting mix you would need to use in these set ups? __________________ NJ z7a Wish list :

7deuce

Registered:1275528558
Posts: 566

Posted 1330574884	Reply with quote #8

@Kerry- Nice design on your SIP. @Marcus- Pro-mix is fine in SIP. __________________ Jason V Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/ Zone 7 Wishlist: Nothing.

71GTO

Registered:1290311646
Posts: 1,002

Posted 1330576219	Reply with quote #9

Thanks Jason, that makes thing easier for me. __________________ NJ z7a Wish list :

saxonfig

Registered:1258080612
Posts: 1,370

Posted 1330579826	Reply with quote #10

Thanks for the info guys. After being inspired by Dominick (nypd5229) on another thread, I watched some of those instuctional videos of those two kids on youtube with the set-ups they were calling Global Buckets. @Marcus. Those guys said that a mix that's high in peat does a good job of wicking the moisture up through the soil. Here's the link to Dom's thread: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/MA-Self-Watering-Containers-5367144?highlight=watering+containers Very worth your while to check out that thread. After seeing how well this worked for Dominick I figured I'd just have to try it this year. I think the high peat mix would be great for growing Blueberries in containers like this. Of course if you use the mix with mostly peat you have to be sure to add lime to bring the PH up for fig trees. I'm also planning to grow some banana and papaya plants in self-watering containers. Looking forward to seeing how it all goes. __________________ Fig Well And Prosper! Bill - SW KY. Zone 6b. 36.5N I'm fruitnut on ebay.

pitangadiego

Moderator
Registered:1188871011
Posts: 5,447

Posted 1330580140	Reply with quote #11

My plan is to use the blue 55 gallon drums, cut in half, and some drain holes. Will probably start doing it this Spring. I tghink your on the right track. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com http://figs4fun.com http://webebananas.com "pitangadiego" everywhere

Gr8Figs

Registered:1326598203
Posts: 204

Posted 1330584034	Reply with quote #12

A circular saw works well for cutting the plastic drums.Trace the cut around the barrel with a string and Sharpie marker.Set the depth of the blade cut so that it just cuts through the plastic for a clean cut and this will reduce blade kickback,but be careful. __________________ Barry Northeast Georgia 8a Wish List:Medium-Small Size,Dark Cold Hardy Figs Low Temperature of 4F in 2015,17F in 2016

drivewayfarmer

Registered:1260287641
Posts: 773

Posted 1330616401	Reply with quote #13

This site called Inside Urban Green has lots of info on various types of SIP's. I know they had something awhile back on using 55 gallon drums as SIP's , but I can't seem to find it now. Worth checking out: http://www.insideurbangreen.org/corrugated-drain-pipe-cdp-sip/ __________________ Kerry Zone 5 NH Wish list :Galicia Negra , Col de Dame Blanca/Negra .

theman7676

Registered:1305721469
Posts: 361

Posted 1330632447	Reply with quote #14

kerry - thanks for the posts and for the links provided what did you do over the winter with the large sip planter you showed above? i mean in terms of storage and water? do you use the same soil mix as dominic? will the soil mix still be good next year if you didnt water over the winter time? i recall dominc's thread and the impressive results. i think i was a little discourage once i realize it was a 5 gallon bucket with a life spend of about 2 seasons, which i figured was maybe too much effort in terms of time and money for such short duration. 55 gallon however is another story. i imagine this is the last location of those trees- no? __________________ wish list: Florea Nordland Tacoma Violet LaRadek's English Brown Turkey

dawgdrvr

Registered:1326421951
Posts: 217

Posted 1330634992	Reply with quote #15

Saxon, I use the closed headed drums with the 2" and 3/4 " Bungs in the top. I simply find the center. mark it with a sharpy, then use a plum bob with Flo-orange. Make a few small pilot holes and cut in half with my Saws-All . Debur the lip and then crimp it 1/2" so as to not cut my clumsy self. Been there done that! 71GTO, The only potting soil that I use when doing any type of above ground gardening . (planter boxes, pots , Tires and or raised beds). is Mel's mix from "Square Foot Gardening" books . its 1/3rd each Peat, Vermiculite or Perlite and Compost. The mix is lite and airy ,promotes good drainage and provides some nutrients due to the compost. I have been using the Square Ft. garden method for many a year . __________________ Cody Grand Mound,WA 98579 Plantmaps Zone 7~A, Sunset Zone 4 and USDA Zone 8~A. WISH LIST: San Pedro ,Breba & Early crop Figs and ANY figs from 'Belleclare Nursery'

drivewayfarmer

Registered:1260287641
Posts: 773

Posted 1330636633	Reply with quote #16

theman , The large planters go into the barn/garage basement for the winter. Temps in there are 20F at the lowest and normally 25F-35F for most of the winter. This storage area has a dirt floor and is fairly humid so in preparation for storage I make sure the water resevoir is fully drained and that the soil mix is damp. Because of the humid storage conditions no water addition is needed until maybe just before I take them out to start the fig shuffle as Martin calls it. My potting mix for these large pots is basically something like Pro-Mix with extra compost and perlite and some organic fertilizer called Pro-Gro. I am always trying to improve it , but this is what i have been using: 60 quart bag -of a locally available organic mix/ equivalent of Pro-Mix Bx 8 quarts of extra coarse Perlite 3 to 6 quarts of compost or worm castings (have my own worm herd so it is cheap). 2 cups of Pro-Gro organic fertilizer 5-3-4 1 cup of dolomitic limestone 1/2 cup of greensand That is my basic fig mix , but I side dress with more Pro-Gro during the season every week or two. This mix should be fine for 3-4 seasons between root prunings. I only have 15 of these pots with figs now , the rest are used for tomatoes and peppers mostly. All of the rest of my figs are in 5 gallon SIP's like Dominick's and because of lack of space I need to see if with a quick and simple root pruning every year or every other year , I can keep them in those and get a decent yield. By quick root pruning I mean pull them out and slice off the bottom quarter of the root ball and make a couple of slices down the sides of the root ball with a knife. This season I should get a good sense of how well that will work or not for me in my situation. __________________ Kerry Zone 5 NH Wish list :Galicia Negra , Col de Dame Blanca/Negra .

ascpete

Registered:1336096379
Posts: 1,942

Posted 1359673712	Reply with quote #17

55 gallon and 30 gallon plastic drums can be turned into self watering containers very easily. Of course there is a little work involved. Most of my fig plants were grown in 5 gallon buckets last season, and most of those will be planted in ground this year. There are several tender varieties that will be planted in the barrels. I will be making 3 dozen self watering pots from 30 gallon barrels (the barrels were free, and contained a salt solution). I've been using the 5-1-1 (Composted pine bark - Peat - Perlite) potting mix, with good results in the regular containers. The SIP potting mix has to be 75-80 % peat or peat like for the proper wicking action to occur. I have had good success with a 4-1-1 mix ratio of Peat Moss-Fullers Earth-Perlite with 1 cup Pulverized Dolemite Limestone and 2 cups Espoma Garden-Tone Fertilizer per 5 gallon of mix. Attached is an instructional video that uses one 55 gallon barrel to form most of the larger parts.

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