Growing Vegetables in Murray Bridge


Me sitting and enjoying the successes of growing quality vegetables with limited water and space.

I first met Jim while I was living in Berwick, not all that far from his Hydroponic retail outlet. His method of growing hydroponics interested me as I had used a similar gravity feed system in Mildura years ago, with which I had huge success.

The Autopot System is the ultimate gravity feed system as far as I am concerned. The smart valve eliminates the need to have all the containers at one level as with my old system where nutrient was released as levels dropped by use of a ball float on a secondary tank that was fed by the larger primary tank.

Since moving to Murray Bridge in South Australia, an area with poor limestone soils and an average annual rainfall of 250mm, I decided to install the Autopot System using only collected rainwater, with the intention to be self sufficient with vegetables.

First I built a lean to roof covered with clear corrugated polycarbonate sheeting on the east side of my house to create a hot house of 6 x 2.5 metres. I then paved the area to create a neat growing environment.

I installed 5 x 200 litre plastic drums, connected inline. These collected all rain that fell on my pergola and hothouse an area of about 75 square metres. I installed a cheap submersible electric pump into the last drum to be able to pump water up into the 2 x 200 litre gravity feed drums. These two drums were on a 1 metre high tank stand made from besser bricks. The attached pictures tell the story well


Left Pic: Nutrients is supplied to pots by gravity feeding from 2 x 200 litre drums. Right Pic: The last drum on right has a submersible pump to deliver rainwater into raised nutrient drums on the left.

I opted for two rows of Hydrotray (double) modules. Each row had 12 modules giving me 44 pots to grow my vegetables in. Again the pictures tell the story. The hardest part was to ensure the system was totally without leaks, as I was well aware of the cost of nutrient and the value of my collected rainwater.

The two nutrient drums each have their own tap and allow nutrient feed from either tank via a 13mm plastic line with a quality filter installed inline. Tank No.1 has nutrient mixed to reach 22-24 CF and the second tank only contains rainwater. After each tank full of nutrient has been used, a half tank of pure rainwater is fed through the system. Replenishing the gravity feed drums is simple using the submersible pump in the rainwater drums. Touch wood, I have not run out of rainwater since installing the system in September 2008. However I do have another 10,000 litres rainwater in other holding tanks just in case.

I have included a number of descriptive photos to show how very successful this system is, and I can assure you all, that there is no better or more simpler a system than the Autopot System.

Thanks Jim

with regards
Mick Loeckenhoff

4 x 200 litre plastic drums connected inline collect rainwater from pergola and hothouse roof,

D.I.Y hothouse area x x 2.5 meters built on Eastside of house gets plenty of sunlight roof with polycarbonite fitted.

 Tomato and capsicum seedlings planted on 2nd Sept. 2008.

Plants well underday by end of September.

This silverbeet has been cropping for about two months.

Eggplant crops vigorously.
Succulent lettuce leaves, radishes and snowpeas ready to harvest.
A view of tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers and eggplant at the end of November.