How I Capture Sun And Rain To Power My Greenhouse!
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
- Adding power to the greenhouse has always been top of mind along with water capture from the roof. Without power I can't really grow healthy seedlings and use my greenhouse to its full potential but I am happy to have found a solution! In this video I demonstrate how I am taking my greenhouse off grid to create a sustainable passively powered system!
This video was sponsored by EcoFlow who generously provided me with the solar generator as well as a heating and cooling solution!
Get prepared with @EcoFlowTech now. Click the link below and use my code EFJDCGARDEN to get an extra 5% off all EcoFlow products (except flash sale and DELTA Pro Ultra) for disaster preparedness. Valid until Feb 29th. #EcoFlow #TogetherWePowerThrough #DisasterPreparedness
EcoFlow Website: bit.ly/3HpKUza
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Sigh...I guess I have a new project to do...
Usually I test things at your garden first and then refine them for myself but this time I figured I would run with it first 😂
Great! The answer is getting free endorsement from ecoflow. That's like $6000 worth of shit. So stupid.
@@jacquesinthegardenim planting shishito this year. Would love to see a blistered pepper cook video and also more Bulgarian goodies
I’ve heard a number of times how good Seascape strawberries are. Yours look great! What color Greenstalk is that? It looks aqua on the video, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that color offered before.
I just got my answer. I checked your link and found out it’s Epic Oasis, a color exclusive to Epic Gardening. Add it to the list of things I want. 😂😂😂
I appreciate that you caught the rain water the way you did. For some of us even the 55-65 gal rain barrels just aren’t in the budget. So this is a wonderful alternative. Love your channel and all of the handy tips and tricks you give. Keep up the good work!
I was really surprised by the price and capturing 50-60 gallons just isn't even helpful when all the rain falls during a few short months and nothing needs water anyway!
We live in Spain and have the same problem of rain only coming in winter which is the time of year you least need it. May-October rarely get any rain at all but temps in the 90-115f all the time. We did buy a 10,000l (2600 us gallon) tank which was around $1000 but also got 6 rain butts which were second hand heavy duty plastic olive barrels which are 200-240l (55-65 gallons) for only €16 a piece luckily they are literally everywhere here. when the rain comes the barrels fill up super quick and we decant into big water bottles we save as we can't drink the well water where we live.
We just bought a large trash can, cut a hole in the bottom and siliconed in a hose spigot, and cut a hole in the top and attached the gutter
Slow it, spread it, sink it! Love seeing permaculture methods on this channel!
did the woodchips end up floating away in the next storm or did they stay put?
I used large garbage cans to catch the water off of my greenhouse. I use it to water my seedlings in the greenhouse. I put one on each side of the greenhouse and it has worked great.
I like this way better than a rain barrels. Big ugly things. I would end up spending a bunch more on hiding them. Too much. This is a great solution.
i really like the part about using your path as a swale!!! It saves space and feeds the soil at the same time as saving water.
I've heard of some people creating "water batteries" where they dig down really deep and fill it with woodchips. then when it rains they absorb the water and hold on to it for a long time. More videos on this!
all the piping is expensive and not scalable, so I'm looking for an easier way of doing it
That is a really cool idea, love hearing about things like this!
Congrats on getting such a quality sponsor, Jacques! Nice kit for your lovely greenhouse.
I’m obsessed with the rain capture channels you have. Love to see an ancient technique being used in 2024
i appreciate you discussing budget solutions because i also garden on a tighter budget. its helpful for me!
Swales are such a no brainer I am glad I remembered it this time around!
We have 2 of the Eco Flow battery backups and we also got to use it a couple of days after we installed it. Plus we bought a small stand alone air conditioner for our bedroom because here in Florida the power goes out naturally when it is extremely hot and unbearable. We couldn't afford a whole house generator but this puts my mind at ease. My refrigerator and fans will work. It's very comforting to know we can get by if it happens again. These backup systems are a lifesaver. Good luck with yours.
Florida Gardener
Zone 9A
Oh man I can see it coming in super handy for somewhere like Florida where the lack of AC and threat of hurricanes are a real threat!
My husband hooked it up to a regular electrical panel so this way all we have to do to turn on the battery backups is flip a switch he installed inside. Makes it easy and hopefully the power is not out too long. Once it was 3 days and that was scary in this heat. Love your garden.
I grow in-ground in my greenhouse, I run one of the gutters into an irrigation channel in the greenhouse, and one runs into a rain barrel.
Oh that is a cool setup!
Nice. One of my work friends wants me to help him build a greenhouse when he buys his new house.
If @epicgardening didn't gift me this one I was for sure going to build my own. It seems like a really fun project!
Hope you don't wash away tonight. I'm watching guys surfing down the street in Ventura 😮. Ecoflow has awesome products. I didn't know about the mini split, though. I'll have to check that out!
We held together fine, seems like LA got the brunt of it
It seems like you should put some winecap spore on that wood in the swale. Bonus!
I have actually HEAVILY considered this...might do it as soon as this next storm passes!
Good idea however these are also walkways. Maybe experiment: half with shrooms and half with edible/perennial ground covers like cress, Turkish rocket, wood sorrel?
Omg, can you do a UA-cam Short of sitting out in the greenhouse during a storm? I would love to hear that. It'd be awesome ASMR ☺️
@@krisbaker9427 Not everyone has a backyard or a budget to achieve that.
I can for sure capture some of that!
@@jacquesinthegarden You're a treasure! 😉 And thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening!
I love that you’re always thinking about how to improve your garden. You come up with practical solutions. I also see the garden hermit has his own garden hermit! (Cosmo) He’s a cutie ❤
Cosmo is the hermits hermit, a perfect companion!
Around here you can buy food grade 55 gallon barrels for about $25 or so, depending on who is selling them. They make good rain barrels (though in zone 6b, they will freeze in zero weather and split) . I use my barrels for compost though.
You have a nice set up.
I just bought a Costco greenhouse that should be finished over the extended weekend. My first thought was adding a solar battery pack with a solar panel 😂.
It’s great to see another person with the same mindset. Love your channel brother!
It is one of those things that just made sense to me!
Looks amazing Jacques! Nice to see your new greenhouse is already so productive. Fantastic!
I am not sure why but I am surprised by how productive things get when you just put a glass box around them!
🌺Aloha Jacque, it’s great to have a sponsor. We do a small scale backyard garden and did a “No Electricity Needed” off grid white-house(greenhouse)we’ve got solar lights, fan, a drip system. Oh, yes rain catchment too. We’re loving it, I’m sure you will too!
Automatic solar fans sound like a nice idea to add as well! I am very happy with how things are going now!
I'm going to work on some rainwater diversion !!! Brilliant Jaques!
It is a great way to store some deep water in your soil!
Here in the Southeast, I plan on making rain collection barrels and a French drain because of how much rain we get. Woods chips tend to float away and cover things I don’t want covered with all the torrential rain. Your yard is a great example of the amazing impact a garden can have on flood zones, less pooling water and erosion.
Mulch is a fantastic tool, love seeing all the water get captured into my garden.
Great sustainable practices! That water collection system worked well for watering your plants and preventing flooding compared to the side yard :)
One way you can store rain water but also continue your swale strategy is to add 50 gallon barrels at your downspouts with the over flow heading to the Swales, you'll still be able to capture rain water while letting the excess water sink into your ground
You can get cheap food grade barrels for like $20 each, or old whiskey barrels for $75
Oh man this is like a dream setup. I’m definitely going to use it as a blueprint to improve upon my garden.
Many good ideas 💡 👍 I have an EcoFlow (older model) but still need to buy the solar panel. I purchased it after the Texas grid failed a few years ago. 🥶 Have used it since, when power goes out. Good ideas for homesteading.
It is nice to be able to run power outside without having to pull new conduit everywhere!
Everything looks so nice! We've been considering getting a greenhouse with bifacial solar panels and rain gutters. Thanks for your tour 😎
Seems to be working so far!
We really enjoyed this video! Thank you for showing us all the details and reasons why and how you put this all together!
Jacques I don't remember what video it was but thanks for pointing out the garlic greens so obvious now that u said it yet I hadn't thought of growing garlic for greens only and cramming them in a pot! It's the clever little things that really are great tips!
Thank you for sharing, especially about the berms. I'm hoping to convince my family to use this concept to decrease flooding on their homestead.
I love the recapture feature of your greenhouse downspouts! It looks like just what I need to do here!
Might as well do something useful with all that rain!
I love this video so much! Leave it to Jacques to make something already great (the gifted greenhouse) even better (the solar power and rain catching). You are clearly a problem solver and outside-of-the-box thinker.
Outside thinking is my favorite for sure!
I’ve been looking at the Ecoflow for a few years. I’m glad you reviewed it.
Thanks for letting us know seedlings may get leggy if there is poor airflow. I have always had that problem but did not know why.
Glad that bit was useful to you! I was getting really leggy weak seedlings in the greenhouse before I got the fan going.
If rain barrels are too expensive you can empty out your large plastic trash bins and use those to collect and store rain water! My parents do that all the time, little frustrating as I can’t recycle things when the bins are full but it works, just be sure to keep the lids on when they’re full to avoid mosquitos!
Haha I think we had the same parents. My other issue with capture is that our climate only rains for a short period of time and during that time nothing needs water anyway so I would have to store it for a long time before needing it.
My neighbor has a small fish in his rain barrel to eat mosquito larvae. It works! I have a fish, Whitey in my rain barrel. He is about 9 years old.
If you’re on a self contained system it’s worth looking for a DC driven fan whenever it’s time to replace your existing one. Though the higher draw might be good for cycling the battery more, something-something battery life? Nice setup, I’m staring at 4’ of snow at 18 below (F) in Alaska kinda jealous.
That is an interesting point, I actually haven't considered charge cycles and battery life in the use case so far. Thanks for the pointer!
Jaques, I love your chill attitude and using low tech solutions which are more budget friendly :)
Absolutely brilliant!!!!❤
Ever thought about recycling food grade blue barrels for you rainwater because rainwater tanks are so expensive? They each hold about 200 litres or 44 gallons of water. Nice idea to store water on the cheap!
At that point it becomes a matter of space and getting the water to where you need. With our rainy season being over such a short period of time I can't even make use of the rain water captured until May or later. And by then it will be gone after 1 use since we won't get rain again until December.
Hi Jacques, love your videos. Just commenting to mention that the loquat doesn't need to be in the greenhouse - they are quite cold hardy. Keep up the fantastic content!
I honestly only put it there because I figure why not! The one I have planted outside seems to be doing wonderfully but it is good to know that it is indeed cold hardy.
This is so cool Jacques!
Wow that ecoflow is over 5k
I feel like it completely worth it!!!!
A Very smart water diversion.
I have 3 EcoFlow products and they are phenomenal. Definitely a worthwhile option
Great idea on the water drainage
Love this!!
Absolutely genius on the rain gutter swale idea and I would love to buy one of those solar things except it’s a little pricey. I’ll have to save up for that.
Very cool! Thank you!!!
That ecoflow looks so NOICE!!!
Ty. I’ve been looking to do this
This all looks so great. Your new greenhouse is beautiful and functional. To capture/contain some water you could start off small for a container. I bought a Recycled pickle shipping barrel from Wayfair for $50 when I purchased it in 2020. Love mine. Then you can piggyback more containers on to that. I realize San Diego is different from Ind 6a, but just an idea. Great info in your video. I need to install a gutter like that onto my greenhouse. Thank you
Yeah it is annoying here because our rainy season is only from like December to March MAYBE April. So with 1 rain barrel I can't really capture and use the water in a sensible way
That Ecoflow is nice!!! I'd rather have something like that than a generator where you have to keep gas on hand. And since we are about to get another storm 😅 that should come in handy. Between the hubby and I we spent about 7hrs weed eating this weekend. So glad we are getting another storm so the weeds can grow some more 🙄🤪
Haha weeding post rain is a necessary evil, at least pulling them becomes easier. Also, I know those forearms get sore quick after tons of weedwacking.
Awesome! I’ll need to rewatch a few times so I can figure out how to do the water catchment system myself. Can’t wait to learn more about the mini orchard too, I’m hoping I can do something similar
One you get the water directed to where you need its mostly a matter of ensuring that it slopes downwards to the end point and you are good to go!
I like your swells - they look cool. If you do want to get rain barrels, check with your city/county. They were selling them in my town in Texas for less than $100 each. I got mine online for about $150 each. They don't have to be super expensive.
I have seen the 50 gallon ones for around that price but we only get rain through March IF we are lucky. So I wouldn't even need to tap into the water until early or late summer and then I just have 50 gallons. If I had a 1000+ gallon tank I would consider it worth banking.
Such a cool and practical product! I have an ornamental garden space that really dried out in summer so I dug a small very DIY dry well that I connected to the downspout, lined it with a huge grow bag, and filled it with gravel. I have a grid and large stones over the top, and will be adding a big pot for annual, tropical plants. It was so annoying that a gutter was RIGHT THERE but my garden could never benefit from it. We also have 4 rain barrels (3 are used commercial food containers, found on FB marketplace. They had to be thoroughly cleaned, but they were only $20 each.) and rely on that water year round for houseplants, overwintering things in the cold frame/DIY greenhouse, seed starting, watering pots, etc.
Wow that is a really cool idea! Love the different approaches people have for things like this!
Happy with my (smaller) EcoFlow River. 👍🏻
Genius!
I love your dogs in videos.
Share a little asmr of being in there during a rain storm please 🙏 🙂
Wow great job with a great sponsor!
Thanks, I have to say I am truly impressed by their system!
On this side of the pond, we often use food grade IBC containers to capture rainwater. We can get them for around €30-50 and they hold 1000L / 264gallons
Well done Jacques! Really impressed by the swale and water catchment system. Is there a plan for overflow? Take care, :J
The current plan is see where the dam breaks haha. It is a good question maybe I can make a mini spillway with bricks if it becomes a problem
Love the rain water swale capturing. But I have a question, so there’s no chance of the wood chips floating away or perhaps a better phase ‘being displaced’ by the water in the channel?
And will you do another video showing the swale (with the wood chips) in action while it’s raining?
I have to remember this rain water technique. Thanks.😊
I will keep an eye on them and post an update especially if it doesn't work out. So far we had one storm that dropped an inch of rain and nothing floated away. But it seems like 2 inch + is when it really starts to fill up so I will keep an eye on it during this current storm.
Perfect timing!!! I'm researching solar power for my new garden shed-greenhouse combo ❤❤
I'm curious to see how the wave 2 performs w/cooling on battery-solar power
Once I get my shed rebuilt I am going to move the setup in there and then try to transfer power over to the greenhouse!
I wanna see it full from the storm!!
Loved this one! I am also into saving water 💦 an I was wondering how much did you spend on the gutter system and where did you get it? I couldn’t believe the rain we got this week! It was raining for more than 24 hours straight more than once ! I’m grateful for the rain ☔️ and I love it! Continue to stay safe Jaques 🌱💚🌱
It was from the local hardware store and was maybe 100-150 all in!
Hi Jacques. I like your idea. But the next time you get significant rain, your wood chips are going to go everywhere. Wood chips float. You’ve really just created a french drain. You should use corrugated pipe and gravel with some landscape fabric lining the trench.
With 3 inches of rain I actually had zero float away!
Great video! I didn't know that type of solar panel existed! Somehow I knew you would go the swales route; an ancient tried and true method. 👍🏿 I think that is an awesome way to manage the water without rain barrels. Are you planning to grow some ground covers for the flooding backside for this rainy season? Ooo, or maybe turn it into a rice patch.🤔
We have considered establishing a ground cover but we just don't want to have to maintain it during the hot dry summer months.
@Jaques in the garden, check out food grade ibc totes. 330 gallon for usually around $100
You can get rain barrels at a discount from the city, community gardens and your weekly waste/compost pick up company. At least I can in my city. I'm in Los Angeles county.
That Ecoflow system looks legit. Please do an update down the road when you make use of the heating/cooling system. Question about the swale. Could you also fill the trench with pea gravel and perhaps a layer of wood chips on top of that?
Yeah that would work as well! The bonus of the woodchips is that they can wick water and help spread it around and slowly soak it into the soil. The gravel would last longer and probably require less maintainence but I had wood chips handy anyway!
@@jacquesinthegarden OK cool. Appreciate the feedback!
Love the off grid set up! How nice you got sponsored. I wont be spending that type of cash. It’d be cheaper to just buy groceries at that point.
I totally get that, it is for sure not required, especially for the in ground garden!
Hi Jacques. Where is your greenhouse from? It looks sturdy
Definitely would have bought the ecoflow bought is thousands of dollars, just like the rain strange tank
I bought 50 gal food grade barrels to capture rain water. Cost me 25.00 each. Found them on fb market place. Many food supplies, like bakeries have an abundant amount of empty food grade barrels.
I should have mentioned it but it is also the nature of our season. We only get rain for a short period of time, December-March (maybe April). So capturing and using the water has diminishing returns unless I have a large enough tank to save up for summer use.
Cool setup but cost prohibitive for most folks. Thanks for sharing the info and the setup though. Maybe someday!
I love that Cosmo has just totally taken over the greenhouse chair lmao
It’s his happy place!
I’m shocked rainwater tanks are so expensive in the US in Australia they are much cheaper!
Love it! Where did you get the greenhouse?
This one is a BC Greenhouses traditional style 10x12 foot!
@@jacquesinthegarden Thank you!
Where could we find the “seascape” strawberries you’re growing?
How are planning to shade your batteries, keep them cool in the greenhouse?
I actually forgot to address that but I intend on putting a white painted plywood panel on the south and west face corners of that little platform I built. This will block the majority of sun and still allow it to breathe. The battery itself has small fans and vents for active cooling as well.
Have you thought about adding a diverter on the downspouts to fill 55 gallon rain barrels (most are free on craigslist and market place or no more than $15.) then the excess flows back to swells. That way you have rain water (100 gals or more) for the greenhouse plants. Add goldfish to the barrels that can also add nutrients to the water.
Great idea, I had thought about it but then just didn't have the time to source a cheap barrel. Thanks for pointing that out I will likely look into it ASAP
@jacquesinthegarden thank you for sharing you great set up. I hope to have a greenhouse and aquaponics set up one day.
California is going to be receiving more rain this year because of the effect of el niño. Here in Puerto Rico we'll dry up and your area will get more rain
Love your chanell! But the volume seems quite low? Even if have my tablet volume at max, I have to have subtitles on to catch things. I don't have problem hearing you on Epic Gardening/Homestead channel. Do you use different equipment to record/edit? Thanks
Thanks for this feedback, I will check out the levels on everything!
Toss some rye or other vigorous cover crop in your side yard to get some infiltration.
That is not a bad idea!
@@jacquesinthegarden shout out to Jesse Frost from No Till Growers for teaching me to think about using roots to solve all issues 😄
you need a ground based fixed panel array. solar panel quote say 300w output. no. any panel is only good for 2/3 of stated output. you will fall in love with the whole concept of off grid solar gives you amazing amount of flexibility. buy well buy once.
I have actually been curious about those systems and running some into our panel. I saw the EcoFlow actually sells a junction you can attach to your main panel and even hook these batteries into to it to run some appliances. MUCH cheaper than a proper roof install especially with NEM 3.0 in effect.
@@jacquesinthegarden yep back to grid only works for the big end of town. by the time the capital, all related costs, is recouped you could be totally off grid. batteries are key. will the state allow you to disconnect?
I wanna see someone make a chinampas style garden
I have also really really wanted to see this!
Hello
Ya know I was just thinking about this today. Guess I gotta binge swale video’s now.
It is some really cool ancient strategy/technology! Many different styles too
I like how your overflow irrigation looks like a big 'J'
Haha not intentional but I love it
A potted soursop or rollinia would be a fun addition to the greenhouse!
That would be an interesting one! Have to see if they can stay short
@@jacquesinthegarden pretty sure you can keep them pruned short. They even fruit off the trunk.
I was hoping for a link for the fan, or some more info on it. I need to do something for my greenhouse.
It is from greenhouse megastore: www.greenhousemegastore.com/products/indoor-outdoor-wall-fan?variant=42701250691271&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAiP2tBhBXEiwACslfnv9e4JAHcIojUaDq8u-X9SbPQnCl2Rkh_NqmWvrMyXWdJHq0pnWXdBoC6VQQAvD_BwE
It’s unfortunate that in a state like California, harvesting rain is not more affordable and attainable. And just plain part of structure and everyday practice.
Hey Jacque, would it not be more effective to put something like pea gravel in the trench so that the water goes into the ground and not soaked into the woodchips?
The pea gravel would for sure work and be more permanent but I actually that the woodchips soak up the water. It gives the channel more capacity and slows the water allowing it to infiltrate as the water level builds. After the rain the woodchips will also start releasing excess water, to some extent, and that will further drain back into the soil.
your plant tags might be shading some of those seedlings from what I saw.
I have considered that maybe I should switch to smaller tags haha
I would look into getting maybe 2 ibc totes that had something that was edible in it . I seen ones that hold 330 gallons for less the $150.00
At that point it becomes a matter of space and getting the water to where you need. With our rainy season being over such a short period of time I can't even make use of the rain water captured until May or later. And by then it will be gone after 1 use since we won't get rain again until December.
A mixture of oil Murphy's soap with baking soda in a spray bottle helps combat powdery mildew
It can help for sure, powdery mildew is a huge fan of San Diego so it is just a constant game and I just lean towards pruning as it comes.
Are you not concerned about the heat on that battery or the humidity? Beautiful water catchment system! I use swales in my garden too but I get a lot more than you so they are often over flowing XD
I plan on building a white painted panel box around the south and west facing sides of where I keep the battery to reduce heat. As for humidity I so far haven't run into any major humidity as the vents and fan really help circulate the air. It is something I will keep an eye on though!
a second hand IBC Container can be cheap 35,- euros overhere
Looks great! Is loquat tree cold hardy?
It is cold hardy I just have it in there as I just didn't have anywhere else to put it. It should be hardy down to zone 7 or so!
@@jacquesinthegarden Awesome thank you!