Drought-Pod 2014 Update

Reader Contribution by Ron Ferrell
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The black pod was installed last year, and it is mostly food waste, the green pod is a mixture of composted wood chips with sheep manure. There was compost around the outside of these two barrels to the approximate depth of 8 inches into which I planted 10 tomato plants around the outside of the barrel. These plants received tap water when first planted, and then two other waterings. From then on, they were reliant on the wetness of the compost, both in and out of the barrel. They did receive a heavy dose of compost tea as well.

The tomatoes were planted on April 16, 2014 and I was enjoying tomatoes within about 45 days. From the time of the initial waterings, they were never watered from the tap for the rest of the summer, produced very well and the tomatoes were beautiful and flavorful.

The update thus far is the new white drought pod is filled with composted wood chips with sheep manure. Each of these pods are basically 40 gallon plastic compost tumblers that were discarded by friends. I drilled thumb size holes in the bottom of each of these barrels so that worms and moisture can migrate easily.

I have increased the depth of the wood chip/manure compost around the drought pods to a depth of approximately 12 inches, followed by a big dose of compost tea and then squares of wheat straw hay that were soaked in the rain last summer (and never dried out in 7 months). The squares are very thick and tightly packed around the pod. Again, the tomato plants will be placed directly beside the barrels with the heavy mulch left throughout the summer. I will plant about 20 tomato plants around these 3 drought pods.

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