Growing lettuce with efficient water use in your garden

February, 2015

Bill McNeese – user of the Waterboxx® plant cocoon – created a planting place for salads. He uses a wooden box, but you can also do this in the soil of your garden. With the Groasis Waterboxx® plant cocoon Bill produces organic salads in healthy soil instead of producing hydroponic. Look at his amazing results of organic food without using pesticides while using only half a gallon of water each day.

Create four holes at the bottom of the Groasis Waterboxx and insert four wicks

Make 4 holes of Ø 4.8mm in the Waterboxx plant cocoon – put the wicks through the holes

Take the four wicks - which comes out of the Groasis Waterboxx - and attach to those wicks four capillary mats

Connect the long capillary mats to the wicks

Spread the capillary mats. The Groasis Waterboxx ensures equal distribution of the water through the mats

Spread the capillary mats

Create a planter where you can put the Groasis Waterboxx in. There has to be enough space for the capillary mats.

Make a LxWxH 120 inch (300 cm) x 24 inch (60 cm) x 24 inch (60 cm) planting place with 10 inch (25 cm) of soil depth (it can also be put on the soil) – place the mats 2 inches (5 cm) below the roots

Take polystyrene plus aluminium foil and remove circles there were the plants have to come. The plate provides cooling and prevents the evaporation of water.

Take polystyrene plus aluminum foil and design 6 x 6 inch (15 x 15 cm) squares - make an opening in the center – the plates will cool down the soil and prevent evaporation of scarce water

Detail of isolation board with plants planted in holes

Detail of isolation board with plants planted in holes on February 28 - 2015

Put the anti-evaporation cover under the Groasis Waterboxx

Put the anti-evaporation cover under the Groasis Waterboxx® plant cocoon

Put the Groasis Waterboxx over the plant. Do not put the plate of the aluminium foil underneath it

Put the Groasis Waterboxx® plant cocoon over the plant

The different plants that grow well due to the capillary mats and the Groasis Waterboxx.

Detail of all kinds of plants

Details of the various types of lettuce next to the Groasis Waterboxx

Produce your own salads - February 28, 2015

You can use the Groasis Waterboxx to grow various types of lettuce

Mixed greens and flowers

The woodbox containing the Groasis Waterboxx and various types of lettuce and plants

Sow and produce your own lettuce – February 28, 2015 

Check the water level - add approximately 0,3 gallon/day (1,5 liter) after the start and approximately half a gallon/day (2 liters) after a few weeks when the plants are bigger

Check the water level on a regular basis - add approximately 0,3 gallon/day (1,5 liter) after the start and approximately half a gallon/day (2 liters) after a few weeks when the plants are bigger

The lettuce varieties grow well. This photo is taken just one week after the planting

Detail of growth one week after planting - March 5, 2015

The lettuce is growing rapidly thanks to the Groasis Waterboxx. The photo is taken just two weeks after planting.

The salads 2 weeks after planting - March 12, 2015

 The flowers start to grow also around the Groasis Waterboxx

The flowers start to grow 

The lettuce, three weeks after planting with the Groasis Waterboxx

Salads growing 3 weeks after planting March 19, 2015

The Brussels sprouts begin to grow rapidly, thanks to the water coming from the Groasis Waterboxx

The Brussels sprout also starts to grow faster

After 4 weeks, there is plenty of salad for the whole family. The Waterboxx currently consumes 2 liters of water per day.

The salads 4 weeks after planting - water use half a gallon/day (2 liters) - more than enough for one family

After 4 weeks, a family can eat daily from the organically produced lettuce. Take only the leaves so the plant can continue to grow with the Groasis Waterboxx.

After 4 weeks a family can eat a daily doses of organic produced salads - only take the leaves - leave the heart of the plant intact so that it keeps on producing

Eggplant in the Groasis Waterboxx

Eggplant on April 19, 2015

Squash and cantaloupe in the Groasis Waterboxx

Squash and cantaloupe on April 19, 2015

Cherrytomatoes in the Groasis Waterboxx

Cherry tomatoes on April 26, 2015

Bill McNeese next to his vegetable garden. The plants grow well in California, thanks to the Groasis Waterboxx.

Bill McNeese sends you his regards and wishes you success while growing organic vegetables with efficient water use with the Groasis Waterboxx® plant cocoon!