🌱 Home Gardening with Hydroponics - Hurricane Irma Setback (September 14, 2017)
Welcome gardening enthusiasts to a more somber update. As some of you may already know Florida was hit by a major Hurricane last weekend. While I am thankful for the "relatively minor impacts" to my local community and house, the impacts to family, friends, and others just miles in any direction are more extreme.
It's one of those crazy things to think about... just a few miles deviation in the path of the hurricane bringing it closer to Cuba before turning North into Florida weakened the storm just enough that it spared us the catastrophic impacts we would have gotten. At the same time, we then see the images coming out of the islands showing how much they have lost and are suffering. Newer houses here in South Florida are built to withstand 135mph winds with little to no structural damage, others in the path weren't so lucky. While we lost power and water for a day or so and have trees down all over the place, others have lost their homes.
With that said and understood, I give this update...
During the hurricane, a branch from the large tree in front of our house broke off and fell into the front garden smashing through the Plexiglas rain guard and breaking the top hydrogarden cover box. The system itself is still functional. I was able to reconnect the 3" return pipe that was knocked off with the impact and the water flow through it is smooth.
Damage to the cover box and access lid.
The full extent of the damage is seen when I moved the slats that were popped off the top. I am not really sure yet on how I will repair the system in place since it really can't be removed. The excessive rain also liquefied the dirt around the tank which got under it and lifted the left side about an inch. This is warping the whole box as well and pulling it apart from the back dutch bucket section.
I will give it all some thought and figure out a plan in the coming week. Part of me wants to just throw a new layer of play and slats on top and call it a day, but I struggle with the need to make it look nice as well.
A view showing the hole in the top plywood sheet.
The broken Plexi sheet.
Yes removing this before would have been the best option, but it was not an option since it was screwed and glued down to the braces with adhesive. It would have broken either way.
Showing the broken rain guard.
Vertical wall garden destroyed at my Father-in-law's house.
This is something I want to share since I was preparing a post about the vertical wall garden I built at my father-in-law's house that now lays in a broken pile due to the hurricane. The force of the wind was strong enough to snap the internal 2x4 supporting brace posts. Over the years it has grown a mix of flowers and food in soil.
This coming weekend we will be taking it apart and clearing out the space. I will work on a new design that will be a mix of hydroponics and containers with staggered pass-through spacing to still provide privacy for the pool area, but allow for high wind to pass through it (hopefully).
Peanut Plant doing good.
On a positive note, my peanut plant is still going strong. It had a safe place next to my indoor wall garden during the storm. There is a lot of new growth and new stems coming up from the base.
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Thanks for reading, now get out there and get GROWING!
may god save us from any kind of natural disaster
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Wow. I've been reading some of your previous blog posts and your dedication to gardening is admirable. I've always wanted to do some of the things you do (such as hydroponics and the koi pond).
Sorry to hear that you were affected by the recent storms but glad to hear that it was just a piece of your beautiful landscape.
Keep up
aTone
Seriously! That garden is Awesome
Thank you. We are just getting back to normal around here. I will resume with my garden posts soon.
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Even in ita current state, that set up is rather impressive! Im sorry about the damage and cant wait to see what you come up with for a solution!
Thank you. I will definitely share my repairs and new builds with everyone as I go along.
No way!!! I feel for you Bro! I know you are lucky compared to some but I also know how much work you put into this project. I wish I lived around the corner so I could help with the remodeling. Good luck Brother!
Thank you Mark, I appreciate that. We finished taking apart and removing the vertical garden from my father-in-laws place over the weekend. It's crazy, just piles of busted up dead trees and branches and "things" from people's houses that got messed up along the streets everywhere.
It was mentioned it would take up to six months for it all to be properly removed. The trees will get shredded up into mulch, but all the other stuff - who knows. It's bad enough how much we take from the Earth, and even worse what we bury back in it. Out of sight, out of mind... until the waters run toxic.
First of all thpughts and prayers to ypu guys and everyone affected! Looking at the pictures look like you jave built a tough system, its been through hell and servived. As we get our aquiponics system set up next year I will definately be refering to your design... thanks for sharing
Thank you - I appreciate the kind words. I am happy my hydrogarden still functions, just have to come up with a nice repair. I have decided to go ahead and get the next plants put in this weekend and deal with repairing it at a later time. Having to buy some of our produce from the store again really sucks :-)
I bet! Good luck....