I have a pretty small backyard less than 1600 sq. ft. and much of it is low to no direct sun, and the best sunny areas have very bad soil; clay and shallow roots of now dead trees that will take years to go away. I live in southeast michigan.
I have yet to begin any rain barrel irrigation, but have planned on it for years. We had a pretty good tomato harvest last year two celebrity plants, half day Michigan sunshine but I'm hoping to do better this year.
I'm thrilled with the concept of totally automated rain barrel irrigation in my backyard that seems to suffer drought at least once or twice a summer.
If anyone here is utilizing SIP, I'd love to compare notes. I'm designing use of humidifier float valves perhaps both in the planter and the rain barrel to ensure foolproof hydration regardless of weather trend.
My concern and question involves oxygen; Albopepper's design uses an open air fill tube that he apparently filled till overflow everyday or whatever his time period was/is, my design so far has no entry for oxygen so far and that is my concern.
I’m going to re-post your question on the new thread I’m posting for the week and will ping our gardeners that love to ‘tinker’ and one that gardens in MI, as you do to see if they have any answers for you!
New thread will be up in about 15 minutes. :)