How to get your Veggiepatch to water itself. Download the pdf below for clear instructuctions, or watch the videos for a few extra ideas.

irrigation-setup.pdf
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Download a Pdf version of the instructions here

vp-instructions1.pdf
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Ok, generally you can pick up an Eyelet or grommet kit at an arts of craft shop, hardware store, or if you're a bit lucky a $2 shop. In this little section, I'll be going through how to punch and eyelet/grommet. Which will be an invalueable skill of yours for generations to come (well maybe?). What you will need is the kit, your fabric, a hammer, and somewhere sturdy to bash your eyelets with the hammer.

Eyelets come in different sizes but the principle is the same. You have an anvil (kind of dish, female part) and a tool which is the male part ( kind of pole like). The grommet which is also two parts, the base which kinda looks like a hat side on, and the top which it more of a flat washer type, with or without teeth.

So step by step.

1. Place your Anvil on a sturdy surface
2. Put your grommet/eyelet base on that ( it kinda looks like a hat) Flat side on the anvil.
3. Not cut a little slit in your fabric, and pass the fabric over the hat bit of the grommet, good side of the fabric facing down.
4. Sandwich that in with a washer ( if it has teeth, teeth facing the fabric/biting into the fabric)
5. Insert the tool through the washer, and in the process the fabric, grommet base and anvil as well.
6. It's hammer time! So give it a few hits
7. Presto! you're done, you have your first eyelet.

This is a large eyelet kit. I am holding the tool which has the washer placed on it. Teeth pointing down. And on the table, is the Anvil, and the base of the grommet. The fabric is sandwiched between these two.

Here's a link to a better pic/description of a Large Eyelet kit and a Small Eyelet kit

Ok next is a mildly irritating video but, meh, it helps explain what your meant to be doing pretty well.

Ok, you will also need a few other items to get your VeggiePatch off the ground, these include thin polytubing ( or alternative) for irrigation. That also means you need some 4 way splitters at junctions, and drip emitters at the actual pocket points. Don't worry we'll go over all of that.  You will also need some sting of your choice for attaching your veggiepatch to a base and tying up loose ends. And some large and small grommets or eyelets.

Ok, the first step of making your own VeggiePatch is going to be picking out a fabric. Very daunting if you have never really picked out fabric before. First thing you should think about is how long you want to keep your VeggiePatch and if you are willing to do some creative patching over time. Natural fabrics like hessian and cotton are a good start, but if you are looking for something remarkably strong and relatively low maintenance go for a synthetic like Nylon (which is also pretty cheap and good with water). If you really want to minimise your footprint you can look into bamboo fabric or recycled PET fabrics. Generally when picking something out I'd go for darker colours just because they will probably get a bit dirty over time, but feel free to branch out and get creative. The only thing I would advise is if you are buying fabric off a roll ( as opposed to using some old curtain, blanket or bedsheet, which is totally fine) that to make life easier to get one which is at least 120cm wide, or be able to be cut down to that. What that does is make the templates so much easier to use. Now the length you buy will depend on how much space you have, the templates should give you a roungh guide to that. So One row will be around 45cm, two rows 90, three rows 135 etc...