by 7 people |
Building a self watering system, and its mixed results
A year or so ago, I realised that I could not always be around to water my own plants. Even if I was, judging when or when not to water them was a chore.
I have got better since, but my concept was to use a wick which would use capillary action to pull water through on demand - this should ensure the soil does not get too dry or wet. This is not original, and there are (pricey!) professional kits with similar techniques used to achieve the same. However, being quite frugal, I try to build things myself from the stuff I have laying about the flat.
I decided early against using a digital, battery powered, beeping monstrosity. Although I could probably also build one of these, being familiar with microcontrollers and sensors, it really did not fit with my philosophy of keeping the planting simple and basic. Plus I really did not want to add the risk of battery chemicals coming into contact with my plants.
Being an experiment, it turned out to be not as effective as I liked. Although it worked, and watered the plants, it did not really take into account how different plants do like different amounts of water. Also the strings I used sometimes rotted.
I have got better since, but my concept was to use a wick which would use capillary action to pull water through on demand - this should ensure the soil does not get too dry or wet. This is not original, and there are (pricey!) professional kits with similar techniques used to achieve the same. However, being quite frugal, I try to build things myself from the stuff I have laying about the flat.
I decided early against using a digital, battery powered, beeping monstrosity. Although I could probably also build one of these, being familiar with microcontrollers and sensors, it really did not fit with my philosophy of keeping the planting simple and basic. Plus I really did not want to add the risk of battery chemicals coming into contact with my plants.
Being an experiment, it turned out to be not as effective as I liked. Although it worked, and watered the plants, it did not really take into account how different plants do like different amounts of water. Also the strings I used sometimes rotted.
Contents
Materials
What you will need to build it
The materials for this are fairly simple, and will probably be found around the house or shed of anyone who plants things.
- A plant pot. Plastic - with holes in the bottom.
Potting compound/compost. Make sure there is good absorbent compost, with good drainage.
Something fibrous with wood chips, Perlite or vermiculite to help distribute and retain water, and preferably organic and peat free.
- One small plastic planter tray/saucer - about the diameter of the base of the pot. You will be modding this, so it will not be usable as a normal saucer after.
- A plastic saucer with a diameter at least 10/15mm greater than the smaller one. Preferably high rimmed
Some absorbent thread - hemp rope is reasonably good, as is normal garden twine. If you can get strips of synthetic wicking fabric, that is even better.
Be careful not to introduce something that would leach harmful chemicals into the soil.
Of course, the subject plant. If experimenting, you should set up a couple of plants from the same batch (or cutting from the same parent plant) in the same way, and a couple without the mod.
This is most suitable for seedlings being planted out once they have outgrown their existing pot.
Amazon has many of the materials needed
Green Plastic Flower Pot - 6w" X 3 1/2h" 8 Pack
Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009) 
SAUCER 6" DURA COTTA TC - SDC6/A-TC - DURACO PRODUCTS
Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009)
Eko Organic Original Soil Mix - 8 Quart Bag of Potting Soil
Amazon Price: $3.95 (as of 12/16/2009)
Sisal Twine, 2500' Natural
Amazon Price: $10.72 (as of 12/16/2009)
Tools and safety
Because you are actually going to be modifying the saucers, you will need a few tools, and safety measures. Make sure you are well set up, and this will prepare you for other DIY stuff too.
Please, please do not ignore the safety advice and gear. Read here on my other site for info on safe workshops.
Please, please do not ignore the safety advice and gear. Read here on my other site for info on safe workshops.
A workbench without interruption.
I cannot stress how important it is to have somewhere good to work which is safe, free of interruption, and will not mean getting soil or tooling marks on your kitchen table.
I use my living room, with a small portable (but sturdy) workbench. I spread newspaper across the bench, and the floor underneath, so I can avoid the soil going all over the floor, and then merely fold the paper, pouring the soil back into its container.
Good lighting
When cutting anything, you should really have good lighting so you can see clearly what you are doing.
The lighting I have are living room spotlights, but desk lamps and similar would also be good.
Safety goggles. Please trust me, you should always drill with these. Nothing stings like plastic flying off into your eye.
Buy good ones that stay on your eyes and not on the top of your head because you cannot see with them. There is no point buying cheap ones that you hate to wear.
- Some cutters - depending on the thickness of the saucers, scissors may do it, or you may need larger cutters. Do not use cutters to small for the job - the more pressure you have to use, the more dangerous the job becomes.
- Optional: A Vice. If your cutters are large, or your saucer large, then you will probably need to apply more force, and therefore you are strongly advised to use a vice to hold the job before cutting.
- Optional: You may want to wear gloves as you will need to get your hands right into the compost. If you are taking growing stuff seriously, you better get used to having your hands or fingers in compost! I personally do not use gloves, and am not afraid to have compost under my nails.
How it works
The system explained
Okay, take a look at the diagram to see how this works.- The large tray forms the base of the system. It holds a little water - the reservoir of the system. Don't overdo it. This water should not be allowed to become stagnant.
- The small tray has notches cut into the sides. It is a stand to hold the base of pot above the water line - you do not want to leave the base of the pot soggy. The notches mean water does not become trapped in the bottom pot and become stagnant. It also means that less water will be lost simply to evaporation.
- The string or absorbent fibre strips have been wound around the soil inside the pot. They will wick the water up from that in the dish, and distribute it into the soil.
- Finally this is the pot with the plant and its soil.
So the concept is that the water from the reservoir is drawn up through the wick and into the pot. Good absorbent compost will then distribute it around the roots. When the compost is saturated enough or the water drained, it will no longer be drawn up. If the soil dries, and there is water, then more would be drawn up - water would be drawn from the reservoir on demand as such.
How to build it.
This is relatively easy to build. For a while, it became routine to me when potting new plants.
- Take the small saucer and cut notches in at four sides. These can be relatively small, and do not need to go all the way up. Importantly, they do not weaken the saucer.
- Stand the small saucer in the larger one.
- Cut the string to a three or four threads with length of about 1.5 times the height of the pot. They should be reasonably equal in length.
- Pull the threads through the pot.
- Start placing compost into the pot. You will need to place down a layer, then wind the string loosely around and on top of the layer, then layer more compost.
- You will need to leave an area in the middle to transplant the plant into (this technique is usually used for plants with an existing root system). Once you reach the height where the transplanted plants base will sit, place the strings over the outside top lip of the pot, start filling the sides and place the transplant plant in the middle.
- Continue to layer in soil around the transplant plant, winding the strings around it. There should be no string remaining above the top of the soil. There should be about a centimetre between the top of the soil and the top of the pot.
- Place the pot on top of the small saucer.
- Put water in the large saucer and it should start to be drawn up the string into the pot.
Using the system
Once built, using it is fairly simple.
- Refill the saucer until there is about 10mm of water, this should be below the stand.
- If the water is there for more than a week, replace it.
- Check the base of the pot, if roots begin to come through, then it needs a larger pot. Roots do tend to follow the water though, so they may reach this way.
- Dip a finger (or some dipper) into the top of the soil, check that the water has been soaked up. It will initially take a few hours to soak through, but should begin to work. If it is too dry, then hand water a little.
Other Plant Watering Systems and Resources
There are a few different scales of plant watering system, and many different styles. I was working mostly on the single pot level, although I more often use grid containers now.
8100 Clear Fluted Glass Watering Globe w/ Plant Nanny, Set of 3
Amazon Price: $41.95 (as of 12/15/2009)
Aqua Globes AG011706 Glass Plant Watering Bulbs - 2 Pack
Amazon Price: $9.75 (as of 12/15/2009)
Claber 8053 Oasis 4-Program/20 Plant Garden Automatic Drip Watering System
Amazon Price: $79.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Wine Bottle Plant Nanny Watering Stakes, Three 4-packs
Amazon Price: $45.95 (as of 12/15/2009)
Things that were a problem
Here are some of the problems I had
Unfortunately, the experiment did not go as well as I would have liked. Maybe with more experimentation and research I will get better results, but currently my focus is on my tomato crop.
- This can be a lot of effort when transferring plants. The winding and layer process is pretty awkward. Although you get used to it, it gets harder for larger plants. I considered making this into a system that I apply to a pot first, then add soil after.
- Finding the right kind of wicking material is difficult. It must be wicking and absorbent, but not easily given to rotting. The wicks rotted in a few of my plants. It must also not introduce unwanted chemicals into the soil. Hemp strings have to be replaced, but also will not have any harmful substances.
- Some plants did wonderfully off it and exhibited lush growth. Some did not like how much water they were getting - too much or too little. It is clearly not suited to all plants. I probably need to do more research to find out the rate it waters at, and the rate the plants like watering. Make sure you get to know how much water your plant likes.
- This does not really work with the "drench and drain" methods recommended for plant watering. It just constantly keeps the soil at a particular humidity level. That may allow for harmful salt build up around the roots of plants. Use of ballast like Vermiculite will help a great deal with this.
Conclusion
This was an experiment worth holding. One that could perhaps be repeated with somewhat more controlled conditions.
I did have many plants going with this, although I eventually switched them back to conventional watering.
It certainly helps when you know you are going to be away for a few days from time to time, and is far cheaper than a robotic or similar watering system. No batteries are required, and only water.
I will be experimenting with other systems in the future.
I did have many plants going with this, although I eventually switched them back to conventional watering.
It certainly helps when you know you are going to be away for a few days from time to time, and is far cheaper than a robotic or similar watering system. No batteries are required, and only water.
I will be experimenting with other systems in the future.
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Ideas? Improvements? Suggestions?
Have you tried this or done a similar system? Do you think you could improve it? What were your results? Could I improve this lens?
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- Glotz Glotz Feb 27, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
- In 2007 I found some self watering pots at Walmart. The Plant Spa pots (www.miscohomeandgarden.com) are plastic pots with saucers that snap on closing off the bottom except for a lip to pour water into. In the bottom of the pot are dozens of thin slits which allow the water to evaporate up through soil. These pots do not come with a wick. My tomato plants grew over 2m tall in them! I also started experimenting with growing seedlings of thyme, oregano, and marjoram & a rosemary plant (all plants that prefer sandy, well drained soils) in these pots. The moisture holding soil I used for the tomatoes wasn't going to work. So, I experimented with soil types. I came up with a mixture that's one part soil (peat, compost, beneficial fungi, perlite) to three parts perlite, with a little dry organic fertilizer thrown in, no vermiculite. It seems like it's working pretty well. I have to water the rosemary plant every few days though. I plan on trying some other herbs and vegetables this year.
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Reply
- Pastiche Pastiche Dec 6, 2008 @ 11:29 am
- This is a great lens. The only improvements I can suggest might be 1 ) if you find a new method to solve some of the issues you noted in your problems report section, and 2) show off some of your plants! 5* ... and I have many houseplants and a huge garden.
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Reply
- tdove tdove Oct 18, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
- Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory!
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Lensmaster dannystaple has been a member since July 5 2008, has rated 414 lenses, favorited 127, and has created 39 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "HOWTO: Fix Broken Christmas Lights Quickly". See all my lenses
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