Self watering setup for Salvia (or about any plant)

[Thomas]

Wondering if anyone here has experience using a self watering system as described in this Lycaeum link, http://leda.lycaeum.org/?ID=16097.

To briefly summarize, it involves burying a coiled 1/4" polyester rope in the potting soil at the time of transplantation. The bottom end of the rope comes out of the pot's drainage hole and rests in a container of water (below the potted plant), into which fertilizer can be mixed. The author says he leaves the plants for two weeks or more with no worries, using a humidity tent when away for extended periods.

Anyone with a critique of this technique?

[satellite]

I used that method (in conjunction with a couple of others) to keep my plants watered whilst on holiday for 2 weeks. If you are just going to use the wick method alone you should probably set it up a week or so before you go to monitor it. I found it to be a bit problematic depending on the position of the wick etc.

[kerrmitc]

I started growing my plants using this wick method. I found it worked quite well considering that where your rope meets the water is not dark and enclosed. When I first used this method my water containers were underneath the pots in a small enclosed area. After a few months I noticed that my plants seemed to be more stressed than usuall (browning, shedding, drooping) so I lifted the pots (I never really looked inside the small area because i pulled the water containers out from the front) and there was lots of mold growth in the area. I have fixed the problem now, but i guess what I am trying to say is, do not enclose the water containers completely, allow for air flow, and every so often monitor and clean the area with some alcohol.

Good luck

[Thomas]

Thanks for the observations, guys. My Luna rooted cutting seems to like it well enough at least so far. I thought the setup might help with over/under watering.

[zakmalados]

I put my plants (pot and all, of course) in a saucer and then water the absolute shit out of them, so that the saucer is full of water. That gives me two weeks... and so far, no root rot (and, I've done it many times, for years).

Zak

[Siekoaktiv]

Does anyone have a picture of this setup? It's easier for me to understand it when I can see it...

[Thomas]

A picture wouldn't say much because the rope that pulls water up to the plant is mostly hidden, buried in the potting soil and coiled around the plant roots. Just imagine a pot with a plant in it, and a rope coming out of it's bottom hole and going into a container of water, directly below the pot. So the dry soil and rope within the pot attracts water from the container by capillary forces, the wicking rope being the conduit for the water delivery. The more dry the soil, the stronger the attraction of water from the lower reservoir.

[Alfalfa]

Step by step pictures would be nice to see how to place the rope into the soil. I read the article twice but I've some difficulties to understand.

[Thomas]

Sorry can't send any pics till I wipe out my computer and reload everything, it is very corrupted right now and won't accept camera images, plus I have no scanner. I am putting off the wiping it out and reloading windows and all the programs and settings..we know how time-consuming and annoying that is. This time I should break down and buy a hard-disk ghosting software.

The article that inspired me is here: http://leda.lycaeum.org/?ID=16097 Below is my own best attempt to explain the self-watering setup, though I had thought that the author of the link did an OK job..

Instructions..
Get a long section of 1/4" polyester rope, say 20 ft to be safe, (buy polyester, according to the original author other types of rope material may not wick properly) and put it through the bottom drainage hole of an empty 12" diameter or larger clay pot (ska Pastora likes plenty of room they say), so that there's about 2 ft. of rope extending below the bottom of pot (later you put this into a water container). Place 1-2 in. of small stones/pebbles in the bottom of the pot for drainage/prevention of root rot, and bring the 18 ft of rope through and above that pebble layer. Sprinkle about an inch of potting soil on top of the pebbles then lay the rope on top of the soil in a circle, so that it will be roughly between the inner wall of the pot and the edge of the roots of the transplanted S divinorum. Sprinkle on another 1 in. layer of soil, and make another circle with the rope on top of it. Repeat this until the soil and rope are built up to where the bottom of the S divinorum root ball will rest (obviously place the transplant so that when it's finished, Sally's lower leaves won't be buried in potting soil at the top). Once you've moved the transplant into the pot, center it, and continue building up layers of soil and circling rope, laying the rope roughly between the roots and inner wall of pot, all the way to the top. Then finish off the rope coil by circling it in several concentric turns on top of the upper soil surface of the transplant (how many turns not so critical I don't think, just use your best judgement) till it ends in a small circle (radius about 1/2 in.) with plant stem at the center. Cover this final coil of rope at the surface, sprinkling on just enough soil to cover, but not burying the lower S divinorum foliage, then cut off the excess rope.

Fill a container/reservoir with water using a gallon water jug, large bowl, etc. then place an empty milk crate or the like, over it. Place plant on top of the crate, directly over the reservoir, and let the 2 ft. rope coming out of the pot's bottom hang through one opening in the crate and into the reservoir. Cut the bottom end of the 2 ft. rope so that it just reaches the reservoir bottom. After some time, you'll notice from the relatively fast-falling water level that water is being wicked up significantly by the rope, into the flower pot. When your set-up is complete, give the plant and pot a thorough soaking to start things off.

I've been misting the plant usually once/per day, moistening the foilage and soil at the top around the plant roots. I haven't used a humidity tent, but if I left for more than a week I probably would. Best care is dependent on local conditions. You can mix fertilizer such as Rapid-Gro into the reservoir.

Hope this clears things up a little, good luck.

[Alfalfa]

Thank you for these instructions.

The largest pot I have is only 9.5 inches and larger pots are very expensives (25-35$ for a clay pot...) do you think I can use this self-watering system with my pot?