Watering with string.

OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
Hi. I was just curious if anyone else was doing something similar using rope/string/cord, to water their plants.

If so please share setup and experience using this method.

I am still setting up mine, got light blocking tubing for the string and going to use an auto pot base + 10ga res, to further automate it.


59E3A611-AEC3-4728-AF39-B340F2930D86.jpeg

5DDC1B61-2DD5-4CCD-872D-FBEA154D4418.jpeg

Just poked a small hole at the bottom of the pots and the string runs straight across the bottom.

plants seems to be loving it coming from being underwatered
 
MICHI-CAN

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
OneMoreRip said:
Hi. I was just curious if anyone else was doing something similar using rope/string/cord, to water their plants.

If so please share setup and experience using this method.

I am still setting up mine, got light blocking tubing for the string and going to use an auto pot base + 10ga res, to further automate it.


View attachment 5007120

View attachment 5007123

Just poked a small hole at the bottom of the pots and the string runs straight across the bottom.
Click to expand...
Wicking has been around since before man. LOL. Keep thinking.
 
OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
Definitely not claiming to be the creator of this. Just looking to see how other may have theirs set up. Thanks

I am new to this method so looking to learn!
 
Mari.baba

Mari.baba

Active Member
OneMoreRip said:
Hi. I was just curious if anyone else was doing something similar using rope/string/cord, to water their plants.

If so please share setup and experience using this method.

I am still setting up mine, got light blocking tubing for the string and going to use an auto pot base + 10ga res, to further automate it.


View attachment 5007120

View attachment 5007123

Just poked a small hole at the bottom of the pots and the string runs straight across the bottom.

plants seems to be loving it coming from being underwatered
Click to expand...
I used to do this for co2
 
MICHI-CAN

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
OneMoreRip said:
Definitely not claiming to be the creator of this. Just looking to see how other may have theirs set up. Thanks
Click to expand...
My question after a glance is s follows. Are you not finding puddles of water at the pots? And no way that can supply enough water from my wicking my orchids with terry cloth. Just thoughts and a friendly poking.
 
OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
MICHI-CAN said:
My question after a glance is s follows. Are you not finding puddles of water at the pots? And no way that can supply enough water from my wicking my orchids with terry cloth. Just thoughts and a friendly poking.
Click to expand...
I even have it on a solo cup, it is moist at bottom but the string is overkill, smaller string would be ideal.

You could use rope as big or small as you want, to match what you are watering, and if you wrap the rope so no evaporation, it could be mile long, up hill

The height/volume of res will play a factor, I’m thinking the lower the res the better (at least below the pots), so only capillary action is going the work and won’t let gravity overwater it

12A7BDCA-36FA-498D-9955-7829035D4572.jpeg

a mock up I made for seedling/younger plants, small res in middle. I just want to find a smaller wick
 
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HydoDan

HydoDan

Well-Known Member
OneMoreRip said:
This is basically the same thing, just it does it for you and when the plants want it (assuming set up correctly).

Also with this, is water and nutrient savings, no run off or excessive evaporation, if you put the cords/rope in tubs or similar.

So far, no saucers needed.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about doing something similar on my next grow.. I've been bottom watering this grow and the plants seem to love it..
 
OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
twentyeight.threefive said:
Am I doing it right?
View attachment 5007184
Click to expand...
Like I said, I pretty new to this but it looks good to me


4F42150A-A267-46AD-9FBE-42C2A04765F5.jpeg

Here is my solo cup sized pot, dry underneath always now. When I first hooked it up it did get moist underneath.

I assume this plant was under watered before because just over a day it looks much happier.

could be associated with res level as as well , which is why I think it may be best to have the res lower than the bottom of the pot.
 
C. Nesbitt

C. Nesbitt

Well-Known Member
I tried wicks for a few runs in a closet grow a long time ago. Used a 50/50 perlite vermiculite mix and wicks hanging out the bottom of 2-liter pop bottle pots into a kitty litter pan reservoir below.
Kind of a jenky setup with most parts from K-Mart and HD. I wouldn’t claim it was great or do it again, but it got the job done with available supplies. Simple and relatively low maintenance.
Wicks would sometimes get icky, covering them in tubing would help. Your auto pot system idea would make it all look cleaner too.
Wicks certainly work for a more passive watering system, been around a long time.
 
OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
Capillary action will go uphill, easy example is put the corner of a paper towel in water an the whole thing will eventually get wet. To feed out the bottom would be to much waterproofing/work for me

like the guy said 2 post ago and like most wick set ups I see is just the planted pot with a string out the bottom sittin on its res.

On amazon where I got the cord some guy said he was watering plants on 2nd story of house from res at ground level lol A lot of people just use yarn from what I have seen on YouTube, mostly ladies growing flowers that don’t like a ton of water in the medium :)

Edit, to say if my res is over half full I am getting moisture from the bottom of the solo cup only. Gonna set some up with a smaller cord in the next few days and see how it goes,
 
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C. Nesbitt

C. Nesbitt

Well-Known Member
It looks like you have a soil mix?
Vermiculite soaks up a lot of water. I used to put around an inch of straight vermiculite at the base to get more water at the bottom - the roots would look for it.
You can also try making loops with the wicks up into the media when filling a pot to try and distribute moisture better.
You’re right too, capillary action is not gravity limited, you can water upwards. Not sure how well the wicks transport nutes though.
 
OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
C. Nesbitt said:
It looks like you have a soil mix?
Vermiculite soaks up a lot of water. I used to put around an inch of straight vermiculite at the base to get more water at the bottom - the roots would look for it.
You can also try making loops with the wicks up into the media when filling a pot to try and distribute moisture better.
You’re right too, capillary action is not gravity limited, you can water upwards. Not sure how well the wicks transport nutes though.
Click to expand...
I have 50/50 peat/vermiculite

From what I hear, as long as nutes are water soluble they will wick.

May try some different wick layouts when potting up the next ones but it wouldn’t surprise me if just one in the bottom is just as good since my pots are pretty small
 
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