You can make useful self watering planters from recycled everyday materials found at home. A wick system will keep the soil moist and your plants healthy.
I've just come across a suggestion to use a wick from a container next to the plant pot to provide automatic watering. This is the first time I've seen someone doing what I've been experimenting with for some time so as to work out a way that those in drought-ridden places can irrigate their plants.
Does anyone have any experience of what I call 'optimal irrigation'? The photo shows a bowl supplying water to several plants. The egg cup is to check the flow rate into one wick.
By GrahamK
I connected 3 barrels with PVC pipe: put a faucet on one at the end, hooked up a water hose to the barrel with the faucet. I used the smallest drill bit I could find and heated on the grill, and burned tiny holes on the water hose by each plant. Bought a Holman timer from Dripworks and put it on the main barrel with the faucet. My peach, apple, guava, lemon, plum, and pear trees get watered automaticely with the timer for two weeks. I go to that property evry two weeks. The ground gets so dry, it gets inch size cracks.
We are going on vacation and I would like to know about the self-watering system for plants using gallon milk jugs. I remember something about putting rocks in the jug, poking holes and sticking it in the ground next to the plants.
To water outside plants while on vacation, simply bury a piece of yarn beside of plant and run the other end of yarn into a bucket of water. Presto! The plants will absorb water as needed. Happy gardening!
