Capillary matting question

[bario1]

Hi, Ive set up my capillary matting system for going on holiday, but it doesn't seem to be 'drawing' - it's worked fine for me before, so I'm wondering if I have the matting the wrong way up this time? It's the grey 'wooly' stuff with flecks of colour in and a see-through plasticky coating on one side. Currently I have the plastic side down, should it be up?

Any help appreciated,

Ta.

[Martin H]

I found that new matting was reluctant to draw up water at first. I speeded it up by flooding the bench and letting the excess water drain off into the reservoir below. After that it kept nice and moist on its own.

Your matting sounds different from mine, but from the description you've got it the right way up.

[bario1]

Thanks Martin, but it's the same bit of matting that I've used the past couple of years, just can't remember which way up i had it before... maybe the plastic coating is to reduce evaporation, and protect the cloth from dirt and roots, in which case i have it the wrong way up?

[Bigmallly]

I would assume plastic faces down as it's the matting that you need to stand the pots on. To help it absorb water, dunk the matting and squeeze out any excess.

[boatsman]

What is capillary matting and what is its function? I couldn't find any information on Wiki.

[Bigmallly]

It's an absorbent fabric that you stand your plants on to take up water, one end of the matting is submersed in a trough of water & capillary action draws the water to the plants.

[Jay-ell]

Anyone know the maximum height capillary matting can draw water?

Wold it be able to draw water from a container on the floor to a tray with more matting on the top of the staging?

Would having the matting wick in a tube improve the performance?

[Bigmallly]

I wouldn't think it would lift water that high Jay as gravity would force it back down, I would say to have the trough around level with the bench. I'm only guessing by the way as I've never used it.

[Bren In Pots]

Jay you could stand your tray on the top of a trough containing your water. something like what I've done here.

[Jay-ell]

Jay you could stand your tray on the top of a trough containing your water. something like what I've done here.

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Thanks Bren. Trying to work out an auto-watering system to look after the watering while I'm at work.
Do you have a problem with algae or mould build up on the matting? Would adding a little bit of Condys' Crystals help?

[Martin H]

Anyone know the maximum height capillary matting can draw water?

If I remember right, the instructions with my matting said maximum lift 15cm. So I've got my reservoirs fixed just underneath the greenhouse bench, like this:

[Bren In Pots]

Thanks Bren. Trying to work out an auto-watering system to look after the watering while I'm at work.
Do you have a problem with algae or mould build up on the matting? Would adding a little bit of Condys' Crystals help?

Jay I modified the matting by covering it with black plastic with holes cut out for the pots that stopped the algae problem. I've seen plastic with holes in that would save messing around but I tend to use what I've got laying around.

[milupas]

Years back I used plastic as lining for raised beds and it encouraged mildew so I'd assume the same for covering capillary mats.
It's worth experimenting though and let us know

[TrysHard]

I use a plastic barrel as a header tank into a seed tray which act as a reservoir feed via a float valve feeding the larger tray. No more than a 10 cm lift.

Worked well last year but green algae is always a pain in the greenhouse.