Self watering planters for greenhouse

[Gman]

Hi folks,

Hoping I don’t break any forum rules - please let me know and I will take down if I need to.

i have come across some planters for vegetables in the greenhouse called “[removed in case i break a forum rule]”. I am not trying to endorse these or any other products - I’m just interested to know if they work and whether anyone has experience with this or similar products.

the makers claim that it can self-water plants meaning that watering isn’t needed for up to 14 days, and also that crop yields are higher due to more efficient watering. Would be nice to have larger crops, but more importantly would be lovely to be able to go away from home for a week or so over summer (coronavirus allowing!) without plants all dying.

can anyone advise, or alternatively send some abuse and either bump this post for breaking rules if I have (in which case sorry!) or let me know to do them.

[burnie]

I think you'll be ok to mention a trade name to explain your post, just don't add a link then you'll not be advertising someone's product, we can go find it ourselves if we need to. I keep thinking about rigging up a watering system for when we go away on holiday, but usually end up getting a neighbour to do it lol.

[Penellype]

I use self watering planters and trays all the time as I find they are much better than pots sitting in drip trays. There are 2 sorts that I regularly use. The first are trays with a shelf insert that you cover with capillary matting. The matting dangles into the water underneath and the pots sit on the matting. I find this excellent for seedlings and have trays like this under my grow lights. I also grow indoor tomatoes and peppers in pots sitting on these and I have started doing the same with some of my carrots. Watering times vary widely from every day or even twice a day for big plants in hot weather to once a week or so for small seedlings in cooler conditions.

The 2nd sort, which I would hazard a guess you are thinking of, are pots that come with a reservoir underneath and a specially constructed platform over it on which you sit the pots. Pieces of capillary matting are embedded in the compost when planting and dangle through holes in the pots and platform into the reservoir below. In my experience these are brilliant. I use various types of them for tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse and for potatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, salads and spinach in the garden. Again how long the water lasts depends on the size of the plants and the temperature, and obviously if they are outside, on rainfall. As a comparison of how good these are, I have had a higher yield from 1 seed potato in an 18 litre self watering planter than I got from a 30 litre bucket with 3 seed potatoes in (same variety and feeding regime, with the bucket next door to the planter).

In short, if you can afford them, get them!

[Gman]

Thanks Burnie,

The name of the product was quadgrow. Sounds very similar to what you are describing penellype. Suspect it’s the same thing. Maybe I’ll give it a try based on what you are saying.

g

[B Porcupine]

Hi, I have used Quadgrows for a few season no in my greenhouse. I got them as the water butt by the greenhouse runs dry in hot weather and lugging watering cans almost daily was a drag. I have had good results with these for tomatoes, peppers and chillies. If you go away in hot weather, you may want to consider the extra reservoir offered ( I have not as my neighbour was happy to use the pre-filled watering cans to top them up- large tomato plants are thirsty!)

I also dug trenches to put the planters in so the reservoir was flush with the surface, so I gained more headroom for the plants, as every inch counts

[Ms-T]

Love them i have 2 sets of 4 quadgrows and have a reservoir that sits in-between them. and i got the chilligrows too . i get the kids to get them for my birthdays . better then chocolate . lol

[Penellype]

Thanks Burnie,

The name of the product was quadgrow. Sounds very similar to what you are describing penellype. Suspect it’s the same thing. Maybe I’ll give it a try based on what you are saying.

g

Yes, some of mine are Quadgrows.

[Organo Pleno]

Have just looked at these and have sent off a query to them. What I need is two sets and a water butt (reservoir) as Ms-T says above. My query is, do I just need a deluxe double set which appears to include the reservoir and floats, pipes etc.

I'm just finishing setting up my greenhouse and was planning to use the ones which have a water reservoir then a plate on to which you put the compost. They have a tube which sits in one corner through which you replenish the water. However the cost of these is almost the same as the quadgrow, but doesn't include the 14 day supply.

My one question for forum members is this. Do you need to replace the feeder mats every year or will they last a couple of years or more?

Many thanks.

[Penellype]

I reuse the feeder mats - they get a bit mucky with compost and sometimes roots grow through them but they are still in one piece and perfectly useable after 4 years use.

[Ms-T]

I too reuse the feeder mats.

[OakR]

For those of you using quadgrows, do you use the plant feed they supply, or your own?

[SimpleSimon]

Have just looked at these and have sent off a query to them. What I need is two sets and a water butt (reservoir) as Ms-T says above. My query is, do I just need a deluxe double set which appears to include the reservoir and floats, pipes etc.

I'm just finishing setting up my greenhouse and was planning to use the ones which have a water reservoir then a plate on to which you put the compost. They have a tube which sits in one corner through which you replenish the water. However the cost of these is almost the same as the quadgrow, but doesn't include the 14 day supply.

My one question for forum members is this. Do you need to replace the feeder mats every year or will they last a couple of years or more?

Many thanks.

Yes you need the deluxe model if you want the reservoir and floats etc. If you want to connect it to a larger Waterbutt just buy the double quad grow and the holiday kit (£10) and the £8 add on for the extra quad grow. I have mine attached to a 120 litre waterbut (this also feeds a DIY version though).

[smallblueplanet]

Our elderly neighbour offers to water stuff when we go on our hols, but I think it may soon become too much for her.
Are there other examples of 'self-watering' for green houses? We grow our plants in bottomless pots (to stop the moles digging through their roots!) dug into the borders of the greenhouse.

[Penellype]

For those of you using quadgrows, do you use the plant feed they supply, or your own?

I tend to use ordinary tomato feed as the feed they supply comes in 2 parts which have to be dissolved in water and then mixed together. I have used some of the supplied feed though, when I remember.

Are there other examples of 'self-watering' for green houses? We grow our plants in bottomless pots (to stop the moles digging through their roots!) dug into the borders of the greenhouse.

Yes, I use one made by Hozelock which has a tray on top for compost and matting strips that drop into a reservoir below. You can buy it without the tray, designed to hold a growbag, but I like the tray better. I fill it with compost then use bottomless pots to provide more depth to grow tomatoes. They don't hold as much water as the Quadgrows so need filling more often (daily for 3 large tomatoes in a greenhouse), but they have a useful water indicator and a hosepipe attachment (as well as a hole) for filling, so if your hose reaches your greenhouse filling it up is not hard.

You can also make your own from 2 strong stackable watertight plastic containers (eg recycling boxes), one with a lid, if you are good at DIY. You will need to cut matching holes for the capillary matting in the bottom of one container and the lid and cut strips of capillary matting twice the height of one container. You will also need some sort of filling tube and a hole in the top container and the lid to feed it through. It is probably best to drill a small hole in one side near the top of the lower container so that it doesn't overfill. You could bury part or all of the lower container in the soil if you want to grow tall plants like tomatoes. A bamboo cane can be used to check the water level via the filling pipe (I do this to check the water level in the Quadgrows).

[SimpleSimon]

These are great if anyone wants to DIY a quadgrow type planter. You can stand on them. 2 pots, some capillary matting and a drill. You can link them pretty easy too.

https://www.diy.com/departments/wham...4455809_BQ.prd