Are self-watering troughs any good?

[Nick Blair]

Are self-watering troughs any good?

Has anyone here tryed them?

Are they worth buying?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Are self-watering troughs any good?

Has anyone here tryed them?

Are they worth buying?

Depends on what you want them to do for you & what you have planted in them, I think.

If you want to be able to leave stuff for a bit longer between watering than you would normally, then they should be a help.

If you want them to be able to look after your tomatoes in the greenhouse whilst you are away on holiday for a week, you may be disappointed.

[Nick Blair]

Depends on what you want them to do for you & what you have planted in them, I think.

If you want to be able to leave stuff for a bit longer between watering than you would normally, then they should be a help.

If you want them to be able to look after your tomatoes in the greenhouse whilst you are away on holiday for a week, you may be disappointed.

I see. How much time would they give you extra? 1 day ? 2 days 3 days?

[ddiogyn]

I have been growing my tomato sideshoots in DIY self-watering containers made from various things, such as 2L water bottles. I haven't noticed a difference in growth between the self-watered and those in conventional pots. Watering definitely becomes much less of a chore - i've not had to top of the reservoirs for 3 weeks. I will definitely scale-up next year. Much cheaper to build you own than buy them ready-made: The EarthTainer™ for examples and instructions.

[taff]

Much cheaper to build you own than buy them ready-made: The EarthTainer™ for examples and instructions.

Great link, I managed to read it all the way through and will hopefully remember this before I plant more toms next year

[Alison]

I have self watering plastic hanging baskets which I bought about 10 years ago and use every year for basket toms. This means that I can fill the bottom reservoir with water and give them a really good dampening and then if I can't get to the lottie for a couple of days then they are still fine. If I had normal baskets I'd definitely have to be there every day.

Have also got some cheapo troughs inside window boxes at home. These have alpine strawberries in them and I only have to water in very dry conditions as extra rain water is stored and used as necessary. Personally I think they're good but they're ugly (hence covered) and I'm not sure what advantage there would be with some of the more expensive ones over my cheapo ones.

[bazzaboy]

Nick, I'm very happy to recommend the Easy2Grow self-watering set-up sold, amongst others, by Lakeland - see

Easy 2 Grow Kit - Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware

Not cheap but they should last for ever and, once put together, are soooooooo easy! I recommend using the extension pots as well. You can add appropriate feed to the tank and leave things like chillies, peppers, aubergines in a frame or greenhouse to their own devices for weeks. The only thing you need to check occasionally is no insect infestation and if any new growth needs tying in etc. Using them this year I have the best crops of those items I've ever managed.... I don't think I'd be inclined to use them for tomatoes as I prefer the feed-some- roots/water-only-for-some-roots approach to toms... bb.

[Gurberly]

I have a few troughs. I use them for sucessional sowing of salad leaves. Handy to have by the back door rather that trotting the extra 30 meters down to the veg patch. Being mobile, I can also move them to cooler areas of the patio to stop them getting frazzled.

I guess having the water resevoir there gives you a bit of leeway in the watering

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

I've read through the EarthTainer and it looks a good system but has anybody noticed an increase in productivity of their own plants?

Dave

[womble]

Hi

I've read through the EarthTainer and it looks a good system but has anybody noticed an increase in productivity of their own plants?

Dave

I don't see why you should see any increase in productivity. All it is doing, is keeping the watering topped up, if you water properly anyway, it shouldn't make any difference.
Of course if you are like me and not reliable with your watering, it may give better crops.
That's why I grow mine in the ground, so I don't have to worry about the watering so much.

[Glutton4...]

Nick, I'm very happy to recommend the Easy2Grow self-watering set-up sold, amongst others, by Lakeland - see

Easy 2 Grow Kit - Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware

Not cheap but they should last for ever and, once put together, are soooooooo easy! I recommend using the extension pots as well. You can add appropriate feed to the tank and leave things like chillies, peppers, aubergines in a frame or greenhouse to their own devices for weeks. The only thing you need to check occasionally is no insect infestation and if any new growth needs tying in etc. Using them this year I have the best crops of those items I've ever managed.... I don't think I'd be inclined to use them for tomatoes as I prefer the feed-some- roots/water-only-for-some-roots approach to toms... bb.

My Dad has loads of these (big greenhouse) and to start with they are great. You can go away and leave your crops to water themselves. Although, they do take a while to 'calibrate' to avoid over/under watering.

After year two, however, they need a really good descale and clean, as they block up and become a real PITA, so I'm not using them this year. My other complaint is the toms got pot-bound, as I let them grow to a good six feet in height, as we had the room, and the pots weren't big enough.

[Silent Reader]

I have been growing my tomato sideshoots in DIY self-watering containers made from various things, such as 2L water bottles. I haven't noticed a difference in growth between the self-watered and those in conventional pots. Watering definitely becomes much less of a chore - i've not had to top of the reservoirs for 3 weeks. I will definitely scale-up next year. Much cheaper to build you own than buy them ready-made: The EarthTainer™ for examples and instructions.

I like the look of that, but there is a more traditional method that I've recently discovered although I'll admit that I've not experimented with yet.

Are you familiar with an Olla (pronounced Oi-ya) ?

Here’s an interesting video, these are being used for salad crops and on a recent podcast that I heard they also said that these can be used with 4-6 peppers, 3 or 4 Tomatoes etc.

Water content lasts approx a week to 10days depending on the weather. It might be a better solution.

YouTube - Path to Freedom - Water Wise Gardening

YouTube - Making an Olla plant self watering clay pot on the potters wheel demo how to make a Ingleton Pottery

I love watching that being made...... It's so relaxing.

BTW, if anyone reading this is in East Sussex and has a potter’s wheel and wants to give this ago, both making and planting, I'll be very happy to get involved. None of the nurseries around my area have even heard of them let alone even stock them.

I spy a gap in the market

All the best.

SR

[Silent Reader]

Olla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bazzaboy]

Thanks for the maintenance tip, G4, good idea, this Winter I'll give all the valves and tubes a clean descale (vinegar?) The water is not too hard where I am but a sensible precaution as the valves are the heart of the set-up. But I do find these kits very efficient and labour-saving for aubergines, chillies and peppers (prob NOT tomatoes). I'll try to include some pix*.

As it happens, SR, I can (at least could!) throw a pot as I was taught as a student and spent many hours practicing though never attained any great artistic accomplishments! But you don't really need a wheel or to "throw" these pots, they could easily and quickly be made as coil pots (check techniques on Google). Probably more problematic than making them is firing as "biscuit-ware" - that can get quite expensive to do professionally but I'm sure Google can find you interesting alternatives of firing in underground sawdust pits (and very appropriate too given their intended use). You could even dig your own clay! But although a revered ancient technique I can see problems with the water finding an easy route DOWN and entirely missing the roots of adjacent plants!

So fun and games, love it! bb.

* pix proving problematic as file-size needs to be reduced, duh! Will fiddle with 'em and post separately but don't hold your breath...

[ddiogyn]

Re: the Olla

Sounds interesting, but since i grow my crops in containers, and soon in raised beds, i think sticking these things into the ground would take up valuable real estate that could otherwise be used for root growth.

I imagine planting into a hole-less terracotta pot and then keeping this part-submerged in water would have a similar effect though...