Watering Spikes

[JamesM]

Whilst down at the garden centre yesterday I came across something i certasinly hadn't seen before and haven't heard mentioned on here before. As a follow up to these threads about watering ( http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...-do_58462.html , http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...lch_57250.html ) the product is a spike which is attached to the top of a one or two litre bottle and pushed into the ground. Essentially like placing a water bottle in the ground but the spike allows watering to occur easily down at root level.

There are holes in the spike to water down into the roots of plants, hanging baskets etc and the rate of follow is 'controlled' by packing the bottle top with kitchen roll or cotton wool so the flow isn't too fast and can therefore water, so the product says, over a period of up to two weeks.

The two threads above involve really good advice on cheap homemade irrigation which i am determined to sort out (even though i can't find any bloomin' big enough water bottles!) but this product seems to me like a good efficient one. It is linked below. I wonder if anyone on here has used it before and/or can offer advice/recommnedation etc.

Watering products from Garden Selections

[Two_Sheds]

I've had those spikes before and never got on with them: the holes clog up with soil

[oldie]

I found it difficult to regulate these, and as TS found the holes clogged up. That's on the ones I tried, there are a number of different types available. I'm trying a Big Dripper kit this year and although it is fiddly to get each tap to drip at the same rate it is working quite well.

[blue411]

I always use bottle top waterers (open your link, click on the top item, then scroll to the right, there is a pic of 4 bottle top waterers, i use the red one with the black tip), i use these with large pop bottles for the veg i have in pots espicially my courgettes, other than my cat sticking his head in the bottle trying to drink the water they work great for me!

Watering products from Garden Selections

[perkin]

I've got something similar - fourth item down on your link but minus the green globe. With these ones the hole that the water drips out of isn't in contact with the soil so removes the clogging problem. I use these in my greenhouse for tomatoes and peppers and for large patio pot crops such as blueberries. They're good for 'holiday watering' though in v hot weather I find they need filling up every 5 or so days - but my lovely neighbours say they're very easy to monitor.
I tried the Big Drippa kits last year but couldn't get on well with regulating the flow - it either ran out and emptied within a day or stopped dripping entirely. I still have the second kit unopened.

[gojiberry]

I have used the big drippa on a larger scale when I went on holiday this year. It is difficult to get the flow right but I managed to water 6 tomato plants over 2 weeks using a 15 gallon tub. There was still about an inch of water in the tub when I got back and the soil around the tomatoes looked damp. Added another 3 drippers the other day and it drained away in 24 hours so need to look at adjusting drippers. The easiest way is to close all the drippers down so they are closed, then turn them all one click, look at the results after a couple of hours and if need be undo another click. Continue doing this till you get the flow that you want.

Ian

[JamesM]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds relatively promising on the whole- the idea is undoubtedly a simple one and my concerns are as mentioned regulating the flow and ensuring the holes don't become blocked by soil. I guess the only option is get them early to practise and crossing fingers!