Capilliary matting

[redser]

Hi - I did a good search on this but couldn't find anything specific for tomatoes. I wonder would cappilliary matting work for toms in a pot? I built a capilliary bench for my seedlings and it's working well but for the summer I want a mix of toms in the tunnel border but also some cherry types in 12 inch pots. Thinking of sitting them on cap. matting which in turn would sit above some sort resevoir to water from the bottom. I reckon it would work but my only concern is that toms don't like to sit in water and get over-wet. But then again maybe they would only take up what they need and it will be fine. So has anyone done this?
And do you think it could work for a chilli plant and a sweet pepper plant?
Thanks a million!

[VirginVegGrower]

I don't know whether it would work or you, but on the topic of capillary matting, Aldi were selling large cut lengths for £4.99. This was a week or two back though.

[redser]

Thanks, I got some Comes with a separate poly liner this time which is good

[chris]

Well I use the same idea when I go on holiday - tomatoes in pots are placed on wet towels in my bath, with a spot of water - they'll take up what they need whilst I'm away. Large tomatoes though, you'd probably be better off watering normally, as I doubt they'd get enough draw from the matting? Someone was saying that a hot GH can cause plants to take up to a litre of water a day each!

[rustylady]

I really don't think capillary matting would supply enough water for such large pots, and the other plants in the borders shouldn't need it anyway.

[redser]

Thanks for the replies. Been thinking, if i fed one or two strips up through the holes and circled them up through the compost, this could give an even distribution of water. I feel an experiment coming on.

[Bren In Pots]

I've used it for the last two years set up on my bench for chillis and sweet peppers they're not in huge pots only 7inch ones.

[Bigmallly]

Popped into Aldi tonight and not only did they have the matting in 2mt lengths but also had packs of 10 mats the size of a seed tray so I assume one mat would go in the tray under modules.

[rustylady]

Thanks for the replies. Been thinking, if i fed one or two strips up through the holes and circled them up through the compost, this could give an even distribution of water. I feel an experiment coming on.

Not at all sure what you mean. Are you talking beds or pots?

[redser]

Not at all sure what you mean. Are you talking beds or pots?

Sorry maybe I wasn't clear. I'm planning a crop rotation in the tunnel beds and only have room for 6 tom plants a year but I want to grow 8. So 6 will go in a bed and 2 in pots. Because the tunnel is on the plot I just can't get up as often as I'd like to water pots. So I'm looking at auto-watering options. Would like to use cap. matting if possible as I think it could be less 'tweaky' and much cheaper to set up than drippers and gravity fed systems etc. Just get a large resevoir like a tote filled up and bobs your uncle. That's what I'm hoping for anyway.
That's good to know for the Chillis and peppers Bren, cheers