Let s look at the materials you will need for this diy wick watering system.
Water wicking material for plants.
Cotton clothesline available at most hardware stores works great.
Cotton shoelaces to act as the wicks.
Now to my pseudo scientific tests of water wicking materials.
Take a strip of synthetic fiber like nylon stockings or cord and fill a container such as a bucket or a jug with water to serve as your reservoir.
Grasp the base of the plant and remove it from the pot.
As for the wick any man made material that absorbs water acrylic yarn works well.
Use a wick to water your plants while you re away.
Choose the length based upon the distance from the water reservoir to the container with plants.
Most important is your choice of soil it must contain at least 50 perlite for this system to work well.
Old school water wicking for this you need a large water container like vase or bucket and some cotton rope.
Potted plant sits on the lid and wick goes through the hole into the water.
These containers are designed to supply a constant source of moisture.
Wicking material for self watering planters.
How it works a wick watering system for potted plants employs a soft fabric string or ribbon.
The diameters were 1 2 inch.
It barely wicked any moisture whatsoever.
There are other products that help your soil wick water as well.
If you have never used wicks here is a quick how to.
Soak the wicks in a bowl of water.
I used an 11 quart plastic bucket.
Insert a pencil into the bottom of the root ball of the plant approximately half way up the root ball.
I ve recently installed a vertical herb garden in my house and had some problem watering my plants doing some research i found that a wick watering system is a way in which my plants don t run out of water and don t get excess water basically they.
The poly rope is a much more plasticky rope than the nylon much rougher too.
Bucket to act as the water reservoir.
Self watering planters are a relatively new invention in the world of gardening.
A wick watering system will help to solve this problem by providing moisture to plants when you don t.
Hanging two equal lengths of rope one composed of poly rope the other of nylon i was shocked by the results.
Capillary matting works great for wicking water to your seedlings.
Shoelaces come in various lengths.
Insert the end of the wick into the hole.