Wicks for self watering pots in the Creative Solutions group

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Wicks for self watering pots

ves
9 plants 8

I just received several self-watering pots from a freecycle group. But even the ones that have never been used are just the plastic pots with their reservoir. Aren’t these supposed to have something made from fiber or cloth to wick the moisture up into the soil? I looked at directions for making your own once, and saw suggestions for using strips of old t-shirts. Any other ideas?

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Posted about 4 years ago
Om

0 plants 6a

Cotton is best. So strips of old clothing that are cotton, and bits of recycled cotton yarn are what I prefer. I tried other yarns and fabric and did not have as good of success with them. Some pots are either intended or designed after containers where the soil itself is the wick. But these should have a portion of the soil area that dips all the way down into the water reservoir. If that isn’t present the cotton wicks of some sort help.
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Posted about 4 years ago
JimMarconnet

131 plants 7a

I was thinking about how to add wicking to containers today. I had an idea, and I wondered if anyone had ever tried, and it if made much difference.

My thought was to take a spool of thick cotton string and a wide-bladed flat screw driver or a putty knife. Cut a piece of twine just shorter than twice the pot soil depth. Make the string into a U shape. Push it down through the soil with the screw driver to the bottom of the pot, specifically into the water reservoir if the pot has one. Just one or possibly several strings could be added relatively easily and invisibly this way.

Another thought I had was to insert soda straws around the outside of a pot to allow air to penetrate the soil. Yes, they could get dirt in the bottom, sealing them off. Perhaps the straws could be punched full of holes along their length for air. Perhaps a slot could be cut in the bottom to let air in/out, and even to hold a U-shaped piece of string to allow air and to provide water wicking.

Anyone?
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Posted 10 months ago