self-watering pot for tomatos?

13 years ago

I've bene hearing about these wonderful self-watering pots that will help keep finicky plants like tomatoes from being over-watered and all. However, I have some questions:

1. What's the best way to get water into the reservoir - would you fill it up by watering the tomato from the top?

2. What happens if the tomato is newly transplanted, or doesn't have roots long / deep enough to get to the reservoir? Do you keep watering from the top?

3. If the above happens, will the water in the reservoir just sit there until it's used; can disease arise as a result?

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Comments (6)

taz6122
13 years ago
This video should answer your questions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Intro to global buckets or SWCs
digdirt2
13 years ago
1. most self watering containers come with a fill spout of some kind. Either a tube you pour the water into or some sort of spout that feeds directly into the water container. They specifically say to NOT pour the water through the soil itself.

2. the roots don't have to reach the water. With most of them you don't want the roots to reach the water. The water is slowly wick fed to the soil itself via several different mechanisms. How it is done depends on the way the SWC is built.

3. No, the mechanism of the particular type of container insures the water will be wicked to the soil IF you assemble the container correctly. Issues of disease are not applicable to a SWC.

There are probably 100 different types of SWC available on the market with at least 50 different configurations. Each looks and works differently to some degree.

However, assuming you are looking into SWC because of your BER problems in your other post, please understand that using a self-watering container does not automatically eliminate BER. Big (10+ gallon SWC's) can help with BER but they aren't a "cure".

Dave
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peacelovinglily
Original Author
13 years ago
taz and Dave, thanks very much! The SW pots I'm finding in most of the garden centres around here purely have a 'well' (with different layout of holes and things in them), no funnels, visible wicks or anything of the sort. I think that's why I got a little confused.

I might just order one off the internet...if you could recommend a particularly good site, I'd be grateful.
Bets
13 years ago
Hi peacelovinglily,

There is an excellent tutorial on making your own SWC (Self Watering Container) at the link below. I have not priced the various containers available online recently, but I think if you were to buy one of a comparable size (18 gallons or larger) you'd pay a lot more than Ray's planter costs to build. It does take some basic tools (drill and jigsaw) but if you have them or can borrow them it is well worth the effort.

If you decide to make more, then the amount you save on making your own will more than pay for your tools.

Betsy

Here is a link that might be useful: Raybo's
lesmatzek209
13 years ago
you might try www.earthbox.com.

les
digdirt2
13 years ago
Most of the round pots you would find at a nursery wouldn't be big enough for tomatoes anyway - with a few possible exceptions.

Take a look at all the "earthtainer" disucssions here with detailed directions on how to build your own. Search will pull them up.

The Earthbox les mentioned above.

The GrowBox

These are just picture examples as they are priced much cheaper elsewhere, especially direct from the suppliers.

Lots of different ones from Gardeners Supply as well as many other online sources.

Dave

self-watering pot for tomatos?

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self-watering pot for tomatos?

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