root under wick vs hand water
Elsa
3 years ago
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Northern Gardener (3b west central MN)
3 years agoElsa
3 years agoRelated Discussions
'Wick-Tube': Low-tech/cost auto-watering/drought system
Comments (3)<img src=http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3954/reservegc1.th.jpg>...See MoreRooting: Water vs Soil
Comments (39)smr9479, welcome! To answer your question, as long as the cutting you make has at least two mature leaves (4 or more is usually better), it should root. To make a standard cutting (for your average hoya), you want to cut the stem right BELOW a node (the place where the leaves join to the stem, again making sure there are at least two leaves on the CUT portion of plant- see picture below). For heavier (large leaves or a big cutting) hoyas or hoyas with very small internode stem (stem tissue between two sets of leaves), you want to make a cut directly BELOW a node. You will then remove the leaves from the node. See picture. Keep in mind any long, young vines that have immature or no leaves may die back. But, after it uses the energy to root, it will grow a new vine. Hoya waymaniae, taking a standard cutting: Hoya waymaniae, taking a heavy "duty" cutting (large leaves or very tiny internode space):...See MoreWick Watering
Comments (26)ntaylor_2006, I would try 3 and I would make each of them long enough to go around the inside of the pot one time. I would then space them 2-3 inches apart like stacked donuts near the middle of the pot using soil to space them apart if possible. If you are trying to apply them to an existing plant ball I would try tying them in place abd pulling the wicks trrough the borrom as I eased the plant back into the pot. Once you have them in, completely wet the pot until the wicks are acting like drains. You want to make sure the wicks establish a water to soil bond :) phann100, To post pictures you need to store them on the net somewhere and then post the link here to pull the pictures from. I use pbace.com but there are many others that will work. The picture command is "<_img src="link" location>" You usually have to add ".jpg" to the link location inside the brackets to get it to work. Also leave out the underline at the start which I had to include to get it to display :) John...See MoreWicking beds vs. Drip line/Soaker tubes... which is better?
Comments (11)I never post here. I just read. I thought some viewpoints were missing in this thread. I have no opposition to drip irrigation, but I think there are a lot of misconceptions about the efficacy of wicking beds in general that are exemplified within this thread in particular. It's always difficult to play the "which is better" game because it's usually a trade-off of benefits and considerations. So don't take this as an endorsement of one over the other, just some added perspective. Wicking beds can be made to serve deep rooted plants and even trees: http://www.waterright.com.au/Wicking_bed_under_construction.pdf (Note the second photo explanation in this link). Wicking beds are well suited to arid regions, but this does mean they are problematic in high water regions. All wicking bed designs should include a drain component to them. This can be done in a variety of ways including creating a natural run-off. In fact a high water region would have advantages as the new water would rotate wicking water automatically. http://www.waterright.com.au/Weather and wicking beds.pdf Since good wicking design also involves soil with good capillary action and thus proper drainage, it is not likely to prove a disadvantage in high water regions. If a person is having problems with growth due to too much water, they should take a critical examination of their drainage and soil compaction issues, not wicking bed concepts. http://www.waterright.com.au/newletter march 2013.htm In terms of water conservation, I don't know that one is over the other. While the value of wicking beds is known for arid regions, dripping is also of noteworthy for the same. Both are noted for advantages beyond water conservation. If wicking beds boast one major advantage, it is that they are effective in maintaining a self regulating soil moisture conducive to healthy growth. This is done without repeated adjustments or replacement of components. wicking disadvantages, include the risk the build up of anaerobic bacteria in the water and many first timers, often buying a retail or E-Bay product have experienced this without understanding why. It comes down to good aeration of the soil and the water, preferably the soil. They also are noted for build of concentrations of calcium, salt and other minerals in the bed. This comes from areas with hard water and high evaporation (arid regions tend to have both). So While they can hold water for extended use, there are times when running water into them and flushing them is wise. I can't say how often, but I start for a once a month period. This is why such beds in high water areas are actually an advantage. http://www.waterright.com.au/newletter 12 Jan 2014.htm It also impacts the use of plant supplements that are often surface applied with water, which may also contribute to mineral buildup. So using a wicking bed with inorganic mulch (provided by some retailers) and a surface applied plant food isn't going to bring you joy. However, there are solutions to these just as there are to drip irrigation problems. As I said at the start, it's not about one over the other, it's about trade-offs and understanding them. It's also not just about understanding the delivery of water. It's about understanding the soil for that method. All of the alternate methods to traditional agriculture partner with views of soil, and nutrients. that need to be taken into account. I am working with my first wicking bed implementation now. I am taking a different approach by using a continually moving water flow based on ideas in an aquaponics forum. http://aquaponicsnation.com/forums/topic/8090-the-ultimate-growing-system/ I am hopeful the disadvantages will be overcome this way. However, I am also going to experiment with a rudimentary drip system in the sub-surface that utilizes wicking bed concepts. That's more than two cents worth and should satisfy my need to post for a couple of years at least. This post was edited by tripster2001 on Thu, Dec 25, 14 at 3:06...See MoreRosie1949
3 years agoElsa
3 years agoRosie1949
3 years agoNorthern Gardener (3b west central MN)
3 years agoElsa
3 years agopuppypro89
3 years agoirina_co
3 years agoElsa
3 years agoalabamaav
3 years agoRosie1949
3 years agoirina_co
3 years agoRosie1949
3 years agoirina_co
3 years agoNorthern Gardener (3b west central MN)
3 years agofortyseven_gw
3 years agoNorthern Gardener (3b west central MN)
3 years agoirina_co
3 years agoalabamaav
3 years ago
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