SIPS and landscape fabric ??
 

Does anyone use landscape fabric in their sips to prevent the roots from going down in the water reservoir? I did this year when I made my sips for my tomato plants but I am going to start some kale in sips for fall and wondering if I should do the landscape barrier? Is it needed?

I use the Landscape Fabric in all of my Self-Watering Containers, even my EarthBoxes. It does help minimize root growth down into the water reservoir - and I think the result is less watery tasting fruit.

Raybo;)

Thanks Raybo!!

Why would you want to prevent the roots from entering the reservoir? I'd always thought that it's a good idea for them to find it and the plant will draw up water as needed.

Hi Raybo,
I made two earthtrainers and used the 2 layers of fabric per the directions. However, I noticed at the bottom of one of the reserovirs I can see roots. Do you think i should stop watering via the reservoir and start watering from the top?

I always water the sips from the top until the drain holes pour out water. I do it that way because I attached another pipe to the watering pipe for support. But since I water until they overflow. the reservoir fills up and I only water every three days.

I don't use landscape fabric in my EB's or my 5 gallon SIP's, I have found lots of tiny fibrous roots along the bottom of the shelf when I pull it out, but I can see how the landscape cloth would help this.

Top watering isn't good unless you have mixed in a slow release fertilizers into the mix and not used an instant fertilizer for the strip.

I also wonder if the extra access to water creating a watery tasting tomato is somewhat dependent upon the variety.

Is there any particular landscape cloth that people avoid or recommend? I've read in a few cases that they may be treated with undesirable chemicals or break down over time releasing polymer particles into the soil.

[QUOTE=cythaenopsis;366615]I also wonder if the extra access to water creating a watery tasting tomato is somewhat dependent upon the variety.

Is there any particular landscape cloth that people avoid or recommend? I've read in a few cases that they may be treated with undesirable chemicals or break down over time releasing polymer particles into the soil.[/QUOTE]

You just opened my eyes to landscape cloth in the containers. I don't want to be dealing with cloth that breaks down making a mess of the mix.

I use biodegradable cloth in the square foot garden which is more like a cloth than plastic. I don't remember the name of it but I liked that it was supposed to be all natural.

I built SWCs this year for the first time and am a believer. As Raybo suggests I use two layers of high quality landscape fabric. They are working great. As far as roots getting into the reservoir I won't know until I start clean up but I can imagine without the fabric they would easily get in there.

Thanks everyone,
In my case, i built two. In one i have Steak Sandwich and black krim, the other I have mortgage lifter and cherokee purple. I am only seeing roots in the second one. So I am worried about the taste of those tomatoes and am wondering if I should stop filling the reservoir and start top watering. I did add the ferterlizer strip as per Raybo's instructions.