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Old January 22, 2017   #22
murihikukid
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Invercargill New Zealand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BettyC-5 View Post
Do use the polypropaline rope, it will last a long time. Organic rope, cotton, hemp, etc. will rot sooner. I would experiment using 2 or 3 small wicks through the openings at the edges and see how many it takes to keep the soil damp. I would worry more that your trays are too shallow and will allow the drum to sit in the water. Scrounge some bricks and put them in the trays to hold the drums higher. Even 3 or 4 broken brick pieces will work. Then you won't have to lift the drums to add fresh water.

I took another look at your pictures and I guess there are no openings at the bottom edges, so try the wicks through the center hole and pull them spaced evenly around the rootballl.
BettyC-5....I now have a polypropaline rope that I am sure will do the wicking ...The drums will not sit in the water or the soil in the drums will not sit in the water...as the bottom of the drums will sit on the top of the tray and its quite possible I will not use them but I admit I like them..Why..Well they do not hold much water...so the water has to refilled regularly and I would think that would be better than having stagnated water under the drum....Due to the fit of the trays the water would have to be pipe fed above the tray (through the plastic drum) base into the tray...

Yes there are openings so my job tonight while I am watching the cricket is to feed the polypropaline rope round the drum and take pictures of the ways this could be done....and then I will post them and wait for reaction ........

One aspect of under watering that I have as yet not come across is the feasability of feeding the plant from its reservoir with a fertilizer in it....Personally I would be comfortable with feeding my Miracle Gro on the top every 7-10 days..

Will post photos once I get them done..

Regards Ron
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