Has anybody used these...

[korney19]

Has anybody used these "tomato trays" and if so, how deep are the watering holes?

https://www.houzz.com/product/109330...-gdn_109330230

Out of all the pics on the 'net, I've yet to see a side view or bottom view...

[Rajun Gardener]

Maybe this will help. https://youtu.be/vN1famDGt1U

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by korney19

Has anybody used these "tomato trays" and if so, how deep are the watering holes?

https://www.houzz.com/product/109330...-gdn_109330230

Out of all the pics on the 'net, I've yet to see a side view or bottom view...

Mark, there are several different ones like that for sale and IMO just forget about it. When plants are small,OK,they use up most of the water in the trays,and who puts the water in the trays, You fill up the trays unless there's been some darn good rain.

The one shown shows water can get to the soil,I call it dirt,so what happens to moisture down there in the dirt?
When the plants get bigger, same story.

Have I ever used them,yes, ones that had no water entry to the dirt just once and never again.

So why did I do it in the first place?

There were all these claims about using different colored plastic mulch, that turned out to be false claims,the ones where you put a cone shaped plastic tent that had chambers you put water in so they'd collect thermal energy that would keep the plants from freezing, if that happened.

I'm just a curious person when it comes to new this,buy that.,etc.

Carolyn

[SQWIBB]

Wow I learned something new, "each tray holds a half gallon of water, EXACTLY what a tomato plant needs both morning and night"

[korney19]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

Maybe this will help. https://youtu.be/vN1famDGt1U

Thanks Rob! I see there's a competitor if you get to the end of that vid, the Tomato Crater, which snaps apart. It has slots for the drainage.

My wholesale distributor has the Tomato Trays for about $7 for a 3-pack, but you must buy (16) 3-packs, plus shipping. I have found them similarly priced at a few other places. Still, I would really like to see how deep the drain holes go...

Thanks again.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by korney19

Thanks Rob! I see there's a competitor if you get to the end of that vid, the Tomato Crater, which snaps apart. It has slots for the drainage.

My wholesale distributor has the Tomato Trays for about $7 for a 3-pack, but you must buy (16) 3-packs, plus shipping. I have found them similarly priced at a few other places. Still, I would really like to see how deep the drain holes go...

Thanks again.

(Still, I would really like to see how deep the drain holes go...)

Exactly my point as I posted above.

Carolyn

[korney19]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Mark, there are several different ones like that for sale and IMO just forget about it. When plants are small,OK,they use up most of the water in the trays,and who puts the water in the trays, You fill up the trays unless there's been some darn good rain.

The one shown shows water can get to the soil,I call it dirt,so what happens to moisture down there in the dirt?
When the plants get bigger, same story.

Have I ever used them,yes, ones that had no water entry to the dirt just once and never again.

So why did I do it in the first place?

There were all these claims about using different colored plastic mulch, that turned out to be false claims,the ones where you put a cone shaped plastic tent that had chambers you put water in so they'd collect thermal energy that would keep the plants from freezing, if that happened.

I'm just a curious person when it comes to new this,buy that.,etc.

Carolyn

Carolyn, my interest was not because of the red claims. I'm considering them because I sometimes pay someone to weed my beds and at the end of the season they are often overtaken with weeds again, which means I have to pay someone AGAIN, and you know I hate spending money, especially money I don't have. Maybe I'd at least be weed-free for almost 1 sq ft per plant

I 'm considering using them in my 3x7' square foot pepper bed too, that would only leave small strips 3-5" between all the plants, eliminating 90% or more of the weeds and sedges.

Also, the beds are on drip fertigation, this will visually help seeing any bad emitters or problems. I don't have to manually fill these up

P.S. The cone shaped ones? Are you talking abot Wall o' Water's?

[korney19]

Does anybody remember what these used to be called? It had a name like tomatonator or something, maybe if I searched for pics on the old name I'd get the picture I'm looking for...

[Labradors2]

I had something similar years ago from Gardener's Supply. They were black and they had four holes to poke cages through. I guess they probably lasted for 3 seasons or so before disintegrating. They were ok, but now I just use black plastic with some mulch around the planting holes and it's weed-free all season long. When I don't have enough plastic, I lay down 2 layers of newspaper and cover it with pond weed or grass clippings. However, I think the plastic does a better job of keeping the moisture in.

I bought some red plastic on sale at the end of last season. If it's too thin, I will put newspaper under it, as that keeps the weeds from poking through. Maybe I can get a fourth season out of my black plastic as well..... We shall see.

Linda

[Stvrob]

I just use a large sheet of cardboard and pile leaves and pine needles on top of it.

[korney19]

Thanks everybody!