Watering logistics?

[lotis146]

Man, the watering question, such a great one and so important; I'm still always wondering about watering and how to improve especially when my plants are inside.

Katrina that is fantastic! Great expression of of your creativity & ingenuity, I think it has us all wondering how we can improve our spaces.

When I only had a handful or so I would set them in pots (w/out drain holes) and let them soak. But that gets to be problematic if there's a sick plant in the bunch b/c I'd share & reuse pots.

Then as I got more I simply drug them all to the bathtub and watered them from the faucet. Eventually I got a compression sprayer & I HIGHLY recommend that if you don't have one already. Makes it easier to mix up fertilizer, direct your spray and thus use your water more efficiently. Did I mention that I used plastic gallon jugs to water/fertilize? Had six of them: fert in, water in, shake, water, over and over making sure the water ran through plenty. This needs to be improved this winter b/c it's a huge task...

NOW in summer, right now, just about everybody goes out. This summer I went ahead and got one of those sprayer contraptions you attach to the hose after adding your mix and spray away though this year I've been letting the rain do more work...thereby neglecting feedings. I just spray spray on the back deck...

...gotta figure out something like Katrina...

[Paphluvr]

Katrina,

When I was growing under lights I had one bedroom of my three bedroom house set up as my grow room. My setup was very similar to your. I built my benches out of redwood and covered them with 1/2" grid hardware cloth. Inside the rim of the bench and below the hardware cloth I mounted teacup holders about every foot. I put grommets in a piece of heavy duty plastic and hung it from the teacup holders, much like you're doing, with the appropriate sag to drain into a bucket. Used a compression sprayer to water, didn't have to handle the plants and emptied the bucket when it was full (the john was one room away). Works great, doesn't it?

[katrina]

Thanks for the compliments, guys! It took a couple of years to tweak things and work out the bugs but I think I've got it where it's pretty smooth now.

The only thing that could make the whole process of watering easier would be if I could just grow outside year round. In Ohio though...it's ain't gonna happen.

Paphluvr - sounds like you had a really nice set up. Whatever helps to cut watering time is good in my book.

[lotis146]

I feel ya, here in Michigan I won't be growing outdoors year round either, I'm already dreading this fall a little bit b/c I think I've gotten a little carried away with the 'few' (read: too many) new plants I've picked up since they've been out. Thinking I need to hurry up and get the basement finished, lol. Attic space too hot in summer too cold in winter. Maybe just get out the saw and put in a floor drain to the basement!!! Hmmm....