A few ways to move water...

[kvet]

This is fantastic.

Another idea, attach casters to the bucket, or, buy a little furniture dolly That way, you can roll the bucket around to collect water run off from the trays. I was planning something like this, and additionally putting a little screen/shelf on the bucket so I could place the pots on top and water through, and roll to the next window. I can't find nice trays to collect the water.

That said.. where does one get trays that hold more than a dribble of water. I didn't see anything useful at the nursery or box stores last time I went looking (couple months ago, before the stay-home orders).

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by kvet

This is fantastic.

Another idea, attach casters to the bucket, or, buy a little furniture dolly That way, you can roll the bucket around to collect water run off from the trays. I was planning something like this, and additionally putting a little screen/shelf on the bucket so I could place the pots on top and water through, and roll to the next window. I can't find nice trays to collect the water.

That said.. where does one get trays that hold more than a dribble of water. I didn't see anything useful at the nursery or box stores last time I went looking (couple months ago, before the stay-home orders).

My basement setup is a garbage can with wheels, but pretty darned heavy when full of water. For doing the tray thing, put light grate at bottom and do the PVC thing as shown. Bottom tray doesn't "have" to go into the floor. It can be a flexible tube into a bucket or out a window.

Buy a trash can on wheels? Or one of those plant stands that have casters? That decorative pot in the one picture is exactly that. On a plant dolly with casters. Has a grate over the top so you can put a pot on it, water it, put it back. When pot got full, I just started up the aquarium pump and pumped out window into my fern bed.

If you want trays that hold water like that, go to Gardeners Supply. I got mine there Large Boot Tray | Mudroom Supplies | Gardeners.com

Or Amazon sells them. Or buy those long "sweater box" tupperware type storage at your local WallyWorld.

[DirtyCoconuts]

+1 for WW's suggestions..those boot trays are a lot more robust than the hydroponic drip trays and the flat res trays

[kvet]

Those trays look nice if you have things setup on tables or wire shelves. I don't... I've got 4-5" window sill, a few short pot stands. So what about trays for individual pots, or along a narrow window sill? I tried using some lids and plastic plant trays, but these overflow quick, so I've temporarily moved to unused soup bowls. Now that I think about it, can probably purchase some plastic or silicon bowls, which would work. Cool, thanks for helping brainstorm this

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by kvet

Those trays look nice if you have things setup on tables or wire shelves. I don't... I've got 4-5" window sill, a few short pot stands. So what about trays for individual pots, or along a narrow window sill? I tried using some lids and plastic plant trays, but these overflow quick, so I've temporarily moved to unused soup bowls. Now that I think about it, can probably purchase some plastic or silicon bowls, which would work. Cool, thanks for helping brainstorm this

Gotcha! Didn't know what your setup was. I have some window planter boxes I used to use in a couple of windows
Robot Check and I put brackets on them to hang on. Then put a grate inside (light grating) so the pots hung above where the water went. You can even pop out one of the plugs in bottom of tray and put in a piece of flex tube to drain into a bucket. I also used them with African Violets for awhile, and just watered them all by filling tray higher. At the moment, they're holding tomato seedling transplants that I just moved outside to harden off.

[DirtyCoconuts]

i love the difference of this huge country....most of my tomato plants are already getting scorched and have been fruiting for a month!

[SundayGardener]

THANK YOU FOR THIS THREAD!

I'm the pest who started asking WW a lot of questions, and of course she was incredibly gracious and helpful.

The pictures are great! I have the same shelves and boot trays. For people with smaller shelves, the boot trays come in shorter lengths. They are very sturdy. However, somehow my orchid collection branched out to two other shelving units (smaller), table tops and the top of a radiator. It's a complete mystery.

I love the idea of watering in place. First goal is to set up the RO, but clearly this and WW's RO thread will help me get a plan in place!

[kvet]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Gotcha! Didn't know what your setup was.

Yup, we all have different home-setups, I haven't transitioned to disregarding form when it comes to plants just yet

Here's an example where I'm now stuck. I'm battling fungus gnats, and just did a soil drench with h2o2, and may follow with neem drench later. Apparently I have to do these drenches every few days for a bit to kill off the larvae in the life cycle, so I need to clear the drip tray to make room for the next time. Prediction: this 50lb pot needs to be moved off the stool onto two sets of rags to prevent floor scratching, then empty the tray over a screen to catch the rocks. Meantime, water sloshes and gets all over, then totally misses the bucket, and the rocks plop down into the bucket because I forgot to put the screen over it.

Now I realize in a face-palm moment, I should've just done what I stated earlier in this most, and moved the pot atop the grate/bucket and drenched the soil that way to catch the effluent. Go ahead and mock the newbie as he figures out how to do these things I'm still going to clean those rocks, don't like the brown water, they'll probably start to smell. Arrghh.

PS: sorry for the non-orchid plant picture

[SundayGardener]

Eh, I usually do things several times before a light bulb goes off and I realize there is a simpler way. Or someone else asks why I'm making so much work out of a simple process. OR someone else helpfully shows how it can be done!

[DirtyCoconuts]

there is an expression i will steal that basically says, " when you see a good idea, copy it" so i did and i did...

i took two res tray and drilled 1/2" holes in the corner, cut a short length of drip tubing (one side a 45 degree and one side a 90)
Wet stuff and bottles by J Solo, on Flickr



on the side with the 90 degree cutoff, cut a small notch like a v and then insert a length of thin wire ( i used 18 or 22) this will stick out of both sides and prevent any accidental "pull through" of the tubing since it is sitting so low in the tray. I had already caulked it in this pic (sorry) but you can see the wire across and the "V" sitting down to the lowest point on the tray


Wet stuff and bottles by J Solo, on Flickr


now i just have to take a 5 gal bucket around the patio and i can do aggressive flushes and not make a huge, wet, mess

Wet stuff and bottles by J Solo, on Flickr




here it is in "action"


Wet stuff and bottles by J Solo, on Flickr


great idea, WW!!