Self Watering Horse Trough question
I saw instructions at https://www.maryjanesfarm.org/Recipes-Pa ... dening.pdf to build a self watering horse trough planter, but I do not understand how the author was able to "wick" the water up. Can anyone figure this out and let me know what they think, please? The only thing I can think of is that she filled the pvc pipes with the holes in them with dirt and this may cause the water to wick up? Your help is always appreciated...
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rainbowgardener
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You are right. In step five, she mentions to make it wick the water up more efficiently you can use "soil legs." The implication of that is you fill the tubes with soil, which connects to the rest of the soil.
But that just makes it quicker. Some self-watering planters have no wicks, just air channels between the soil and the water. Water vapor rises through the channels and (apparently) that is sufficient to keep the soil moist. Haven't tried it myself.
But that just makes it quicker. Some self-watering planters have no wicks, just air channels between the soil and the water. Water vapor rises through the channels and (apparently) that is sufficient to keep the soil moist. Haven't tried it myself.
I got it. It is the same as building a smaller self watering container. The pvc legs with the holes cut in them that are sticking up through the screen are filled with moist soil.
The soil filled legs will be the wick that draws the water up.
You do need to make sure your drain hole is below the screen. I sometimes drill more than one because sometimes it gets clogged. You should have an air gap between the water and the soil above the screen. The soil does need to breathe. It does not need to be a large air gap. I have 1/4 inch between the screen and the reservoir.
I have a long 1 inch pvc tube with one end cut on an angle. The cut side is put through the screen and is 3 inches taller than the container. This is the watering tube.
Fill the container with moist soil. It can't be dry because it will not wet evenly.
Fill the reservoir from the watering tube.
The soil in the legs will pull up water through the soil by capillary action to keep the rest of the soil in the container moist. The drain holes will divert excess water and the air gap between the soil above the screen and the reservoir will help to aerate the soil.
The video uses a galvanized trough. I use the plastic ones. Galvanized cans heats up in the sun. Ever try to touch one on a hot day! It also does not rust; (Galvanized doesn't rust you say. Everything rusts in a salt air environment, usually at the seams). Plastic troughs are thick and designed to be used outdoors so lasts a few years.
The soil filled legs will be the wick that draws the water up.
You do need to make sure your drain hole is below the screen. I sometimes drill more than one because sometimes it gets clogged. You should have an air gap between the water and the soil above the screen. The soil does need to breathe. It does not need to be a large air gap. I have 1/4 inch between the screen and the reservoir.
I have a long 1 inch pvc tube with one end cut on an angle. The cut side is put through the screen and is 3 inches taller than the container. This is the watering tube.
Fill the container with moist soil. It can't be dry because it will not wet evenly.
Fill the reservoir from the watering tube.
The soil in the legs will pull up water through the soil by capillary action to keep the rest of the soil in the container moist. The drain holes will divert excess water and the air gap between the soil above the screen and the reservoir will help to aerate the soil.
The video uses a galvanized trough. I use the plastic ones. Galvanized cans heats up in the sun. Ever try to touch one on a hot day! It also does not rust; (Galvanized doesn't rust you say. Everything rusts in a salt air environment, usually at the seams). Plastic troughs are thick and designed to be used outdoors so lasts a few years.