We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros

Ros Butt wrote in
:

We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in
the greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would
appreciate any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the
fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros

You might not need fancy kits if you learn what capillary means.
Any fancy kits can be made easilly at home.

This is not meant to be sarky or anything, you just need to understand how
it all works, then you won't be paying £x for a sponge, because that is
what it may be, a sponge.

Baz

On 16/03/2011 12:13, Baz wrote:
Ros wrote in
:

We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in
the greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would
appreciate any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the
fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros

You might not need fancy kits if you learn what capillary means.
Any fancy kits can be made easilly at home.

This is not meant to be sarky or anything, you just need to understand how
it all works, then you won't be paying £x for a sponge, because that is
what it may be, a sponge.

Baz

Vermiculite is interesting stuff. It holds masses of water but never
becomes compressed or water logged, so seedlings can just be yanked out
by their leaves

On 16/03/2011 10:49, Ros Butt wrote:
We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros


I've never bought capillary matting so I can't recommend one. I suggest
you research types and prices. You don't need anything at all fancy.
I've known people use a length of old blanket.

I've only ever seen it used the old-fashioned way with a tank of water
plus a bench-top tray with capillary matting used as a wick, but I've
seen tray-only types which, presumably have matting which hold on to
enough water for a couple of weeks. Which ever method you use, you'll
need to top it up.

Have a google on "using capillary matting" and look at a few links.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in
the greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would
appreciate any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the
fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros

You might not need fancy kits if you learn what capillary means.
Any fancy kits can be made easilly at home.

This is not meant to be sarky or anything, you just need to understand how
it all works, then you won't be paying £x for a sponge, because that is
what it may be, a sponge.

Baz

Thanks Baz

I do know what capillary means; perhaps I didn't phrase it properly - I was
wondering which method people had found more successful - using a 'soak up'
wick, or drip feeding from perhaps a hole in a suspended bottle (hence my
remark about not buying fancy kits with taps etc).

Ros

On 16/03/2011 10:49, Ros Butt wrote:
We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros


I've never bought capillary matting so I can't recommend one. I suggest
you research types and prices. You don't need anything at all fancy.
I've known people use a length of old blanket.

I've only ever seen it used the old-fashioned way with a tank of water
plus a bench-top tray with capillary matting used as a wick, but I've
seen tray-only types which, presumably have matting which hold on to
enough water for a couple of weeks. Which ever method you use, you'll
need to top it up.

Have a google on "using capillary matting" and look at a few links.

Thanks Spider, I already have the matting, but was wondering which method
of watering people have found more successful, drip feed or 'soak up' wick

Ros

In message , Ros Butt
writes


On 16/03/2011 10:49, Ros Butt wrote:
We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros


I've never bought capillary matting so I can't recommend one. I suggest
you research types and prices. You don't need anything at all fancy.
I've known people use a length of old blanket.

I've only ever seen it used the old-fashioned way with a tank of water
plus a bench-top tray with capillary matting used as a wick, but I've
seen tray-only types which, presumably have matting which hold on to
enough water for a couple of weeks. Which ever method you use, you'll
need to top it up.

Have a google on "using capillary matting" and look at a few links.

Thanks Spider, I already have the matting, but was wondering which method
of watering people have found more successful, drip feed or 'soak up' wick


Mostly we just pour a bit more water on now and again to keep it damp.
However, the best way I think is to use some sort of water reservoir and
a wick to suck up the water. Opaque is best as it will stop algae
growing

You can buy small tanks that hang from the staging - some can be
connected to the mains like a household water tank. but all you need is
some sort of container that you can mount by the staging - you want the
top level or bit below, above and the water just transfer down to the
staging. rig up a wick of some scrap capillary matting to supply the
water.

I've got a plastic box sitting in the greenhouse waiting for me to rig
something up.
--
Chris French

"chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , Ros Butt
writes


On 16/03/2011 10:49, Ros Butt wrote:
We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would
appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits
etc)

many thanks
Ros


I've never bought capillary matting so I can't recommend one. I suggest
you research types and prices. You don't need anything at all fancy.
I've known people use a length of old blanket.

I've only ever seen it used the old-fashioned way with a tank of water
plus a bench-top tray with capillary matting used as a wick, but I've
seen tray-only types which, presumably have matting which hold on to
enough water for a couple of weeks. Which ever method you use, you'll
need to top it up.

Have a google on "using capillary matting" and look at a few links.

Thanks Spider, I already have the matting, but was wondering which method
of watering people have found more successful, drip feed or 'soak up' wick


Mostly we just pour a bit more water on now and again to keep it damp.
However, the best way I think is to use some sort of water reservoir and a
wick to suck up the water. Opaque is best as it will stop algae growing

You can buy small tanks that hang from the staging - some can be connected
to the mains like a household water tank. but all you need is some sort of
container that you can mount by the staging - you want the top level or
bit below, above and the water just transfer down to the staging. rig up a
wick of some scrap capillary matting to supply the water.

I've got a plastic box sitting in the greenhouse waiting for me to rig
something up.
--
Chris French


Or wonderful neighbours as we have :-))

We can go away on a cruise and the house and the garden are taken care of
:-))

Neighbours are what you make them. Be nice to them and they will be nice to
you :-))

Mike

--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would
appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits
etc)


Or wonderful neighbours as we have :-))

We can go away on a cruise and the house and the garden are taken care of
:-))

Neighbours are what you make them. Be nice to them and they will be nice to
you :-))

Mike

Thanks Mike, we do have wonderful neighbours as well - they even feed the
cat!! Just needed advice as to the best way people have found to water,
avoiding either drying out or becoming waterlogged, as for years we have
used gravel successfully but always open to new ideas!

Ros

On 16/03/2011 17:16, Ros Butt wrote:


On 16/03/2011 10:49, Ros Butt wrote:
We're going to give a try to capillary matting for the seed pots in the
greenhouse this year, instead of gravel in the trays and would appreciate
any advice as to the best way to water? (without buying the fancy kits etc)

many thanks
Ros


I've never bought capillary matting so I can't recommend one. I suggest
you research types and prices. You don't need anything at all fancy.
I've known people use a length of old blanket.

I've only ever seen it used the old-fashioned way with a tank of water
plus a bench-top tray with capillary matting used as a wick, but I've
seen tray-only types which, presumably have matting which hold on to
enough water for a couple of weeks. Which ever method you use, you'll
need to top it up.

Have a google on "using capillary matting" and look at a few links.

Thanks Spider, I already have the matting, but was wondering which method
of watering people have found more successful, drip feed or 'soak up' wick

Ros


I think I would favour the wick method where the plants draw on the
water as they need it. Drip systems, it seems to me, supply water
whether it's needed or not.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay