I cant't get the usal helpers to do some watering for us while we are away
for a long weekend in a couple of weeks time.
I thought I might try the following.

Make a small hole (or 2) in the screw cap of a 2 litre drinks bottles, cut
off the base, invert in the ground by each tomato plant and fill with water.
My toms are in large plastic pots sunk into the soil borders of the
greenhouse.

For the hanging baskets, geraniums, (only 3) I thought I'd take them down
and place on top of a bucket filled with water with perhaps a much smaller
bottle as above. I'd also leave them in the shade.

Has anyone done anything similar? Any comments as to whether this will keep
the plants from drying out over a 5 day period in early July in SE London.


Thanks

AndyP

On Fri, 20 Jun 2003, Dee wrote:

I cant't get the usal helpers to do some watering for us while we are away
for a long weekend in a couple of weeks time.
I thought I might try the following.

Make a small hole (or 2) in the screw cap of a 2 litre drinks bottles, cut
off the base, invert in the ground by each tomato plant and fill with water.
My toms are in large plastic pots sunk into the soil borders of the
greenhouse.

Has anyone done anything similar? Any comments as to whether this will keep
the plants from drying out over a 5 day period in early July in SE London.

Yes, I did this several years ago for my courgette plants. However I
took the screw top off completely, cut the base off and put it in at an
angle. It worked a treat.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet: | writing from |
| Fidonet: David Rance 2:252/110 | Caversham, |
| BBS: telnet://mesnil.demon.co.uk | Reading, UK |
+-------------------------------------------------------+

"David Rance" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 Jun 2003, Dee wrote:

I cant't get the usal helpers to do some watering for us while we are
away
for a long weekend in a couple of weeks time.
I thought I might try the following.

Make a small hole (or 2) in the screw cap of a 2 litre drinks bottles,
cut
off the base, invert in the ground by each tomato plant and fill with
water.
My toms are in large plastic pots sunk into the soil borders of the
greenhouse.

Has anyone done anything similar? Any comments as to whether this will
keep
the plants from drying out over a 5 day period in early July in SE
London.

Yes, I did this several years ago for my courgette plants. However I
took the screw top off completely, cut the base off and put it in at an
angle. It worked a treat.



When I experimented without tops the water disappeared in less than one day
(into an already well watered pot). I'd hoped the tops would slow down the
feed rate.

AndyP

I've just started the "topless" system in my new greenhouse (to water the
growbags), and some absorb a litre of water a day, others less. Obviously,
some is lost by evaporation. It has been very hot recently (max yesterday
was 38 degrees). The problem, as I see it, is that you can't judge easily
the humidity of the soil medium. One major advantage, though, is that it is
easy to apply water to the growbags.
David
"Dee" wrote in message ...
I cant't get the usal helpers to do some watering for us while we are away
for a long weekend in a couple of weeks time.
I thought I might try the following.

Make a small hole (or 2) in the screw cap of a 2 litre drinks bottles, cut
off the base, invert in the ground by each tomato plant and fill with
water.
My toms are in large plastic pots sunk into the soil borders of the
greenhouse.

For the hanging baskets, geraniums, (only 3) I thought I'd take them down
and place on top of a bucket filled with water with perhaps a much smaller
bottle as above. I'd also leave them in the shade.

Has anyone done anything similar? Any comments as to whether this will
keep
the plants from drying out over a 5 day period in early July in SE London.


Thanks

AndyP

I've been experimenting with watering systems for a couple of years. A
simple method: invert a full milk bottle (any rigid container) slightly into
the soil. As the soil dries it allows air to 'break' through the neck of
the bottle spoiling the vacuum supporting the water. Try it, it does work,
but I think you would need quite a lot of water in a hot greenhouse with
thirsty tomato plants. This method gives a good visual indication--while
the soil stays damp the bottle stays full!

H Fear


"Dee" wrote in message ...
I cant't get the usal helpers to do some watering for us while we are away
for a long weekend in a couple of weeks time.
I thought I might try the following.

Make a small hole (or 2) in the screw cap of a 2 litre drinks bottles, cut
off the base, invert in the ground by each tomato plant and fill with
water.
My toms are in large plastic pots sunk into the soil borders of the
greenhouse.

For the hanging baskets, geraniums, (only 3) I thought I'd take them down
and place on top of a bucket filled with water with perhaps a much smaller
bottle as above. I'd also leave them in the shade.

Has anyone done anything similar? Any comments as to whether this will
keep
the plants from drying out over a 5 day period in early July in SE London.


Thanks

AndyP