Organic, pro-biotic and organic growing without bottled nutrients

[Inthewoods]

You should find out where he imports them and add that item to your kit. Woocommerce rocks! Do you do your own website?

[itchybromusic]

Hey, the base of the 56L pots are 43cm wide and the 45L pot is 38cm wide... and are somewhat square. I like to use a saucer slightly bigger and fill with perlite/scoria, then sit the pot of soil on top. Occasionally if going away or I was lazy and didn't water often enough, I can water from underneath which allows the soil to wick up moisture and rehydrate to optimum levels on its own. Bunnings sell saucers that work. I want to get a whole kit together soon, saucer, aeration and everything!

 

Yep it's a great idea. I often water that way from the bottom and mist the top, I take it out of the saucer once I notice it's stopped taking it up. I find it gets the soil much more evenly moist and takes less time than watering from top all the time slowly like you should. I got a mist sprayer that screws to a bottle top from Vasili's website. Works great. Pumps on both strokes so it's fast to empy a bottle if needed. Great for Neam. And you can aim the little double barrel nozzles.

just keep in mind 

water will only wick up around 350 to 400mm in height 

which is not a prob for a root system but if you have a mulch layer 

& are relying on that layer to feed soil life & ultimately feed the plant 

350 to 400mm wouldn't quite keep your mulch layer damp enough 

to do that 

 

in an earthbox they use a plastic cover as a mulch layer

which collects condensation & rains it back down though the top soil 

to cover both top & bottom moisture 

 

just something to keep in mind 

i do the same & water from a drip tray as well 

Edited January 18, 2019 by itchybromusic

[DoNothingGarden]

just keep in mind

water will only wick up around 350 to 400mm in height

which is not a prob for a root system but if you have a mulch layer

& are relying on that layer to feed soil life & ultimately feed the plant

350 to 400mm wouldn't quite keep your mulch layer damp enough

to do that

 

in an earthbox they use a plastic cover as a mulch layer

which collects condensation & rains it back down though the top soil

to cover both top & bottom moisture

 

just something to keep in mind

i do the same & water from a drip tray as well

 

Bottom watering with saucers for me, has only been a remediation thing simply if I've been lazy and need to allow the soil to wick up a little moisture. Mainly I like the aerated saucers for elevating the fabric pots off of the ground and getting air all around under the root zone. I actually use Blumats for automatic watering, so good for living soil. You ever used them? Game changer

 

Earthbox are awesome too...

Edited January 18, 2019 by DoNothingGarden

[Carbcon]

Do you use a moisture metre when setting them? If so, what do you set at?

[DoNothingGarden]

Do you use a moisture metre when setting them? If so, what do you set at?

No I don't... I calibrate them after watering the soil to where I'd like it normally. I want to sell those Blumat moisture meters though as I think that would be super useful for living soil growers.

[DoNothingGarden]

You should find out where he imports them and add that item to your kit. Woocommerce rocks! Do you do your own website?

Yeah I made the website, my partner does graphic design and tweaks the website to make it look and function well. WooCommerce is great, totally!

[itchybromusic]

Bottom watering with saucers for me, has only been a remediation thing simply if I've been lazy and need to allow the soil to wick up a little moisture. Mainly I like the aerated saucers for elevating the fabric pots off of the ground and getting air all around under the root zone. I actually use Blumats for automatic watering, so good for living soil. You ever used them? Game changer

 

Earthbox are awesome too...

i get the lazy thing , i get that way too 

 

believe it or not i brought a blumat 12 spike kit as well as a couple of the longer spikes 

& a few extras , have never got round to putting them together & using them  

 

i'll get my act together one day 

[DoNothingGarden]

i get the lazy thing , i get that way too 

 

believe it or not i brought a blumat 12 spike kit as well as a couple of the longer spikes 

& a few extras , have never got round to putting them together & using them  

 

i'll get my act together one day

 

Awesome, you will love it. Seriously perfect for living soils as they keep moisture level constant. No way can I hand water as good as Blumats.

[Inthewoods]

I had a Blumat back in 2002, tried out jist one of them to see how it worked as I was facinated. Seemed like a really good Idea, think they were new, then I never saw them again until your website. I think they're great. I might go and try to find it now. Im guessing the rubber has probably perished by now. Will be looking into them one day for sure. Do you find them easy to adjust? I found it very sensitive to get it just right.

[DoNothingGarden]

I had a Blumat back in 2002, tried out jist one of them to see how it worked as I was facinated. Seemed like a really good Idea, think they were new, then I never saw them again until your website. I think they're great. I might go and try to find it now. Im guessing the rubber has probably perished by now. Will be looking into them one day for sure. Do you find them easy to adjust? I found it very sensitive to get it just right.

They have been around since the 60s! I find that they work great as long as you set them up properly from the start. Unscrew the tops put them in a jug of filtered water, screw the tops on under water and make sure there are no air bubbles inside the carrot. Let them soak for about half an hour. In the mean time you should have already watered your soil to optimum levels. Place carrots in soil half way between plant and edge of container. Connect to main line, open valve and slowly close until drip is just hanging on edge of line. Now it's calibrated. Close valve a further 1 to 1.5 arrows on the dial. Done. monitor for the next couple weeks and Make sure your res is high enough and full.