Retard Proof Irrigation

[Dr Sensi]

I'm new to all this home growing and just starting to construct my
very own growroom (in our attic). I want to grow about six plants at a
time in soil and have an automatic watering system. I have power and
fresh water available. Because of where it is located I want as much
automation as possible so here's my first stack of questions to you
good people:

What is the best way to achieve this? I was thinking about an ebb &
flow type system with a sump pump pushing water into a base tray with
containers sitting on the tray, overflowing back into the main sump.

Is it ok to just water the base of the container, or do the containers
need watering on the top of the soil too? How often, and for how long
should I run the pump? The stuff I have seen regarding this has used
Rockwool and I know that contins no nutriants, I will be growing in
John Innes #2 or similar.

I know that base watering stimulates root groth, so thought that base
watering would be best; is that wrong for these plants?

I was also thinking about covering the tops of the trays with cooking
foil to reflect a bit of light up under the plants and help cut down
on evaporation (and hopefully humidity). Will this work or is that a
turkey of an idea?

What size containers do I need for these plants once they are planted
up finally? And is it OK to sit bottomless containers on growbags with
matching holes cut into them? I don't want the plants to get too
boggy and end up with rotted roots.

I have a gazillion questions, because I just don't want this to be a
flop. My wife will kill me if I don't produce some decent plants after
the outlay for this project :)

Dr Sensi

[pH]

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On Sun, 31 Aug 2003, Dr Sensi <dr@fake.address> wrote:
>I'm new to all this home growing and just starting to construct my
>very own growroom (in our attic). I want to grow about six plants at a
>time in soil and have an automatic watering system. I have power and
>fresh water available. Because of where it is located I want as much
>automation as possible so here's my first stack of questions to you
>good people:
>
>What is the best way to achieve this? I was thinking about an ebb &
>flow type system with a sump pump pushing water into a base tray with
>containers sitting on the tray, overflowing back into the main sump.

If I understand you, you want to recycle the water you use. That's not a
good idea to do that with soil.

>
>Is it ok to just water the base of the container, or do the containers
>need watering on the top of the soil too?

You want it going in the top and draining out the bottom. Without this
leaching effect your soil will build up salts present in your tap water.
The leaching action naturally flushes the soil. Last year I had a friend
who's a new grower and was watering his 5 gallon pot all the time from the
bottom, it was outdoors btw. About half way through the growing season he
started getting worried about how the plants were looking. I told him to
flush the pot one time real good from the top, then to stop watering from
the bottom. He stopped worring after about a week when the plants started
perking up.

>How often, and for how long
>should I run the pump? The stuff I have seen regarding this has used
>Rockwool and I know that contins no nutriants, I will be growing in
>John Innes #2 or similar.

The only ebb/flow I've see used with rockwool is with the small cubes.
Rockwool is typically meant to be use with top drip systems, but usually
with the larger rockwool slabs. It too needs that flushing action. With
ebb/flow, even small rockwool cubes can see a buildup if you're not
careful. You will have more soil per plant than any 3x3 inch cube could
ever hold, I wouldn't recommend using ebb/flow with it.

Sorry I don't know what John Innes #2 is like. I'm an ebb/flow grower who
uses Geolite.

>
>I know that base watering stimulates root groth, so thought that base
>watering would be best; is that wrong for these plants?

Yes. Use top feed and make sure that about 15-25% of the water runs
through the pot where it can then be discarded.

>
>I was also thinking about covering the tops of the trays with cooking
>foil to reflect a bit of light up under the plants and help cut down
>on evaporation (and hopefully humidity). Will this work or is that a
>turkey of an idea?

It's a good idea, do it. You could also use an opaque plastic material
that's black on one side to keep the roots dark, and white on the top to
reflect light back up to the plants. It's just like the plastic used to
wrap Grodan rockwool slabs and some cubes.

>
>What size containers do I need for these plants once they are planted
>up finally? And is it OK to sit bottomless containers on growbags with
>matching holes cut into them? I don't want the plants to get too
>boggy and end up with rotted roots.

Then make sure you water them from the top, and let the leachette drain
away.

The size container you use would depend on how big you expect the plants to
get. Many soil growers use 3 or 5 gallon buckets.

>
>I have a gazillion questions, because I just don't want this to be a
>flop. My wife will kill me if I don't produce some decent plants after
>the outlay for this project :)
>
>Dr Sensi

Unless you fail miserably, you should at least get enough good bud to
satiate your wife's taste buds. If you don't get a lot, just tell her
things will get better as you get better at it.

pH

- -------
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fourtwenty/articles/adpcfaq.htm


~~~
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Date: Mon Sep 1 22:55:46 2003 GMT
From: ph@nym.alias.net

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[Police State]

>On 1 Sep 2003 22:55:47 -0000, Wendi Dunlap-Simpson aka pH aka Old Ketchup >Lungs aka Sweet Leaf aka Split Lipshit aka Himself head narkk of the 5yr old pHed scam on >adpc spewed more crap:

IMPORTANT: Are you new to adpc? New to being spammed by the narcs?

You'll love this one

>On 28 May 2000 07:20:07 -0000, pH wrote:

> I can have buds dry enough to smoke in a little more than two days by >letting them air dry.

Hey Newbies watch these guys

greenman pH Sunny emesis Satyr nft MoonDoggie TacoDog Roam8 chronic Myself Travlin Jack Agrippa Lucas Zowie Index Sweet Leaf iguana Krackker Jackk Old Ketchup Lungs Himself

LURK and get anon before hitting this newsgroup...'tis a dangerous place