SIPS and landscape fabric ??

Boarhead · July 5, 2013

Does anyone use landscape fabric in their sips to prevent the roots from going down in the water reservoir? I did this year when I made my sips for my tomato plants but I am going to start some kale in sips for fall and wondering if I should do the landscape barrier? Is it needed?

rnewste · July 5, 2013

I use the Landscape Fabric in all of my Self-Watering Containers, even my EarthBoxes. It does help minimize root growth down into the water reservoir - and I think the result is less watery tasting fruit.

Raybo

Boarhead · July 5, 2013

Thanks Raybo!!

cythaenopsis · July 8, 2013

Why would you want to prevent the roots from entering the reservoir? I'd always thought that it's a good idea for them to find it and the plant will draw up water as needed.

tke357 · July 25, 2013

Hi Raybo,
I made two earthtrainers and used the 2 layers of fabric per the directions. However, I noticed at the bottom of one of the reserovirs I can see roots. Do you think i should stop watering via the reservoir and start watering from the top?

Boarhead · July 26, 2013

I always water the sips from the top until the drain holes pour out water. I do it that way because I attached another pipe to the watering pipe for support. But since I water until they overflow. the reservoir fills up and I only water every three days.

Rockporter · July 26, 2013

I don't use landscape fabric in my EB's or my 5 gallon SIP's, I have found lots of tiny fibrous roots along the bottom of the shelf when I pull it out, but I can see how the landscape cloth would help this.

Top watering isn't good unless you have mixed in a slow release fertilizers into the mix and not used an instant fertilizer for the strip.

cythaenopsis · July 26, 2013

I also wonder if the extra access to water creating a watery tasting tomato is somewhat dependent upon the variety.

Is there any particular landscape cloth that people avoid or recommend? I've read in a few cases that they may be treated with undesirable chemicals or break down over time releasing polymer particles into the soil.

Rockporter · July 26, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by cythaenopsis

I also wonder if the extra access to water creating a watery tasting tomato is somewhat dependent upon the variety.

Is there any particular landscape cloth that people avoid or recommend? I've read in a few cases that they may be treated with undesirable chemicals or break down over time releasing polymer particles into the soil.

You just opened my eyes to landscape cloth in the containers. I don't want to be dealing with cloth that breaks down making a mess of the mix.

I use biodegradable cloth in the square foot garden which is more like a cloth than plastic. I don't remember the name of it but I liked that it was supposed to be all natural.

Jaysan · July 27, 2013

I built SWCs this year for the first time and am a believer. As Raybo suggests I use two layers of high quality landscape fabric. They are working great. As far as roots getting into the reservoir I won't know until I start clean up but I can imagine without the fabric they would easily get in there.

tke357 · July 28, 2013

Thanks everyone,
In my case, i built two. In one i have Steak Sandwich and black krim, the other I have mortgage lifter and cherokee purple. I am only seeing roots in the second one. So I am worried about the taste of those tomatoes and am wondering if I should stop filling the reservoir and start top watering. I did add the ferterlizer strip as per Raybo's instructions.

July 5, 2013	#1
Boarhead Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 34	SIPS and landscape fabric ?? Does anyone use landscape fabric in their sips to prevent the roots from going down in the water reservoir? I did this year when I made my sips for my tomato plants but I am going to start some kale in sips for fall and wondering if I should do the landscape barrier? Is it needed?

July 26, 2013	#7
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I don't use landscape fabric in my EB's or my 5 gallon SIP's, I have found lots of tiny fibrous roots along the bottom of the shelf when I pull it out, but I can see how the landscape cloth would help this. Top watering isn't good unless you have mixed in a slow release fertilizers into the mix and not used an instant fertilizer for the strip. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

July 26, 2013	#8
cythaenopsis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Hoboken, NJ USA Posts: 347	I also wonder if the extra access to water creating a watery tasting tomato is somewhat dependent upon the variety. Is there any particular landscape cloth that people avoid or recommend? I've read in a few cases that they may be treated with undesirable chemicals or break down over time releasing polymer particles into the soil. __________________ I'm GardeningAloft.blogspot.com (container growing apartment dweller)

July 5, 2013	#2
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	I use the Landscape Fabric in all of my Self-Watering Containers, even my EarthBoxes. It does help minimize root growth down into the water reservoir - and I think the result is less watery tasting fruit. Raybo

July 8, 2013	#4
cythaenopsis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Hoboken, NJ USA Posts: 347	Why would you want to prevent the roots from entering the reservoir? I'd always thought that it's a good idea for them to find it and the plant will draw up water as needed.

July 25, 2013	#5
tke357 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: nj Posts: 3	Hi Raybo, I made two earthtrainers and used the 2 layers of fabric per the directions. However, I noticed at the bottom of one of the reserovirs I can see roots. Do you think i should stop watering via the reservoir and start watering from the top?

July 27, 2013	#10
Jaysan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 167	I built SWCs this year for the first time and am a believer. As Raybo suggests I use two layers of high quality landscape fabric. They are working great. As far as roots getting into the reservoir I won't know until I start clean up but I can imagine without the fabric they would easily get in there.

July 28, 2013	#11
tke357 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: nj Posts: 3	Thanks everyone, In my case, i built two. In one i have Steak Sandwich and black krim, the other I have mortgage lifter and cherokee purple. I am only seeing roots in the second one. So I am worried about the taste of those tomatoes and am wondering if I should stop filling the reservoir and start top watering. I did add the ferterlizer strip as per Raybo's instructions.