Can Someone Help Me Determine Wicking Basket Size for a Miniature SWC?

Irv Wiseguy · March 1, 2011

A couple years ago I built an Earthtainer using Raybo's plans and had such great success with it over the past two seasons that late last Summer I decided to build a miniature version and try to grow cherry tomatoes indoors this Winter.

I bought a packet of Tiny TIm tomatoes but had trouble getting the seeds to germinate so the experiment had a late start. Finally around Thanksgiving I had a seedling big enough to transplant. All seemed to be going well until last week. The plant got to about 13" tall and had a lot of flowers and a few small tomatoes on it, but then the bottom leaves started to wilt, and now the whole plant is wilting. When I touch the leaves they feel wet. I took the plastic off the top and the potting mix around the plant is soaking wet. I assume the poor tomato plant is drowning and I don't expect it to survive. I assume I made the wicking basket too big for the size of the container.

The container measures 13"L x 7"W x 6"D. The aeration bench is about 3 3/4" from the top. The wicking basket was made from a 1 3/4" outside diameter plastic vitamin bottle. I am using Miracle Grow soilless potting mix (the standard stuff, not moisture control).

Is there a formula for determining the correct size of the wicking basket for a given container size or is it just guess and if I'm wrong try again? I appreciate any thoughts on this. Thank you.

Irv

March 1, 2011	#1
Irv Wiseguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 281	Can Someone Help Me Determine Wicking Basket Size for a Miniature SWC? A couple years ago I built an Earthtainer using Raybo's plans and had such great success with it over the past two seasons that late last Summer I decided to build a miniature version and try to grow cherry tomatoes indoors this Winter. I bought a packet of Tiny TIm tomatoes but had trouble getting the seeds to germinate so the experiment had a late start. Finally around Thanksgiving I had a seedling big enough to transplant. All seemed to be going well until last week. The plant got to about 13" tall and had a lot of flowers and a few small tomatoes on it, but then the bottom leaves started to wilt, and now the whole plant is wilting. When I touch the leaves they feel wet. I took the plastic off the top and the potting mix around the plant is soaking wet. I assume the poor tomato plant is drowning and I don't expect it to survive. I assume I made the wicking basket too big for the size of the container. The container measures 13"L x 7"W x 6"D. The aeration bench is about 3 3/4" from the top. The wicking basket was made from a 1 3/4" outside diameter plastic vitamin bottle. I am using Miracle Grow soilless potting mix (the standard stuff, not moisture control). Is there a formula for determining the correct size of the wicking basket for a given container size or is it just guess and if I'm wrong try again? I appreciate any thoughts on this. Thank you. Irv