self-watering container system - to cover or NOT to cover?

nniemiec · April 17, 2016

i'm growing toms in a gutter / wick self-water system & am wondering what expert opinion is on covering the top of the 18 gallon totes w. a plastic cover / with slits for plants to grow out of vs. not covering at all?

My thought is to cover them = better soil consistency (soil doesn't get water logged from heavy rain) , but is there a practical reason for NOT covering the totes?

what do you recommend & why? thanks!

rnewste · April 17, 2016

You can use a cut-out trash bag about 1 inch from the top; then cover it with bark mulch to keep it in place:

Works well for me.

Raybo

kayrobbins · April 17, 2016

I always have mine covered. You are right it does help keep some of the rain out but it also helps keep the moisture in. One of the benefits of growing this way is consistent moisture. And is also almost eliminates any weeding. My raised beds are full on tiny maple seedling from my neighbors trees that I am having to constantly pull up. My SWCs don't have any of that.

nniemiec · April 17, 2016

yeah, makes sense I think - i'm reconditioning last year's soil right now & should of kept them covered over the winter - soil is water-logged.

Raybo - nice set-up! i really like the cage you've made for your totes. how did you do that?

rnewste · April 17, 2016

I was able to adapt the Gurney's cuke/pea fence cages to fit perfectly around both my 30 gal. EarthTainers as well as my EarthBoxes. See link:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=40710

Raybo

fonseca · April 19, 2016

I don't use plastic, but I do use mulch, like pine bark, coco husk chips or cut straw. I'll pile it a few inches deep mid-Summer if I want the reservoir to last longer between refills, and to ensure the top inch of mix stays moist. In my 100 gal SIPs, a thick mulch can save several gallons of water a day. I'm sure plastic would save even more.

My reasoning is that I want evaporation: it keeps the container temps cooler in the hellish southern heat, allows for more oxygen in the most biologically-active part of the soilless mix, and more water wicking through the mix means faster nutrient cycling, more oxygen and less risk of anaerobic activity.

kayrobbins · April 19, 2016

I use the bag the soil comes in the make my covers. Since mine are made using the 5 gallon buckets I can get two covers out one bag and one bag fills two of the containers. I turn the white side up. This lets me see any droppings from pests that are on my plants. I grow a lot of dwarf tomatoes and those worm can easily hide in that foliage so it helps me catch them early.

JaxRmrJmr · April 21, 2016

Kay,

I have a SWC system. I wrapped my buckets in cheap dollar store aluminum foil. A $1 roll covered about 5-6 buckets.

You don't have any mildew issues just covering the whole bucket with a plastic bag?

kayrobbins · April 22, 2016

I don't wrap the entire bucket. I made a cardboard template so I can cut out a nice circle for the cover. When I pick up my free used pickle buckets I always get the lid too so I can take the rubber ring out of it to hold my cover on. My goal is to try to use as much recycled stuff as I can to make these. I just haven't figured out where to get pvc scraps yet.

Mom2Es · May 5, 2016

I was just trying to decide this today. I have been doing the double layer of trashbag per the instructions, but because the inner container stops a couple of inches below the top of the outer I end up with an air gap and have to weigh it down with mulch anyway. Plus no matter what I do, every Earthtainer I've ever constructed ends up bowing in on the sides and the lid doesn't fit on it tightly as a result.

I was planning to try the silver metallic plastic this year, and what I think I might do instead is just cut it a little wide and tuck the edges under the outer edge of the soil.

BajaMitch · May 5, 2016

I have the same dilemma. Don't know whether to cover the containers or not.

If you cover them, that retains water much better than uncovered, but, doesn't that prevent cooling the mix by lack of escaping evaporation? Also, doesn't covering the plants reduce the amount of oxygen that the container plant has access to?

Just finished filling my containers for this season. When I opened a package of potting mix that was standing out in the sunlight, it was incredibly hot; very hot. I went over to my containers that I have covered with plastic and they were hot also, though not as hot as the potting mix. I touched the surface potting mix on my uncovered buckets and they were very cool.

Proof positive, I would say. I can only conclude that plastic covers retain a great deal of heat whereas the uncovered are much, much cooler...and it's not even Summer yet.

I am going to experiment on this. I am going to cover some, and uncover others and monitor the temps. If the temps get too hot frequently and/or persistently, I am going to uncover them all.

nniemiec · May 6, 2016

Thanks BajaMitch - let me know how it goes by you---- it's def much warmer by you vs. me (Chicago)

April 17, 2016	#1
nniemiec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: chicago Posts: 48	self-watering container system - to cover or NOT to cover? i'm growing toms in a gutter / wick self-water system & am wondering what expert opinion is on covering the top of the 18 gallon totes w. a plastic cover / with slits for plants to grow out of vs. not covering at all? My thought is to cover them = better soil consistency (soil doesn't get water logged from heavy rain) , but is there a practical reason for NOT covering the totes? what do you recommend & why? thanks!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

April 17, 2016	#2
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	You can use a cut-out trash bag about 1 inch from the top; then cover it with bark mulch to keep it in place: Works well for me. Raybo

April 17, 2016	#3
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I always have mine covered. You are right it does help keep some of the rain out but it also helps keep the moisture in. One of the benefits of growing this way is consistent moisture. And is also almost eliminates any weeding. My raised beds are full on tiny maple seedling from my neighbors trees that I am having to constantly pull up. My SWCs don't have any of that.

April 19, 2016	#6
fonseca Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 205	I don't use plastic, but I do use mulch, like pine bark, coco husk chips or cut straw. I'll pile it a few inches deep mid-Summer if I want the reservoir to last longer between refills, and to ensure the top inch of mix stays moist. In my 100 gal SIPs, a thick mulch can save several gallons of water a day. I'm sure plastic would save even more. My reasoning is that I want evaporation: it keeps the container temps cooler in the hellish southern heat, allows for more oxygen in the most biologically-active part of the soilless mix, and more water wicking through the mix means faster nutrient cycling, more oxygen and less risk of anaerobic activity.

April 21, 2016	#8
JaxRmrJmr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Jax, FL - 9A Posts: 172	Kay, I have a SWC system. I wrapped my buckets in cheap dollar store aluminum foil. A $1 roll covered about 5-6 buckets. You don't have any mildew issues just covering the whole bucket with a plastic bag?

May 5, 2016	#10
Mom2Es Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: TN Posts: 4	I was just trying to decide this today. I have been doing the double layer of trashbag per the instructions, but because the inner container stops a couple of inches below the top of the outer I end up with an air gap and have to weigh it down with mulch anyway. Plus no matter what I do, every Earthtainer I've ever constructed ends up bowing in on the sides and the lid doesn't fit on it tightly as a result. I was planning to try the silver metallic plastic this year, and what I think I might do instead is just cut it a little wide and tuck the edges under the outer edge of the soil.

May 5, 2016	#11
BajaMitch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: California Posts: 84	I have the same dilemma. Don't know whether to cover the containers or not. If you cover them, that retains water much better than uncovered, but, doesn't that prevent cooling the mix by lack of escaping evaporation? Also, doesn't covering the plants reduce the amount of oxygen that the container plant has access to? Just finished filling my containers for this season. When I opened a package of potting mix that was standing out in the sunlight, it was incredibly hot; very hot. I went over to my containers that I have covered with plastic and they were hot also, though not as hot as the potting mix. I touched the surface potting mix on my uncovered buckets and they were very cool. Proof positive, I would say. I can only conclude that plastic covers retain a great deal of heat whereas the uncovered are much, much cooler...and it's not even Summer yet. I am going to experiment on this. I am going to cover some, and uncover others and monitor the temps. If the temps get too hot frequently and/or persistently, I am going to uncover them all.

May 6, 2016	#12
nniemiec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: chicago Posts: 48	Thanks BajaMitch - let me know how it goes by you---- it's def much warmer by you vs. me (Chicago)