possible to simulate dry farming with containers?

paradajky · September 9, 2022

Hi:

While procrastinating, I read about dry farming, was intrigued and hope some day to be able to taste tomatoes grown in such manner.
Then I got to thinking, can dry farming conditions be simulated in containers?
Ran several scenarios through my head, from withholding water until soil is dry (bad idea, leads to cracking), to super long, narrow containers (think 2-4" pipes), and then it hit me as I was staring at mess of roots in my gutter self-watering setup: kratky style might be close, just perhaps would find a way to keep water only around level of the lower root tips in a long container, or keep the roots trimmed?

Hmmmm. Appreciate any ideas, brainstorming, etc, this sounds fun.

PS: to the folks who will no doubt ask "why would you do this" as is typical on the internet - because I'm curious and I'd like to know and learn and have fun.

September 9, 2022	#1
paradajky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2021 Location: Coastal Southern CA Posts: 164	possible to simulate dry farming with containers? Hi: While procrastinating, I read about dry farming, was intrigued and hope some day to be able to taste tomatoes grown in such manner. Then I got to thinking, can dry farming conditions be simulated in containers? Ran several scenarios through my head, from withholding water until soil is dry (bad idea, leads to cracking), to super long, narrow containers (think 2-4" pipes), and then it hit me as I was staring at mess of roots in my gutter self-watering setup: kratky style might be close, just perhaps would find a way to keep water only around level of the lower root tips in a long container, or keep the roots trimmed? Hmmmm. Appreciate any ideas, brainstorming, etc, this sounds fun. PS: to the folks who will no doubt ask "why would you do this" as is typical on the internet - because I'm curious and I'd like to know and learn and have fun.