Ami?

chalstonsc · August 31, 2009

Ami,
I've admired a number of your plants in photos you have posted and I'd appreciate it if you would describe your approach to watering in containers....in general... and specifically, how you avoid overwatering. Also, what mix you use? Thanks.

amideutch · September 1, 2009

SC, in open containers overwatering is generally not a problem. As the water is passing through the aggregate and out the drain holes it is also drawing fresh air along with it and you have no standing water. So aeration of the aggregate is also done at each watering which is another plus to using open containers.
I generally water once a day in the afternoon with a garden hose unless I'm adding organic ferts which I mix with water in 10 liter watering cans and apply manually. If we have hot weather I water in the morning and again in the afternoon. But in Germany that doesn't happen very often.
I use a Rhododendron mix which is sold in 70 liter bags. Reason being it's a lighter mix and has the lowest NPK of all the available mixes. Why the lowest NPK?, because I use Mycorrhizae and Actinovate when planting my seedlings into the containers and I apply my own organic nutrients during the course of the growing phase of the plant. I primarily use BioBizz Bio-Grow. I also add Perlite to the rhododendrum mix at about a 15-20% rate.
Finally a note on container size. As the temperatures in the area I live do not get that extreme and I use bio ferts during the course of the season I can use 5-10 gallon containers with no problem. It keeps my expenditures down for the purchase of aggregate and the smaller containers lend themselves better to the cages I construct and attach to the containers. For those of you who live in warmer climates and do not want to invest in a automated watering system then larger containers would be in order starting at the 18 galllon size or a closed system like the EarthTainer.
One more note. The plants that I grow with a roof over their heads generally grow larger and have better production and less disease than their counterparts grown on the fence line in the open. Ami

chalstonsc · September 1, 2009

Ami-
Thanks very much!

August 31, 2009	#1
chalstonsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: sc Posts: 339	Ami? Ami, I've admired a number of your plants in photos you have posted and I'd appreciate it if you would describe your approach to watering in containers....in general... and specifically, how you avoid overwatering. Also, what mix you use? Thanks.

September 1, 2009	#2
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	SC, in open containers overwatering is generally not a problem. As the water is passing through the aggregate and out the drain holes it is also drawing fresh air along with it and you have no standing water. So aeration of the aggregate is also done at each watering which is another plus to using open containers. I generally water once a day in the afternoon with a garden hose unless I'm adding organic ferts which I mix with water in 10 liter watering cans and apply manually. If we have hot weather I water in the morning and again in the afternoon. But in Germany that doesn't happen very often. I use a Rhododendron mix which is sold in 70 liter bags. Reason being it's a lighter mix and has the lowest NPK of all the available mixes. Why the lowest NPK?, because I use Mycorrhizae and Actinovate when planting my seedlings into the containers and I apply my own organic nutrients during the course of the growing phase of the plant. I primarily use BioBizz Bio-Grow. I also add Perlite to the rhododendrum mix at about a 15-20% rate. Finally a note on container size. As the temperatures in the area I live do not get that extreme and I use bio ferts during the course of the season I can use 5-10 gallon containers with no problem. It keeps my expenditures down for the purchase of aggregate and the smaller containers lend themselves better to the cages I construct and attach to the containers. For those of you who live in warmer climates and do not want to invest in a automated watering system then larger containers would be in order starting at the 18 galllon size or a closed system like the EarthTainer. One more note. The plants that I grow with a roof over their heads generally grow larger and have better production and less disease than their counterparts grown on the fence line in the open. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'