Solar drip irrigation

[Nikki]

Anyone done something like this? Does it work/make sense?

http://www.flutgut.com/konkom/
:)

[contadina]

Makes sense to me. Give it a whirl and experiment with a few plants. I'm gonna.

[StripyPixieSocks]

My Nana used to do that with bottles in her plants and planters when she went away on holiday, always worked for her.

Might give it a try myself for my window boxes!

[Nikki]

I don't quite understand the whole premise. Placing the bottle south etc.

[StripyPixieSocks]

I don't get the South thing either my Nana (and my Mom) used to just dig them in where they could.

[pumpy]

I s'pose the South facing side creates the greater amount of condensation/moisture droplets.

[Ellendra]

I use a simplified waterer for my houseplants. Just cut the bottom off of one bottle, cut a slit or poke a small hole in the lid (I usually have a knife so the slit is easier to do), and bury the bottle partway in the soil. Fill with water, the water seeps gradually through the slit. Looks like a funnel, works like a charm :D

[AXJ]

Brilliant ideas... first rate.. thanks

[Green Aura]

Any suggestions how these might be adapted for those of us who don't use plastic bottles? They look like a brilliant idea but you'd have to drink a lot of water, or pop, if you don't already drink it.

[Nikki]

Isn't there more of a chance that the water will evaporate like this?

Green Aura - any chance of asking friends, family, or finding some at a recycling place?

[Green Aura]

Never seen any neighbours with bottled water, the tap stuff round here is lovely. Ne'mind, I'll find some alternative.

[redmower3]

Isn't there more of a chance that the water will evaporate like this?

Green Aura - any chance of asking friends, family, or finding some at a recycling place?

yes...but in a beneficial way.

This is effectively a solar still (have a look in John Seymour's book)

Water evaporates and condenses on the wall of the larger container and runs down into the soil, adjacent to the plant roots. so a minimum of water would be lost to the atmosphere.

On the plus side - the hotter it is, the increased water need of the plant would automatically be matched by the increased output from the still.

My concerns are...

Would this method deliver enough water for the plants?

Would this cause plants to shallow root..as the water will only be dripping into the soil and most likely not reach a significant depth. Traditional wisdom has suggested that plants are given a good soaking early morning/late evening to ensure water penetrates deeper encouraging deeper roots.


For those wishing to try this without a supply of plastic bottles this would work with any cloche type structure and any container for the water.

Mick

[Green Aura]

Visiting daughter, over the holiday, has resulted in several large pop bottles, and I have to admit to us emptying a couple of smaller tonic bottles.

So - we're on the way to a few of these beasties.

[sunnybp]

I can not understand this irrigation has some relation ship with solar power?

[Odsox]

I can not understand this irrigation has some relation ship with solar power?

As it seems to work by evaporation then surely it must be by the heat from the sun, which to my mind is solar power ?
Otherwise you would need some other heat source to achieve the evaporation process in a closed environment.