Gravel Trays....substrates for capillary base for drip system?

[Hector]

I have been looking at/ reading about different watering systems. Some suggest putting plants/pots on a global tray with a substrate below to act as a capillary mechanism....you then drip into each tray versus each a dripped into each pot.

What type of substrate do you think would work well for this.

I have some Hortag...which I like for humidity but don't like how roots come down and meld into it!

[Hector]

[squeezyjohn]

I've grown my seedlings in the greenhouse using the irrigatia solar drip system from a water butt for several years now.  I don't use any capillary matting at all - the drip just goes in to the gravel trays and the plants suck it up from underneath where the compost is in contact with the water.  Of course if the drip rates go wrong then there's a possibility of getting a flood in the gravel trays but the solution is to either drill little overflow holes in the sides of the trays at the level you don't want the water to rise above - or what I normally do is just make sure the pots or root-trainer modules are much taller than the gravel trays - that way the plants never flood completely.

With all that water down below I often find that plants send roots out of the bottom of the pots that are working almost hydroponically.  Also water is heavy in all those trays so you need a sturdy staging to take it all!  The plants are often a bit too "juicy" and tender to plant straight out after this kind of molly-coddling which means you definitely need to harden them off by withdrawing the water before you set them in the big bad outdoors!

Anyway - I know that is not really an answer for your question - but I never really understood why you would need a special material to get water to be taken up by the pots as it happens without any.

[Hector]

That's a really helpful reply, thanks so much.
I'm going to install Irrigatia system in big greenhouse for my daughter. She cannot carry/ lift watering cans anymore after an accident.

Why I was wanting a substrate/ capillary layer was in case of ant irregularities in level in the trays. From your experience of no substrate...I am probable better putting a wee something under trays to level them?
Be lighter too.

I was thinking of thin layer of compost. I have seen capillary matting but some seem to look really urgh after a bit and wonder re harbouring bacteria/ nasties. Probably overthinking it.

The Irrigatia company have really been fab at looking at solutions. It was yours and Redalders posts that got me onto that :)

[squeezyjohn]

The Irrigatia solar system is great.  But make absolutely sure you dismantle it and clean it out at the end of the season to bring inside cover!  I've killed several pumps by leaving them out in the greenhouse over winter.  I also use them for watering tomatoes etc. in the ground of the greenhouse once the seedlings are all planted out - and it's very easy for a bit of grit or soil to get in the ends of the drippers causing them to block up completely.

So they are brilliant - but just a bit fussy!

[cambourne7]

Sorry to Hijack thread but was just looking at the irrigatia solar drip system before going onto this site :)

I have 2 water butts either side of my greenhouse door(outside) one was to service the greenhouse the other to service the trugs.

Does anyone know if i need to have 2 units (SOL-C12) or can i manage both with the one unit?

I was thinking about using the IRRIGATIA RESERVOIR inside the greenhouse connected to the water butt though a smaller pipe under the greenhouse frame which means that i can add liquid feed to the reservoir more accurately. Does anyone think this will be possible?? Or a good idea??

Mostly this will feed hessian raised beds inside the greenhouse on concrete am considering putting something under them like plastic sheeting to assist with water retention in high summer (still trying to decide).

[Hector]

Cambourne...Id phone or email the Irrigatia the bloke. He talked me through how to work out which one was best. I'm getting a 24.

[cambourne7]

Cambourne...Id phone or email the Irrigatia the bloke. He talked me through how to work out which one was best. I'm getting a 24.

Hi

Yes will be calling just watched a few videos and looks like its 1:1 to pump:butt so i think the deal for 2 of the smaller ones the C12 might work out better for me i need 8m of soak hose for trugs and potentially another 2 metres for the herb beds (but probably dont need to water as often) and for inside greenhouse only need 6 metres of soak hose and some drip feeding so should be plenty.

Cam

[squeezyjohn]

It all depends on how much your stuff will need watering ... and also how long the sun shines as the amount of water delivered is generally proportional to the exposure to sunlight the solar panel gets!  Luckily - if it's hotter then that usually means the sun has shone and the plants get a bit more water.

Generally I wouldn't go for more than 24 trays to supply with water from a singe pump because the more drips you add the less water per dripper!  But for less thirsty crops you can keep adding if that makes sense.  I have a load of their kits added together so I could theoretically have 64 from one pump!  But that would be close to nothing per dripper coming out!

One word of warning would be that these systems can quite easily run your water butt dry in a prolonged dry spell - so if you absolutely are relying on it ... make sure you keep your water butts topped up from a hosepipe during rain free periods!