Watering strawberry towers

[d000hg]

I got 4 tower growers for strawberyr plants last year and they've survived into the 2nd year. They are about 2 feet tall and have a foot about 5" x 5", each holds 12 plants - like this:

They work well, the only real problem is watering. Because the footprint is so small, even if it rains they don't really get adequate water - not in growing season anyway - and you have to water each one at the very least every couple of days if it's hot weather, up to one large watering can per tower per day!

This is quite time consuming so I wondered if anyone can think of some clever tricks to improve this?[/img]

 

[conny]

If they are located near the wall as this one is how about a syphon arrangement?

Mount a container on the wall a short height above the tower to hold the water. From this drape some 3mm tubing into each tower so they get a constant trickle of water. You will of course have to start the syphon off by either sucking water through each piece of piping or immersing it completely in the tank of water and then, holding your finger/thumb over one end under water, place the other end into one of the towers. As the tower, and consequently the end of the piping, is below the bottom level of the tank of water it will simply flow out at a steady rate.
The secret is to keep enough water in the tank to keep the pipe ends submerged. If the water flows too fast simply place a clothes peg on the tube so it GENTLY compresses it, thereby reducing the flow rate. If necessary add more pegs to slow it down further.

 

[WabbitPoo]

Time consuming? To apply a watering can every two days? You are just lazy.

Good grief.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Time consuming? To apply a watering can every two days? You are just lazy.

Good grief.

^^^^^ This.

And while the plants may have survived the winter, the compost has not. If you want a crop this year, you need to replace the compost. When you do so, line the tower with plastic with plenty of holes pierced in, particularly around the bottom, and then mix water-retaining gel in with your new compost. You will still have to water frequently, because containers do dry out quickly - isn't a little effort worthwihile to produce fresh strawberries?

 

[d000hg]

Time consuming? To apply a watering can every two days? You are just lazy.

Good grief.

In summer it's more like one can per day per tower. A large can, 20l or so, which I have to carry all the way through my house as there is no water supply in the garden, dripping water each trip.

It's also a problem because if I go away for more than 1 day in hot sunny weather, they will be drooping by the time I return.

At's also bad because even in rainy weather I have to pay for watering plants, which seems rather wasteful.

 

[d000hg]

And while the plants may have survived the winter, the compost has not. If you want a crop this year, you need to replace the compost. When you do so, line the tower with plastic with plenty of holes pierced in, particularly around the bottom, and then mix water-retaining gel in with your new compost. You will still have to water frequently, because containers do dry out quickly - isn't a little effort worthwihile to produce fresh strawberries?

You really have to replace the whole compost every year? That seems like it would hardly work out much more expensive to buy strawberries in the shop

Good idea on increasing water retention though, if I could keep it damp it would make things a bit easier - because there are holes all down the sides then obviously as soon as you start watering, it just runs out. I was wondering if in some way I could sit the tower in a container of water (like you do a flower-pot in a saucer) and it would regulate itself, but I don't think this would work with the height of the tower, the top would just dry out?

I wonder actually if I could combine that with conny's idea... pubt a large container of water at the base of the tower so any water escaping the tower goes into the container, then have a syphon tube going from the container to the top of the tower. This would continually water the top of the tower and overflow back in to the container if it got too wet... plus then *I'd just keep the container topped up.

I admit this is a bit overcomplicated but as a "science project" it would be kind of fun to try

 

[kbdiy]

Dig out the old compost. Take a length of plastic waste pipe and cut a series of small holes around and up and down its length. Place the pipe down the centre of the tower and refill with compost to hold it centrally, then replant. Fill the pipe with water and it will percolate through the holes to water the entire tower.

 

[Deleted2797112]

You really have to replace the whole compost every year? That seems like it would hardly work out much more expensive to buy strawberries in the shop

The nutrients in compost are exhausted after 6 weeks and the old compost harbours fungi and pests from last year. You don't have to replace it but you're not giving your plants much of a chance if you don't. Growing in containers takes effort. If you don't appreciate the pleasure of picking fruit you've grown yourself and putting it straight on the table still warm from the sun (and the smug feeling of the food miles saved), then you should indeed give up and buy them from tesco.

 

[d000hg]

Dig out the old compost. Take a length of plastic waste pipe and cut a series of small holes around and up and down its length. Place the pipe down the centre of the tower and refill with compost to hold it centrally, then replant. Fill the pipe with water and it will percolate through the holes to water the entire tower.

This is basically how the tower works already, it comes with a rigid pipe that fulfils the same function.

I'm not exactly sure how I would dig out the compost thought when the tower is tall and narrow and the existing compost is (I assume) all knotted up with the roots by now?

 

[munchingB]

i like the perforated pipe in the centre idea, would also be a good way to feed the plants. look into liquid feeds that are used in hydroponic production if you dont fancy replacing the compost. a good mulch on top will go a good way towards keeping them fed and will help retain some of the water that would otherwise evaporate.

 

[conny]

In my idea you have to have a header tank ABOVE the towers. You cannot syphon water upwards.
Imagine a water tank in your loft feeding your shower in the room below. If the water tank was downstairs you would need an electric pump to raise it to the shower.