anyone?
SWICK Watering Systems: Letting The Plant Water Itself
- Thread starter SweetSue
- Start date
anyone?
I'm thinking about trying this outside again at the end of the summer. I have a few weekends out of town and would be nice to know they are taken care of. Probably whatever I can find to use with some perlite.
So to flesh out your question....
1.5-2" below fabric pots has been described as the maximum water level.
Are you asking if 2" below pots is the minimum water level?
...
I assume the minimum water level is however low the water gets before one adds water to bring the water level back to the maximum 1.5-2" below the base of fabric pots.
- Thread starter
- #124
When you use this system outside you need to cut a drain hole at the maximum fill line so your SWICK doesn't get flooded out. As I type this I realize who I'm talking to and can hear you saying "But of course", so we'll just say I added that for everyone else's clarification.
- Thread starter
- #125
Sorry HealingKronic, I missed your original post. The deeper the reservoir the longer one can go between waterings. As long as the bottom of your pots are wet (fabric pots) and the surface of the perlite is moist you're good. The minimum level is the bottom of your reservoir. ClosetPharmer has deep reservoirs and left his plants unattended for a week with no ill effects.
I personally have gone to filling the reservoirs every other day at this early point in my plant's life, but I have small reservoirs, due to my space restrictions. The only constant to the system is the maximum water level of 1-2" below the surface of the perlite with fabric pots and below the bottom of any hard pots.
I'm also not too hung up on consistent depth. When I fill I just look for the shimmer of water. As long as it's not too deep I'm pretty loose about how deep it is. There's a lot of wiggle room with the SWICKS.
Was that the answer you were looking for? If not, please ask again.
From my very limited experience, as long as the perlite is holding moisture the soil will take it up.
Sue, I'm thinking my outdoor swicks will have covers on them. Hopefully keep moisture in and critters out.
Sue, I'm thinking my outdoor swicks will have covers on them. Hopefully keep moisture in and critters out.
- Thread starter
- #127
Covers could be interesting. That would keep the perlite from scattering from the raindrops. Critters shouldn't be a problem with perlite, I should think. Nothing there to sustain life but the water. I'll be interested in seeing what you come up with.
Taking more about the wildlife in the woods who may want some water to drink or play in during the summer in my spots.
So, yesterday I commented in my thread how my seven day old SWICK plants have gone through the bottom of the smart pot and into the perlite. I have five going like that and all five have roots in perlite. I'm amazed,, even this morning. I'm very interested to see how this plays out. I was wondering before, now that I've seen those pearly white roots... I know I can use a lot more aloe, coconut, ewc type foilar sprays.
This is interesting Sue, and will be played out additionally in my guerrilla grows.
You may not have designed this method, but, your making up for it now by pushing it ahead a little, nice job.
This is interesting Sue, and will be played out additionally in my guerrilla grows.
You may not have designed this method, but, your making up for it now by pushing it ahead a little, nice job.
very cool , just seen this today , sorry Sue , 
- Thread starter
- #131
very cool , just seen this today , sorry Sue ,
Good morning Professor. I started a new thread on soil building recipes. Your input there would be greatly appreciated. You have some of the most successful and individual approaches to organic gardening in our ranks. Please think of contributing to that thread.
will do ill look forward to that thread , i brewing up some really tasty treats for my summer girls , pics are on my blue blood thread , 
nailed it! thanks sue!
btw what grade or product are you using for aloe?
btw what grade or product are you using for aloe?
- Thread starter
- #134
I purchase 200x aloe powder from Build A Soil. When I can get a live plant I'm going to start using fresh. They both work equally well, but I just want to play with fresh.
Jamba
New Member
Hey sue, just wanted to swing by and tell you that my father and I love the SWICK. He's gone SWICK crazy really... We now have individual double thick cardboard boxes being assembled and lined with plastic. They will all be automatically filled and kept at proper water level using a simple siphon setup. It's about 2 weeks out, but when it's set up, all I'll have to do to my plants is give them small servings of doc's kit. Watering? Lol no thanks. SWICK got my back now!
- Thread starter
- #136
Please share with me your way of adapting Doc's kit to a SWICK set up. I'm going to be starting mine in about two weeks and I want it on a SWICK. Doc seems to think it needs to veg without the SWICK. What are your thoughts on this?
Jamba
New Member
I'm using the regular old kit soil and it's working just fine! The HP soil bale already had a bunch of aeration material in it.
As for vegging without the SWICK, I think you or Doc would know best. That said, I'm witnessing roughly equal growth in non-SWICKed and SWICKed vegging plants. But I've only put plants onto the SWICK that had a thick root system already.
So basically I don't know lol. I do know that there are no negatives to the SWICK that I've personally witnessed since starting.
Also, my plant in the 25 gallon smart pot is going bonkers with growth, and I wouldn't be able to keep that much soil evenly moist without the SWICK.
- Thread starter
- #138
I've been tempted to try a 20 gallon with the kit Jamba. I have an African Buzz seed that I think would just love to have room to spread out. I'll likely reign that back to a 15. More practical.
OG13
New Member
Sue, for your space, def a 10 or 15 gallon pot is enough for a first try. I think the early veg plants really need to dry out to encourage the early root system. I'd put it on the swick when you transplant up to final pot size from 1 gallon, give it a few days to hook up and flip to flower. I got crazy growth in veg, but I let it dry to near-wilt, then dunked to saturate (only had to do it twice). I planted a clone in a 1 gal airpot and vegged for under 3 weeks. The 1 gal pots needed water each day and not a speck of dirt fell off when potted up. Transplanted to 7 gallon cloth pot and vegged for 4 days and it exploded, so I flipped to flower....earlier than planned. Over the next couple days I built a small 16"x16" scrog screen over each and it filled totally by the end of the week.
I think you need to break from your comfort zone to really experience Doc's gear. I think the microbes are more resilient (wet/dry) than you give them credit for.....think about outside.
I think you need to break from your comfort zone to really experience Doc's gear. I think the microbes are more resilient (wet/dry) than you give them credit for.....think about outside.
Another great topic sue 
i only just stumbled across this now, have sat here and read through all the replies and i think i may go with this approach.
I have a couple of small questions, sorry for the noobishness,
with the res is it just for water or would you feed the plants nutrients this way also?
if the res and ph levels etc are kept to the right level would there be any need for top feeding or could it all be acheived this way?
Thanks heaps for the great ideas
i only just stumbled across this now, have sat here and read through all the replies and i think i may go with this approach.
I have a couple of small questions, sorry for the noobishness,
with the res is it just for water or would you feed the plants nutrients this way also?
if the res and ph levels etc are kept to the right level would there be any need for top feeding or could it all be acheived this way?
Thanks heaps for the great ideas