SWICK Watering Systems: Letting The Plant Water Itself
- Thread starter SweetSue
- Start date
Well I do believe my little swicked fluxed auto has, maybe made a convert out of little ole LA! 
a simple system cutting out the usual malarkey of extra fussing
a simple system cutting out the usual malarkey of extra fussing - Thread starter
- #163
Thank you Radogast for allowing me to repost this. There are some interesting points that have great value in our discussion.
Tips and tricks for beginners
About a week ago, I switched to a basic SWICK system and loved it. Yesterday, I upgraded my system to a bigger system so I could leave my plants for longer without worrying about them drying up and keeling over in my absence.
I filled a 41-quart under-bed tote with #3 perlite and topped it off with a finer grade perlite, though you could simply crush up some #3 perlite and use that instead of buying an extra bag of small perlite. I bought a 4cu ft bag and didn't even use 1cu ft for my system, so don't go overboard buying a big bag of perlite if you can help it. The glass jar is to judge water level, though I found it just as effective to poke a hole in perlite with a finger and feel for the water level.
A group shot with several fabric and plastic pots incorporated into the SWICK system.
A few notes of advice for beginners:
Hope that gets you thinking. Happy growing!
About a week ago, I switched to a basic SWICK system and loved it. Yesterday, I upgraded my system to a bigger system so I could leave my plants for longer without worrying about them drying up and keeling over in my absence.
I filled a 41-quart under-bed tote with #3 perlite and topped it off with a finer grade perlite, though you could simply crush up some #3 perlite and use that instead of buying an extra bag of small perlite. I bought a 4cu ft bag and didn't even use 1cu ft for my system, so don't go overboard buying a big bag of perlite if you can help it. The glass jar is to judge water level, though I found it just as effective to poke a hole in perlite with a finger and feel for the water level.
A group shot with several fabric and plastic pots incorporated into the SWICK system.
A few notes of advice for beginners:
- The SWICK watering system works well for people who need to leave their plants alone for days at a time.
- The system works very well with Living Organic Soils and other soils that require a moist environment to thrive. The verdict is still out on how well it performs with other grow mediums.
- Fabric pots with thin walls work best with the SWICK system. Smart Pot and Gro Pro are both quality brands.
- If you recently transplanted a small plant into a bigger pot, don't fill the SWICK system to the recommended 1-2" below the bottom of the fabric pots. Instead, barely fill the bottom of the SWICK reservoir and let it wick up into the soil. Wait until the soil dries out a bit (possibly a week or more) and then refill the bottom of the reservoir. Do this for the first several weeks after transplanting so the small plants send roots deeper in search of water, which will help the roots fill the pot sooner than if the soil were completely moist during that time.
- If you're using nutrients, top-feed them to the plant. Putting nutrient solution directly in the reservoir will encourage algae growth.
- It's okay to let the reservoir dry up every now and then. In fact, it will encourage the roots to branch out in search of water leading to a larger system of roots to uptake water and nutrients.
- If you create a SWICK system, share it with us here.
Hope that gets you thinking. Happy growing!
Re: Tips and tricks for beginners
Nice thoughts MysterySeeds.
I am curious why you focus on growing long roots.
There is a general principle in trees, "as above, so below," where a big root system grows big trees. With smaller plants and herbs, this is not such a clear corelation. Carrots, potato, lotus, daffodil grow fat tubers and bulbs to store resources, but otherwise have small root systems.
Long roots seem like a good idea, and they are if the plant NEEDS long roots, but our goal here is sticky, abundant flowers. Fabric pots, by themselves don't encurage long roots, they tend to air prune rather than allow roots to wrap.
In working out with weights, the goal could be massive amounts of lift (football), big ropey muscles (Mr. Universe), or endurance (wrestling). All these goals fall under the category of Fitness- as in preparing the body in a way that makes it 'fit' to achieve a good result according to the goal.
I don't see a corelation between root growth and flower potency and yield. There probably is one, to a point. Until I see an important connection, I'm not going to concern myself with root growth. At this early point in my growing journey, I'll stick with "as above, so below" as in if I like the size, structure and color of the above ground plant, I will trust that everything is going fine down below. The proof is in the flowering.
About a week ago, I switched to a basic SWICK system and loved it. Yesterday, I upgraded my system to a bigger system so I could leave my plants for longer without worrying about them drying up and keeling over in my absence.
I filled a 41-quart under-bed tote with #3 perlite and topped it off with a finer grade perlite, though you could simply crush up some #3 perlite and use that instead of buying an extra bag of small perlite. I bought a 4cu ft bag and didn't even use 1cu ft for my system, so don't go overboard buying a big bag of perlite if you can help it. The glass jar is to judge water level, though I found it just as effective to poke a hole in perlite with a finger and feel for the water level.
A group shot with several fabric and plastic pots incorporated into the SWICK system.
A few notes of advice for beginners:
- The SWICK watering system works well for people who need to leave their plants alone for days at a time.
- The system works very well with Living Organic Soils and other soils that require a moist environment to thrive. The verdict is still out on how well it performs with other grow mediums.
- Fabric pots with thin walls work best with the SWICK system. Smart Pot and Gro Pro are both quality brands.
- If you recently transplanted a small plant into a bigger pot, don't fill the SWICK system to the recommended 1-2" below the bottom of the fabric pots. Instead, barely fill the bottom of the SWICK reservoir and let it wick up into the soil. Wait until the soil dries out a bit (possibly a week or more) and then refill the bottom of the reservoir. Do this for the first several weeks after transplanting so the small plants send roots deeper in search of water, which will help the roots fill the pot sooner than if the soil were completely moist during that time.
- If you're using nutrients, top-feed them to the plant. Putting nutrient solution directly in the reservoir will encourage algae growth.
- It's okay to let the reservoir dry up every now and then. In fact, it will encourage the roots to branch out in search of water leading to a larger system of roots to uptake water and nutrients.
- If you create a SWICK system, share it with us here.
Hope that gets you thinking. Happy growing!
Nice thoughts MysterySeeds.
I am curious why you focus on growing long roots.
There is a general principle in trees, "as above, so below," where a big root system grows big trees. With smaller plants and herbs, this is not such a clear corelation. Carrots, potato, lotus, daffodil grow fat tubers and bulbs to store resources, but otherwise have small root systems.
Long roots seem like a good idea, and they are if the plant NEEDS long roots, but our goal here is sticky, abundant flowers. Fabric pots, by themselves don't encurage long roots, they tend to air prune rather than allow roots to wrap.
In working out with weights, the goal could be massive amounts of lift (football), big ropey muscles (Mr. Universe), or endurance (wrestling). All these goals fall under the category of Fitness- as in preparing the body in a way that makes it 'fit' to achieve a good result according to the goal.
I don't see a corelation between root growth and flower potency and yield. There probably is one, to a point. Until I see an important connection, I'm not going to concern myself with root growth. At this early point in my growing journey, I'll stick with "as above, so below" as in if I like the size, structure and color of the above ground plant, I will trust that everything is going fine down below. The proof is in the flowering.
I was hoping someone else would answer this....because I don't know. I think it varies.
If you will leave your plant for five days and you never want the soil to dry, 5 days big. If you are willing to let the soil dry, smaller.
If you want to track how much water each plant uses, then individual plant SWICKs.
If you prefer the convenience of watering plants as a group, a tray large enough to hold the anticipated pots.
If you want to minimize humidity, individual trays just barely large enough to fit the bottom of the pots.
- -
I think SweetSue started this thread partly to explore this question.
- Thread starter
- #167
Well I do believe my little swicked fluxed auto has, maybe made a convert out of little ole LA!
I am soooo glad to hear that LA.
Your life deserves to be less stressful too. 
- Thread starter
- #168
Good to hear Chuck. Your plants will thank you by exploding in growth.
Rad answered your question for me, and a damn good answer it was. It's a system that easily adapts to your particular needs. I went with the smaller pans due to space limitations and nothing more. When I move into the tent I will explore community reservoirs at some point, although the value of individual pans is the ease of doing that 1/4 turn I do every day. Lifting 7-15 gallon pots with monster bushes can be difficult when they're in full bloom.
Determine your space limitations and particular needs and then find a basin to fit those needs. We have learned that a clear reservoir will promote more algae growth, but that has no effect on the system. It's only an aesthetic concern. Deeper is always better (up to a point, of course).
Dropped a second into an individual swick. For me its really helping maximize good growth with tiny cloth pots!
- Thread starter
- #170
Dropped a second into an individual swick. For me its really helping maximize good growth with tiny cloth pots!
Could we entice you to drop a couple pictures of your SWICK adventure here LA?
OK so the first one in the sweet box, is an auto Blue Dream and has had a hard life. She was topped twice due to me damaging her the first time. Then I dropped some stuff on her so she lost one flux end, meaning 3 limbs! 
She has convinced me on a bigger strain fluxing will work well with autos. Yet I firmly believe the swick is helping her good growth etc. Her pot is like half a gal lol. So I'm sold on swicking small pots if they're your thing.
The second is a temp swick res whilst I find a better one just gone into that today. She is also an auto and will be a 4 way half flux!
The third is going to be swicked within a week. She is another auto and will be the big pot flux for comparison!
Anyway pics
She has convinced me on a bigger strain fluxing will work well with autos. Yet I firmly believe the swick is helping her good growth etc. Her pot is like half a gal lol. So I'm sold on swicking small pots if they're your thing.
The second is a temp swick res whilst I find a better one
just gone into that today. She is also an auto and will be a 4 way half flux! The third is going to be swicked within a week. She is another auto and will be the big pot flux for comparison!
Anyway pics
- Thread starter
- #173
Thank you LA. The more documentation we can post here the more valuable a resource the thread becomes.
Re: Tips and tricks for beginners
Thanks for chiming in Radogast. For clarification, I don't focus much on growing long roots, but rather on growing healthy and vigorous roots. The more surface area the roots have, the more nutrients and water they'll be able to uptake. In hydro, this isn't much of a problem because the small roots have ample amount of water and nutrients at their root tips. If the same small root system were in soil, it wouldn't be able to uptake the same amount of nutrients and water because it's not in constant contact with the nutrient solution - they have to search for and establish contact with soil particles to get their nutes and water.
That said, big roots don't necessarily mean big, potent bud. If we look at pot size, however, usually the bigger the pot the bigger the plant because the plant has more area to search for and harvest nutrients and water. This doesn't mean, go out and buy a 100-gallon fabric pot for use in an indoor grow - that is just silly. If the grow is outdoors, then by all means go buy a 100-gallon pot and let the roots do their thing.
My main point being that healthy, vigorous roots are essential to any plant, and we can encourage them to be all that they can be with proper training.
One mistake beginners make (myself included), is to transplant small plants into big pots, which leads to stunted grow above ground while the root system fills the pot. My theory is to encourage those roots to reach the edge of the pot sooner by making them search deeper for water.
I can see that you're already following Sorenna's grow journal which is chalked full of opinions about the SWICK system, soil moisture content, and proper watering schedules. Nobody is 100% right 100% of the time, but we can all learn from each others' mistakes and triumphs. This is the beginning of my journey, and I encourage discourse as it will help us all in the long run - as long as it's not hostile, of course.
Again, thanks for the questions. Happy growing!
Thanks for chiming in Radogast. For clarification, I don't focus much on growing long roots, but rather on growing healthy and vigorous roots. The more surface area the roots have, the more nutrients and water they'll be able to uptake. In hydro, this isn't much of a problem because the small roots have ample amount of water and nutrients at their root tips. If the same small root system were in soil, it wouldn't be able to uptake the same amount of nutrients and water because it's not in constant contact with the nutrient solution - they have to search for and establish contact with soil particles to get their nutes and water.
That said, big roots don't necessarily mean big, potent bud. If we look at pot size, however, usually the bigger the pot the bigger the plant because the plant has more area to search for and harvest nutrients and water. This doesn't mean, go out and buy a 100-gallon fabric pot for use in an indoor grow - that is just silly. If the grow is outdoors, then by all means go buy a 100-gallon pot and let the roots do their thing.
My main point being that healthy, vigorous roots are essential to any plant, and we can encourage them to be all that they can be with proper training.
MysterySeeds said:
One mistake beginners make (myself included), is to transplant small plants into big pots, which leads to stunted grow above ground while the root system fills the pot. My theory is to encourage those roots to reach the edge of the pot sooner by making them search deeper for water.
I can see that you're already following Sorenna's grow journal which is chalked full of opinions about the SWICK system, soil moisture content, and proper watering schedules. Nobody is 100% right 100% of the time, but we can all learn from each others' mistakes and triumphs. This is the beginning of my journey, and I encourage discourse as it will help us all in the long run - as long as it's not hostile, of course.
Again, thanks for the questions. Happy growing!
I get ya, ill update here a bit more often and I'm the same with flux central
and I'm the same with flux central
Looks like your camera lens needs a cleaning, LA.
Happy Hemper
Well-Known Member
Re: Tips and tricks for beginners
"One mistake beginners make (myself included), is to transplant small plants into big pots, which leads to stunted grow above ground while the root system fills the pot. My theory is to encourage those roots to reach the edge of the pot sooner by making them search deeper for water."
I have worked in a few production nurseries of roses (giant pita, but that is another story), perennials and trees and you are correct about transplanting from progressively from small pots to the target size. We would use plug flats with as many as 512 cells for starting seeds, less than a thimbles worth of soil in each cell.
"One mistake beginners make (myself included), is to transplant small plants into big pots, which leads to stunted grow above ground while the root system fills the pot. My theory is to encourage those roots to reach the edge of the pot sooner by making them search deeper for water."
I have worked in a few production nurseries of roses (giant pita, but that is another story), perennials and trees and you are correct about transplanting from progressively from small pots to the target size. We would use plug flats with as many as 512 cells for starting seeds, less than a thimbles worth of soil in each cell.
Hey hey, a nursery isn't a grow room, and roses aren't cannabis! Unrelevant!
Of course, I kid. That kind of experience is invaluable.
Of course, I kid. That kind of experience is invaluable.
Happy Hemper
Well-Known Member
I also grew 'recreationally' 30 some odd years ago but that was outdoors and I am here to learn, learn and learn some more about indoor growing of MMJ.
Well you've found yourself in the right place then