Rob Smith is trying out new watering systems
I’m trying new systems that will hopefully save me time and effort
With 2018 already almost a third of the way gone, it’s now full speed ahead in the new veg garden. I’ve decided to try and grow more of what I like to eat this year – after all that’s the reason us gardeners do what we do.
I absolutely love peppers, tomatoes and aubergines, and as they command pretty hefty prices in the supermarket, I’ve decided to grow plenty more now that I’ve the new greenhouse to fill. My only problem is I’ve no mains water supply at the top of the garden, therefore I’m relying on technology to make sure I can produce a bumper crop.
Along with my water butts, I’ve decided to try a few new systems, which should allow me to continuously water my plants without the back-breaking task of hefting heavy watering cans from the outside tap every day. I’ve invested in an Octogrow self-watering system, which is basically a series of large pots linked to a large, dustbinlike reservoir, which you fill each week with water. This way it won’t matter if I’m away for a few days and don’t have anyone to look after my plants, as they should have a constant supply to keep them going, even in the hottest of weather.
I’m also starting to pot up some plants that were sown earlier in the year using air-pots (www.air-pot.com). These pots have lots of holes all over them and the theory is that plants can’t become pot bound as the roots become ‘air pruned’. This means they either turn away from the open air or stop growing and concentrate root growth elsewhere. In this way the plant uses every part of the compost and has better growth. The pots don’t have holes at the top and so have an inbuilt water reservoir, again ideal to reduce watering.
When planting into air-pots it’s important to compact the compost as much as possible; this seems unnatural as it’s the opposite to traditional planting, yet it helps the plants grow better in the perforated pots. Just remember to provide a little heat or fleece protection until the last frosts have passed if you’re growing in a cold greenhouse.