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How to keep hanging bags/baskets watered?

Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
in Fruit & veg
I bought some hanging bags from amazon, seemed like a good idea. I’ve planted 3 tumbling Toms in each. They’ve grown really well, plenty of flowers and setting fruit nicely. But I’m struggling to keep up with watering. Even with watering twice a day, they still look at bit wilted on warm days. I mixed plenty of vermiculite in with be compost.

Any tips or tricks people have, I’d love to hear them.

Thanks



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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    If potting up for the first time I would use as big a pot as you can, with a saucer. If using a basket, line it with plastic and cut slits an inch up so that the basket has a bit of a reservoir in the bottom. I would use water retaining crystals mixed in to good compost with slow release fert.. There has been some debate about the crystals on the forum, but Beechgrove, the RHS and GW recommend their use (like MR powder) and swear they are effective. I would think the crystals would have to be the easiest thing in the world to test - and I am planning to do that this summer.

    You have big plants for a fairly tiny amount of earth. Can you change for pots? Good luck!
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Thank you. This was a bit of an experiment to squeeze in more plants to my small garden. I would pot them but I’ve got nowhere to squeeze anymore pots.

    I think next time I’ll put fewer plants per bag and try the crystals. I’ll persevere with these and try to get a crop out of them.

  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    You could try some bottle watering gizmos. This one allows you to put a water bottle on and has a slow release drip. I've no idea how good it is. There are lots of types out there. Apparently an upturned wine bottle will work quite well for continuous release.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,951
    Or something like this.. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Gear-Greenhouse-Watering-Irrigation/dp/B002C32G8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1529343035&sr=1-1&keywords=Bag+water+system. 
    Utah, USA.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    That looks a bit high tech. I think it would remind me too much of being at work hooking people up to intravenous fluids.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,951
    Haha.. maybe you could grab a few IV bags and lines from work for watering the toms?
    Utah, USA.
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    It could work!
  • Villaverde123Villaverde123 Posts: 196
    I put a sponge in the base of mine and mix the compost with well-rotted manure both to retain moisture.  Seems to work well.  I have heard of chopping the sponge into tiny bits in the food processor but a whole one seems to work for me.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    I bought some of the bottle spike things.



    Arrived just in time before our holiday. Hopefully they will help them survive and my neighbour won’t have to water them twice a day!


  • johnbaronjohnbaron Posts: 75
    Ive just bought an Irrigatia solar powered irrigation system for the greenhouse and it's mega. 

    Ive also taken to mixing 25-33% coca coir in to my compost as it seems to retain moisture really well.
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