Has anyone tried using Hydrowet or any other similar product for treating hydrophobic soil? I thought I had built a pretty solid soil mix this year, but there were a couple of factors that I overlooked. First, I used 7 gallon black fabric pots, not recommended in this Arkansas heat. I have some 55 gal ones and they are fine. Second, I went too heavy on the aerators, also considering the heat in my area. So now im stuck with a soil that takes huge amounts of water before it begins to absorb, which washes out all of my nutrients every time I water. Just curious if anybody has tried these products on peppers? Any other remedies?
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hydroponic Treating Hydrophobic Soil
- Thread starter CMJ
- Start date
I had a similar issue with my raised beds, I applied some of this with great results.Â
Once applied, water saturation is drastically improved. You'll need to monitor water penetration after watering and reapply when needed.
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SR.
Once applied, water saturation is drastically improved. You'll need to monitor water penetration after watering and reapply when needed.
Â
SR.
My homemade compost is very fine and dry and starts out very hydrophobic. I also have a very hot and dry climate and what works best for me over the last three years is to use a wicking effect to wick the moisture from the bottom up.
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1) For pots and small containers , bottom water
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2) For bigger containers , use a selfwatering system with some kind of water reservoir at the bottom and a water outlet not at the bottom , but raised 3-4 inches from the bottom
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3) my raised beds are very high , lined with plastic and a water drain/outlet raised one foot higher than the bottom.
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Your water and nutrients don't just run away , it goes down to the bottom and is then wicked up again. You won't become waterlogged , because you still have drainage , just not right at the bottom.
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This solved all my problems and even in 40 degrees Celsius weather I only water every third day.
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1) For pots and small containers , bottom water
Â
2) For bigger containers , use a selfwatering system with some kind of water reservoir at the bottom and a water outlet not at the bottom , but raised 3-4 inches from the bottom
Â
3) my raised beds are very high , lined with plastic and a water drain/outlet raised one foot higher than the bottom.
Â
Your water and nutrients don't just run away , it goes down to the bottom and is then wicked up again. You won't become waterlogged , because you still have drainage , just not right at the bottom.
Â
This solved all my problems and even in 40 degrees Celsius weather I only water every third day.
Â
Thats a great idea, thanks for posting. I used that method on my seedlings earlier in the season when they were still inside. Basically just a double cup method, but its the same concept. Not sure why I havent tried it, im a little slow I guess[emoji3]. Have you tried it with fabric pots? Water mostly runs out the sides of the pots long before it reaches the bottom.karoo said:
Im starting to come to that conclusion here as well. I used them this year as a test to see how they would perform against other various pots that I have used in the past, buckets, pots, etc. All the plants in fabric pots have a twin growing right beside it in a 5 gallon bucket. Same soil, feeding schedule, etc. The buckets are outperforming the pots 100%, and using about one third of the water. I will try the kiddie pool thing and see if it helps. Thanks for all the suggestions.karoo said:
I am in 7b, NJ, right on the shores of a big River. It gets pretty hot and windy, and things tend to dry out. I grew in fabric pots last year.
I didn't try the fabric pots again this year.
I didn't try the fabric pots again this year.
Fabric pots are not great for all areas. I will totally second that.
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However... Compost. If you add a good quality compost to a potting mix, it's 2 main functions, are moisture and nutrient retention.
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Not all compost is created equally. The caveat here, is that you either make your own good compost, or you buy good compost. It's really hard to beat worm castings, for this task. Mushroom compost, or bagged box store compost, is crap, for this task.
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Good compost, added at a ratio of 5% overall composition, have been the key for me. When I make my mixes, after adding the compost, I can feel a waxy/oily texture on my hands. I never have a problem with rewetting. Add more than 5%, and you make the mix unnecessarily heavy. If you have a climate that gets super dry, or has a lot of rain, this will be problematic. Some people can get away with high concentrations of compost. I cannot. But a little bit (of a good composition) goes a very long ways!
Â
However... Compost. If you add a good quality compost to a potting mix, it's 2 main functions, are moisture and nutrient retention.
Â
Not all compost is created equally. The caveat here, is that you either make your own good compost, or you buy good compost. It's really hard to beat worm castings, for this task. Mushroom compost, or bagged box store compost, is crap, for this task.
Â
Good compost, added at a ratio of 5% overall composition, have been the key for me. When I make my mixes, after adding the compost, I can feel a waxy/oily texture on my hands. I never have a problem with rewetting. Add more than 5%, and you make the mix unnecessarily heavy. If you have a climate that gets super dry, or has a lot of rain, this will be problematic. Some people can get away with high concentrations of compost. I cannot. But a little bit (of a good composition) goes a very long ways!