Wick irrigation for violets

Often in floriculture there is such a thing as "wick watering". Although the name is somewhat tricky, there is nothing tricky about this irrigation method. Conversely, if you intend to leave home for a while, this method does not have to worry about watering the plants. This method is especially irreplaceable if you own a large enough collection of plants. To implement the planned wick watering of your favorite plants, you just need to make a little effort.

Wick irrigation does not apply to all plants. This watering method is available violets, gloxinia and, less often, streptocarpus... Sometimes the method is applied to other plants and only to those that like loose and light soil. If your plants have this kind of soil, then you can apply the method. Another prerequisite for using the wick irrigation method is that the roots of the plant fill the entire volume of the pot and reach its bottom. The ideal plant for using the wick irrigation method in your absence is a violet.

Wick watering violets (Saintpaulia): instruction

For the manufacture of the wick itself, only synthetic material is selected. If the wick is made of natural material, then it will quickly rot in the ground and watering the plant will break off. A piece of synthetic rope or any other synthetic rag, such as a twisted piece of old tights, will work for the wick. The wick should not be too thick, but look like a thin, 1.5-2 mm thick rope.

For setting violets on the wick, you can use any pots. The most convenient are plastic pots with a diameter of 9 cm, the so-called violet size. They seem to be specially adapted for wick irrigation of violets. These pots have a drainage hole through which it is convenient to pass a wick. Drainage with this irrigation method is used only if the plant is watered in this way for a certain time, for example, when you are away on vacation, and the rest of the time, in the plans, watering violets is traditional. Drainage can be made from various drainage materials, for example, expanded clay or special drainage balls. The drainage crumbles to the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.

The pot, with the wick passed through the drain hole, is ready, the drain is laid. After that, you can pour special soil for violets into it. For wick irrigation, the soil must be modernized. To give it lightness and more moisture filling, it is necessary to slightly dilute the soil with perlite or peat. The pot is filled with soil in half and a violet with a root ball is placed in it. That is, the plant is being transshipped. If there is no root coma, then 1.5-2 cm soil is poured onto the bottom of the pot, and then the plant is simply transplanted. In both cases, the pot is filled with soil to the top. The wick should be placed in the pot in an upright position and completely covered with soil.

Next, you need to build a water tank. Any suitable container can be used. But it is worth taking care that the water from the container does not evaporate. A plastic container with a lid can provide this. To do this, a wick hole is made in a closed container with water.The only drawback of this design is that after that the container will not be suitable for further use. Ideal for a pot with a diameter of 9 cm, disposable plastic cups with a capacity of 0.5 liters. If you put a pot in it, then the glass is tightly closed with it, and the moisture does not evaporate.

The pot in the glass should be set so that the bottom of the pot is about 0.5 cm above the water. The wick is lowered into the water. Such wick watering is able to provide the plant with moisture for two weeks. During this time, you will have a great rest and will not worry that your favorite plant is wasting away from lack of moisture.

This watering method can be used not only for violets, but also for gloxinia and streptocarpus. To the latter, wick irrigation can be applied only if the plant has a developed root system.