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Watering without moving the pot?

I want to set up a windowsill garden again, but the reason I lost intrest last time was the watering process. I had to take very pot from the windowsill to the sink, water it, let it drain, and bring it back to the widowsill again. It's not a really efficient way of caring for a larger collection.

Is their any way I could water the plants while keeping them on the windowsill? I thought of having the pots on a tray of gravel, but that would only work for humidity lovers, not desert plants. Any additional ideas?
 
A watering can make life easier. Get one with an oil-can/teapot spout rather than a shower-head.

Your pots should be in a tray of some sort, either individual or a group tray.

A spray bottle comes in handy on those extra dry days so you can mist the plants.
 
A watering can make life easier. Get one with an oil-can/teapot spout rather than a shower-head.

Your pots should be in a tray of some sort, either individual or a group tray.

A spray bottle comes in handy on those extra dry days so you can mist the plants.


I had all that stuff. But I still had to bring each pot to the sink and back, or else the tray would fill up and the pot would sit in water. We can't have that, could we? ;)
 
I've tried different things and finally settled on just carrying plants to the sink. Other than for the hanging plants, I carry them in a 12" x 18" plastic pan to cut cut down on the number of trips.
 
I had all that stuff. But I still had to bring each pot to the sink and back, or else the tray would fill up and the pot would sit in water. We can't have that, could we? ;)

Actually that is desirable with most CP species. You can just add water to the tray and only top water once in a while. Some species like Darlingtonia californica you should top water all the time, in which case a separate tray would probably be best.

What are you growing?
 
Actually that is desirable with most CP species. You can just add water to the tray and only top water once in a while. Some species like Darlingtonia californica you should top water all the time, in which case a separate tray would probably be best.

What are you growing?

I plan on starting with cacti and succulents, and then moving on to bromeliads, orchids, and other oddballs. I don't expect many CPs in my future.
 
Ahh, okay, maybe you can get a big tray with a drain tap on it as used in photo processing. You can run a tube down to a big jug and just dump the jug out (or water your outdoor plants with it) when you're done. You could probably modify a greenhouse tray to put a spout on it easily enough if so inclined.
 
Ahh, okay, maybe you can get a big tray with a drain tap on it as used in photo processing. You can run a tube down to a big jug and just dump the jug out (or water your outdoor plants with it) when you're done. You could probably modify a greenhouse tray to put a spout on it easily enough if so inclined.

Those photo deveoping trays seem expensive, but I can modify an old TV tray I used to keep orchids on. Thanks for the idea!
 
I use a gatorade sport bottle to get the water into the water trays for my terrarium since I can't fit anything bigger in there.. i actually kinda have to squirt it from afar for the ones in the back. It works well but I just wish that they would hold more water.
 
  • #10
If they are in some kind of tray I say Rig up a Kind of bottle that you can fill up with water, and a hose going into the tray.
 
  • #13
I think the idea is to keep the trays dry and not have standing water in them
 
  • #14
Oh. What?

Uhh ok. Add some gravel and put the pots on top of that.
 
  • #16
Oh this is for cacti?

Lol, maybe you shouldn't put them above gravel then lol. They really don't need watered much. I mean once a month or so is all I do.

Just put them in a tray and water a little tiny bit so that everything in the tray evaporates over a day or two.
 
  • #17
Oh this is for cacti?

Lol, maybe you shouldn't put them above gravel then lol. They really don't need watered much. I mean once a month or so is all I do.

Just put them in a tray and water a little tiny bit so that everything in the tray evaporates over a day or two.

Yeah, I made the same mistake. You know the old saying about what happens when you assume something or another :blush:
 
  • #18
It makes an *** out of U and Me!

lol
 
  • #19
Oh this is for cacti?

Lol, maybe you shouldn't put them above gravel then lol. They really don't need watered much. I mean once a month or so is all I do.

Just put them in a tray and water a little tiny bit so that everything in the tray evaporates over a day or two.

I have always hreard you should drench plants when you water them, but all my mom has ever done is water a little bit like you said.

Mabye I'll just do that and save the gravel tray for orchids and bromeliads.
 
  • #20
I drench everything lol. But mine are outside and I don't have to move them around lol.
 
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