ADVANTAGES OF WICKING SYSTEMS
The advantages of proper wicking systems are many:
· Optimal conditions
for a plant’s roots somewhere within the soil;
· Optimal use of water,
no water is lost through draining below the root zone
and minimal evaporation loss by using mulch;
. Watering mainly from the bottom up
fewer weeds and diseases, less evaporation loss;
· No permanent stale water,
so no mosquito larvae or anaerobic conditions;
· Less frequent watering due to a reservoir
looks after itself for up to a week in hot weather and
two to four weeks in cooler periods;
· Very labour efficient, once set-up
ideal for people who only have time at weekends;
. Easy to work
when planting, watering, fertilising or harvesting
while raised beds save backs;
· Useful on any scale,
from a few boxes on balconies, to growing many
vegetables in beds;
. Easy to create mineral-rich soils
by adding all required minerals to the soil mix;
· Can adjust Ph of the soil
to suit crops, such as low pH soils for blueberries;
· No invading roots
roots from nearby trees or shrubs are excluded;
· Ability to grow anywhere,
near trees, on stony areas, on concrete or balconies;
· Very low cost of boxes,
home-made boxes cost little, $3 - $6 per box,
$13 to $15 in materials for macro-pots and small beds.
THE MAIN WICKING SYSTEMS WE USE
Wicking can be used in many ways. Currently we use:
Wicking boxes are portable and can be taken when
moving house. They take about an hour to set up.
The cost of materials is from $3 to $6 depending on materials
used, tools and experience.
Macro-pots are made from crab-pot mesh and weedmat.
They sit on 'pallets' and can be moved with a forklift.
We combine wicking with espalier growing for our fruit trees.
Matrerials-only cost is from $13 upwards when buying in rolls.
These are also made form crab-pot mesh and weedmat. They
can be raised but normally sit on the ground. They are too
heavy when full (250 kg or more) to be easily transported.
Materials-only cost is from $14 upwards when buying in rolls.
Large wicking beds are permanent structures, ranging from
1.5m to up to 6m. They need careful planning of their
location and take half a day or more to build.
Cost depends on size, materials used, tools and machinery
available, and experience.
COMPONENTS OF ANY WICKING SYSTEM
All wicking systems consist of five or six components:
· a structure, box or other container that holds soil,
· a plastic liner, ( if the structure does not hold water:)
· a water reservoir,
· a fill pipe,
· an overflow, and
· mulch.
