Thank you Ctcarol!

Thank you, Ctcarol!

Waldeburg,
Once you set your "platform" for the reservoir, be it a colander or tubs, or whatever is holding your soil up, you want to drill the drainage hole approximately 1" to 1.5" BELOW the top of the platform, so the water drains out BEFORE it even reaches any of the soil sitting on top of the platform.

This creates the airspace between the water and the soil. Like Ctcarol said, having the soil sitting directly in the water at all times, or no airspace, creates an anaerobic situation whereby your soil stays wet all the time. And, in this (moderately) closed system, that makes for funky soil and poor plant health.

Hope this helps!

Linda

P.S. Post some pics of your progress, if/when you can!

Hugs!

Bump

After reading this over at DG a couple of years ago I tried it. At first the tomato was doing great, then the soil sort of hardened at the top and the plant failed. Not sure what I did wrong. I really followed the directions carefully. Although I may have muffed the drain pipe a bit and not got the proper drainage of excess water. I would like to try again this year. I think I can find the bucket I used as it will have a hole toward the bottom. And I still have the nice thicker straws I bought for the project. Finding a suitable colander was the biggest problem. I didn't want to spend $5-8 on one. I think I saw a dollar store someplace and will check there. Then I could put tomatoes in that bucket and the peppers in the raised enclosed beds.

Did you use potting soil, or potting mix? And, was there an air space between the bottom of the soil bed (potting mix) and the water in the reservoir? The level of the drain hole creates that space. The water should begin draining out before it reaches the bottom of the soil (mix).

Mary Stella, Good luck with the colanders. I have searched everywhere, at any price, and not had much luck. Where I live we have a huge variety an number of stores.
I reworked the two I had made a couple of years ago, and planted tomatoes in them. I didn't change the drain tubes, but I'm being careful to not fill to the run out point. It's going to take some adjusting on my part, because they don't seem to be wicking as well as they should. The only thing I can think of now is to fill to run out, but wait longer to add water. It's all trial and error.

Potting soil versus potting mix?? I assume one of 'lighter' than the other? More perlite? I may have used the wrong soil. The colander is long gone. I think I should just start over with a new pail, new hole and new colander. As I recall mine straw was slightly tilted up on the outside so that rather defeated it's purpose unless I tilted the pot.

Soil goes in the ground. Put it in a container, and it'll eventually compress like a brick. It says so in my tutorial.

Potting MIXES are made for container gardening...lighter & more airy...