Drip Irrigation: How Does It Work?

If you are looking for an easy method to water your green plants in your absence, for example during holidays, you can try a proven trick: wick watering or string watering. But what exactly is it and what materials do you need? We will explain how to proceed to save your plants from dehydration.

1- What is drip irrigation?

Thread watering is a method of watering plants through capillarity, just like the oyas to which we have dedicated another article.

This method gets its name from the use of a thread made of cotton or wool, for example. It allows you to water potted plants during vacations and not find them wilted upon your return.

This trick is mainly used for indoor plants, but it can also be employed to save potted plants grown outdoors from dehydration.

2- What equipment should be used for drip irrigation?

String watering is among the tips to save your green plants during vacations, just like other self-watering methods. Which gardener hasn't tried the trick of the upside-down plastic bottle, with the neck planted in the soil?

Unlike some homemade drip systems, which can sometimes be complicated to set up, this irrigation technique is easy to install and requires little equipment.

You simply need a string or a thick cord, made from a material that absorbs water well, such as cotton or wool.

3- How to install a drip irrigation system at home?

You can install a wick watering system if you need to be away for more than a week and are worried about your plants dying of thirst in your absence.

This method is aptly named as it involves connecting the pot containing your plant and a container of water with a wick. For better efficiency of this watering system, it is recommended to elevate the water reservoir above the flower pot.

Another small detail: you do not have to provide an individual water container for each of your green plants! This trick also works very well if you dip several wicks connected to multiple plants into a large container of water like a basin.

4- What are the advantages of drip irrigation?

Watering with a wick has the primary advantage of meeting your plants' water needs without risking root rot. With this capillary watering system, plants absorb only the amount of water they need.

This technique also has the advantage of being easy to implement. But be careful! For this irrigation method to work, make sure the wick reaches the bottom of the water reservoir, otherwise it will stop transporting the precious liquid when the reservoir drops below a certain level.

You also need to be careful to cut a sufficient length of wick. These irrigation cords must be long enough to reach the roots of the plants. Insert one end of the wick at the bottom of the water reservoir and the other end deep into the soil.

5- How long can the drip irrigation system run?

Depending on your plants' water needs and the size of the water reservoir used, wick watering can work for up to two weeks. During this time, your houseplants will be continuously hydrated, allowing you to enjoy your vacation with peace of mind.

Note: This autonomous irrigation system will be even more effective if you gather your houseplants in a shaded area of your home and mulch the soil to retain moisture at the base of the plants.