Topic: Upside down water bottles

[bikegirllisa]

So I read a book where it says to cut the bottom off a 2l plastic bottle and bury it in the soil next to tomato plants, and instead of watering the plants, you fill the water bottle up.  Apparently, this makes the tomatoes send roots down to the water, thereby making the plant stronger, and subsequently more fruitful.

I can't decide if this is a brilliant idea, or if it's a load of cobblers.  Can any of you more experienced allotmenteers tell me what you think?

[saddad]

We use the idea... leave the top on the bottle, but put some cuts in the neck and towwards the bottom (top) of the bottle to get a nice slow release...  :)

[pigeonseed]

Definitely not cobblers!  ;D It makes sense to minimize the run-off of water on the surface. Anything to make it hang round the plant's roots instead of running off/evaporating.

I like your idea of cutting slits to help the water seep out, saddad.

[Chrispy]

This is a good thing to do for any deep rooted plants, but toms probably benefit more.

Reading about 'Ring Culture' toms have drinking roots lower down and feeding roots higher up, assuming this is still true for normally planted toms it would make sense to apply feed to the top but when you water  do so through the container so it gets the water down to the lower roots without washing the feed down so it stays nearer the shallower feeding roots.

Please do correct me if I am wrong, but seems logical to me.

[davyw1]

Yes you feed on the top and water on the bottom and as tomato plant roots can go to a deapth of five feet if you are growing in the ground you are getting the water where it is needed.
 I cut off the bottom of the bottle and put pipe lagging or sponge in the kneck of the bottle to control the flow.

[manicscousers]

We do, plus for cucs, squash, peppers and courgettes, anything that gets big leaves, make sure you can see them  ;D

[bikegirllisa]

Thanks all - since I'm about to plant out the toms, cucumbers, courgettes, gem squash, pattypans and peppers, that's really handy advice!

[Digeroo]

tomato plant roots can go to a deapth of five feet

This is amazing I had no idea they were that long.  I wonder if they are capable of penetrating our gravel layer.  If so they will never need any water since we have an aquifer about that deep. 

The other trick of courgettes is that they have hairs on the leaves, it is amazing early in the morning to seem them completely covered in dew even on really dry days.  They also use there huge leaves like funnels and catch any rain and channel it down the stem to the root area.  Once they have had enough they tip the leaves and the water runs off away from the plant.