Recommendations for indoor watering??

[penumbra]

I have many many plants in Bootstrap Farmer and other commercial trays in 4 different watering stations in my basement. This keeps me walking around continuously with a watering can several times a week. After searching for a mini hose setup and not finding what I am looking for, I am considering a unit like this for spot watering.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QM4HMCB/?coliid=I38W142QJDM0F2&colid=1TV3GOD6PP0QW&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[Maiden69]

I used these last year with 1 liter bottles, worked okay (for a tight fit, I did need to cut the little ring off that stays when you unscrew the cap):

https://www.amazon.com/Coolrunner-Sprinkler-Plastic-Watering-Vegetables/dp/B01HE94KLY/

This is what I use for my trees inside a small humidity dome, but for the liquid fertilizer. Could definitely work for watering as well. Just make sure you don't squeeze the bottle too hard, they are meant for a gentle spray, not a power wash. Most of the negative reviews are from idiots that have no idea how to use them.

I'm working on an automated system with a timer and a small submergible water pump that I was planning on using for a home made cloner.

I use this for foliar spray and to water cuttings. Could work for small trees as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PDL5CR6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Dogestoevsky]

My husband went beserk when I watered my trees in the sink. They now spend the winter in Bootstrap Farmer trays, much easier for us both.

Carol, how do you drain the water from the bottom trays underneath the mesh? I'm looking to replicate a similar setup on wire shelving, but not sure how to practically remove the collected water. Slight incline + a drainage hole in the corner? Just take each tray apart and dump the bottom trays in the sink after watering? Seems it would be a pain navigating that under the light fixtures. Hoping you can shed some light!

 

[RJG2]

Carol, how do you drain the water from the bottom trays underneath the mesh? I'm looking to replicate a similar setup on wire shelving, but not sure how to practically remove the collected water. Slight incline + a drainage hole in the corner? Just take each tray apart and dump the bottom trays in the sink after watering? Seems it would be a pain navigating that under the light fixtures. Hoping you can shed some light!

I've been siphoning into a bucket, but have a solution in the works - start tuned!

 

[Carol 83]

Carol, how do you drain the water from the bottom trays underneath the mesh? I'm looking to replicate a similar setup on wire shelving, but not sure how to practically remove the collected water. Slight incline + a drainage hole in the corner? Just take each tray apart and dump the bottom trays in the sink after watering? Seems it would be a pain navigating that under the light fixtures. Hoping you can shed some light!

The trays sit directly on the shelves. The trees are elevated by upside down humidity trays even though the trays do have elevations on the bottom. I usually don't have too much water in the bottom of the trays but yes, once in awhile I have to take the trees off and dump out the water.

 

[Lorax7]

I’m currently doing immersion watering. Can’t say much about how good or bad it is yet because this is my first year doing it this way for my tropicals. I was inspired to try it by an article written by Jack Wikle about keeping bonsai indoors.

I’ve got a shallow plastic storage container with a lid that I partially fill with water. I’m using a mix of tap and RO water and I add some Miracle Grow to the water at a relatively low dose. I put each pot in the container and let it soak for a few minutes (you can see air bubbles escaping for quite a while), then pick the pot up and let it drain back into the container, then put it back on the rack under lights. I have the shohin & mame sitting together in a mesh bottom tray so they can be picked up and watered en mass. When I’m done watering, I put the lid back on the container so that mosquitoes can’t get in there to lay eggs (hopefully). If I do notice mosquitoes getting in, I’ll drain it completely and sanitize it before starting over with fresh water.

 

[Carol 83]

I’m currently doing immersion watering. Can’t say much about how good or bad it is yet because this is my first year doing it this way for my tropicals. I was inspired to try it by an article written by Jack Wikle about keeping bonsai indoors.

I’ve got a shallow plastic storage container with a lid that I partially fill with water. I’m using a mix of tap and RO water and I add some Miracle Grow to the water at a relatively low dose. I put each pot in the container and let it soak for a few minutes (you can see air bubbles escaping for quite a while), then pick the pot up and let it drain back into the container, then put it back on the rack under lights. I have the shohin & mame sitting together in a mesh bottom tray so they can be picked up and watered en mass. When I’m done watering, I put the lid back on the container so that mosquitoes can’t get in there to lay eggs (hopefully). If I do notice mosquitoes getting in, I’ll drain it completely and sanitize it before starting over with fresh water.

That would take me a long time.

 

[Lorax7]

That would take me a long time.

It takes me longer than it did when I previously used a watering can. However, I’m now going about 5 days between waterings because each watering is so thorough.

 

[hemmy]

If I do notice mosquitoes getting in, I’ll drain it completely and sanitize it before starting over with fresh water.

Wait, mosquitoes indoors in the winter are a thing?Oh Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

 

[penumbra]

Things can get really complicated when people are involved.

 

[Flowerhouse]

Carol, how do you drain the water from the bottom trays underneath the mesh? I'm looking to replicate a similar setup on wire shelving, but not sure how to practically remove the collected water. Slight incline + a drainage hole in the corner? Just take each tray apart and dump the bottom trays in the sink after watering? Seems it would be a pain navigating that under the light fixtures. Hoping you can shed some light!

I also water indoors in Bootstrap trays. My trays sit on wire rack shelving, under T-5 lights, with fans secured to the ends of each shelf. My pots sit directly on the trays. Between escape roots and fans, there is no water left in the trays by the end of the day.

 

[penumbra]

I also water indoors in Bootstrap trays. My trays sit on wire rack shelving, under T-5 lights, with fans secured to the ends of each shelf. My pots sit directly on the trays. Between escape roots and fans, there is no water left in the trays by the end of the day.

Same here, except for configuration of lights and fans.

 

[MHBonsai]

In my tent I use corrugated plastic roofing sheets on a slope that drains to a collection trough that drains to a bucket. I can water recklessly with a large can and it doesn’t make a mess.

Grow Tent for Tropicals - setup guide

Setting up a grow tent can be daunting to get started. I've been pretty successful with mine for the past several years, so I thought I'd put together a quick guide on what works for me. I grow orchids, tropicals, and several 'houseplants'/kusamono successfully. I assemble it typically in...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[cmeg1]

ebb and flow if you can use some pouches or something inside you pots to not have media leak into the resevoir…….like a rootpouch inside or something…..
Ebb and flow is very economical as reusing nutrient……don’t want media in your resevoir though.
I just set the flats or pots in the tray as it fills.

 

[Carol 83]

I also water indoors in Bootstrap trays. My trays sit on wire rack shelving, under T-5 lights, with fans secured to the ends of each shelf. My pots sit directly on the trays. Between escape roots and fans, there is no water left in the trays by the end of the day.

I found an extra fan in my son's old room today and put it up for the trees. I got a raised eyebrow from the husband, like "now they need a fan, what's next?"

 

[Dogestoevsky]

I found an extra fan in my son's old room today and put it up for the trees. I got a raised eyebrow from the husband, like "now they need a fan, what's next?"

Living for this adorably grumpy picture you’re painting of your husband. I feel like we all have our own version of “unwilling bonsai spouse.”

 

[RJG2]

Carol, how do you drain the water from the bottom trays underneath the mesh? I'm looking to replicate a similar setup on wire shelving, but not sure how to practically remove the collected water. Slight incline + a drainage hole in the corner? Just take each tray apart and dump the bottom trays in the sink after watering? Seems it would be a pain navigating that under the light fixtures. Hoping you can shed some light!

I've been siphoning into a bucket, but have a solution in the works - start tuned!

Finally got around to getting this started. Basically, just using an aquarium bulkhead fitting.

Draining into a bucket right now, but will add a utility pump to pump the overflow to a drain trap.

 

[penumbra]

I really like it and I have aquarium bulkhead fitting, but I would need a but load of buckets to do this.

 

[Tieball]

Luckily I've never had mice get into the garage. The door closes well enough that they don't get in

The floor of the garage is slightly higher than the driveway such that there is a one inch lip that the inside of the door sits against and the bottom of the door has a rubber skirt that stops the mice from getting in.

Hmmm…mice around chew the corners out of the rubber seal….and then wiggle in right on top of a sticky trap. Gotcha.

 

[RJG2]

I really like it and I have aquarium bulkhead fitting, but I would need a but load of buckets to do this.

That's where the utility pump will come in, but they aren't cheap, and you would need a bunch of them for your setup.