DIY Self-Watering Transplant Tray

This system will save you a lot of time watering your transplants.

One of the most decisive project in growing your own transplanting is reach certain they have consistent wet . This can be clock time - consuming if you ’re growing a lot of them . Not to mention occasions where one might not be able to irrigate them as often as they would care , be on holiday , etc . For the most part this problem is now solved !

This transplant tray is almost whole self - watering and self maintaining . Here ’s how it work once it is set up up and time correctly :

At a set clip , water is pump from the bottom reservoir into the top tray , provide a high - enough water layer to wick some of the body of water into the organ transplant containers , watering them . Holes drilled at the four corners prevent this water horizontal surface from rising too mellow .

The water go along to be pumped into the tray for a set time until it is exclude off by the timekeeper . By then , the transplantation have received enough water to dampen the grease media that they ’re in . But , it ’s not a favorable term for the transplant ’s dirt to be always dampish , as their roots need to “ respire ” . Holes drilled into the bottom of the top tray allow the pee to speedily drain out , thereby allowing the soil to ( at least partly ) dry out .

Yes , I know … nothing can betotallyself - lachrymation and ego - uphold . This setup does require occasional criminal maintenance , such as replacing fresh pee lost in evaporation , or that ’s gotten dirty . But for the most part , this is a “ set it and leave it ” frame-up .

The list of things you ’ll need :

• 1 – 25 quart ( 24 liter ) clear plastic computer storage container

• 1 – 51 dry quart ( 48 liter ) clear credit card storage container(photo A )

• 2 foot . – 1/4″ or 3/8″ cleared credit card tubing(photo B )

• 1 – low - volume fountain or other water pump . I used a 70 gph unit(photo C )

• Electric timer ( preferably 3 - prong )

• electric extension or power electric cord

• Drill & practice bits

• Knife or little saw

• lasting mark

• Two - to - three - prong electric spark plug adapter ( only if take ) .

Note : The two plastic container require to be the same breadth and duration , and the short container has to fit inside the taller one .

Skill Level :

well-off

Construction :

1 . set the smaller storage container inside the larger one and mark on the outside of the big container it where it terminate . You ’ll need that later .

Photo/Illustration: Greg Holdsworth (all photos)

2 . Fill the top storehouse container with enough water supply to completely cover the bottom of it . Depending on the container , the profundity of the piddle at this point should n’t be more than a half column inch . This is run short to be the high point at which the water will rise above the bottoms of the transplantation containers(photo D ) .

3 . Put a brand at each of the four recession , properly at the top of the water system floor . This is an important measurement , as it will become the overflow tip . That path , if something goes haywire , they wo n’t be overwatered(photo E ) .

4 . Drill a 1/4″ hole at these four points . When the water reaches the holes , it will drain out into the bottom computer memory container .

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5 . Using the target you made in Step 1 , drill a 1/4″ or 3/8″ golf hole ( depending on the diam of the tubing you have ) in the short side of the bottom container , about an column inch or so below the mark . This is for the credit card tube to come out of(photo F ) .

6 . Cut a hole on the short side of the bottom container , about an inch or so below the mark , on the opposite side of the cakehole made in Step 5 . This hole is for the H2O pump ’s cord / plug to fit through .

7 . Drill a similar - sized hollow in the top container , in the infinite between the edges of the two containers . This is for the tubing to go into the top container(photo G ) .

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9 . sequester the tubing to the water pump(photo H ) . I ended up “ jerry - rigging ” the joining with a brass hosiery barb adapter ( 1/4″ barb x 1/4″ MIP ) , since it provide a firmer connection to the pump .

10 . Position the weewee heart inside the bottom container , sooner on the same side as the holes made in Steps 7 & 8 . Straighten out the cords / tubs if necessary(photo I ) .

11 . execute the tube through the bottom container ’s trap and then through the top container ’s jam .

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12 . Plug the water pump in to test it .

13 . link up the power / extension service cord to the timer , and then to the piss pump(photo J ) . I had to get a two - to - three - prong electric chaw transcriber since my timer only had a two - prong plug .

At this full point , your ready to put in your transplants(photo L).This is where the “ experimenting and testing ” begins . Since everyone ’s grow conditions ( temperature , humidity , wind , etc . ) is different , you ’ll have to set up the “ timing ” for your sphere .

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14 . With the graft in the tray , deform on the urine pump until the water is debilitate out of the four nook outpouring holes in the top tray . Then , stop over the heart . practise 4 holes in the bottom of the top tray , either in the middle or on the border , leave the water to completely drain out . The water should be completely drained out in a couple minutes . This is your starting point for the tray .

15 . fix the timekeeper to only hunt down for the smallest increase it can ( mine is in 15 - minute increments ) . This is your start point for the timing(photo K ) .

16 . Let the setup run on it ’s own with the timer running for a solar day or two . Observe the transplanting ’s grease carefully to see if it is being allow to at least partly dry out . If the soil is not dry out , you will call for to drill more hole in the top tray to shorten the drain time .

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At some point you will have your setup running with the veracious amount of time for the transplanting to get properly watered , but not overwatered . Believe me , the time put into define it all up is well deserving the clip you ’re choke to save watering ( not to advert the mixed-up stress ) .

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