So here's what I've been thinking of trying next year. I'm a landscaper and I have very good access to 15 and 20 gal pots. So what if I took a 20 gal pot and turned it into a kind of self watering pot, but instead of having the water in a larger (expensive) solid pot, I drop in a smaller solid pot where the roots could grow down to it. Let me know if you think this would work or not. :-)

I haven't used a SWP yet, but I've read up on them plenty. It seems to me that unless your galvanized mesh screen is very fine, you will have trouble keeping the growing medium and the water reservoir separate and you'll eventually have much less room in the reservoir for water as that space collects medium and, perhaps, roots. Too, as the tree becomes rootbound, separating the reservoir from the unpotted tree could prove very difficult - better cut off any lip on the reservoir bucket. It's an interesting idea, though.

How do you plan to wick the water from the reservoir to the growing medium?

Why not just use half barrels for the pots?  30 true gallon pot and $5 each, hard to beat.  

Where would you find a 30 gal pot for $5?

Yes some media would mingle but the pot would need to get root pruned every few years so at that point you would cut above the mesh completely separating it and throw away the mesh and soil to be replaced with new. I get what you are saying about removing the lip from the inner bucket. Good point.

Aaron,

55 gallon plastic barrels, $10 each.  They are actually 60 gallons with the head space. That is true gallons not the nursery pot idea of gallons.  You cut them in half and you have 2 30 gallon pots that will last a decade even in the Florida sun.  That is what I am using for my SWP experiment.

AD, keep in mind that Mr. Florida, Wills, doesn't have to move his 2 million pound SWPs, or if he does, I'm pretty sure he has a giant crane to do the heavy lifting. Better have a strong back or some large children come winter...and then spring. Heaven forbid you have to do the fig shuffle like I do.

I'm moving to Florida.

Aaron,

The plastic drums are available on craigslist, get ones that held food or a mild chemical.  The ones I use had detergent in them originally.  

Neil,

I forgot all about your shuffle...easy to do as it is 78 degrees at the moment.  Moving them could be an issue.  For the record I do not have a crane but do have a diesel tractor with a front end loader.  

how does the water absorb into the soil? in the picture, it looks like the soil would stay dry and the water would stay in the bucket.  There's got to be some water getting to some soil for the wicking action.  I don't think just having the roots grow down into the water is a good idea.

You could line the nursery pot with heavy mill plastic, flip the solid bucket over and drill a bunch of holes in the sides of it.  I'd use  bucket that's just a bit smaller in diameter than the outer pot.  You don't need much wicking soil.  If the bucket is too tall, you can shorten it.  Don't need the galvenized mesh.

Basically, what I'm describing is a giant version of FMD's mini sip.

Hey Mr. Florida.........;) would you even need to move a 30 gallon pot in our zone? Other than a really hard freeze which rarely happens I wouldn't think you would need too?

I doubt your diesel tractor would get all of my 150 pots into my 10x12' greenhouse if they were in 30 gal tubs, but anyway... I did search Craigslist and the food grade drums are $20 around here. Actually cheaper than I thought they would be. However, I do need to keep them smaller because of the shuffle. 20 gal is good enough for me.

FYI: Your pots weigh approx 750lbs and will use a 1/2 yard of soil each. I spend approx $7.50 on my soil and amendments for every 3 gal pot. Just a mere $225 per 30 gal each.

Because you are watering down the PVC pipe and stopping the water when you see water coming out of the bottom drain holes, the soil around the top of the bucket would always be wet. Roots would then gravitate to that area, and then reach down into the bucket. At least that was my theory.

On second thought, you could press down on the mesh letting it dip down into the water a couple inches. Problem solved.

Blueboy,

I would not move them for cold just flood.  I am putting them along the back fence next to the lake so the only time I would have to move them is if the lake flooded.  It has only done so once in the 10 years we have been here after two hurricanes a week or so apart.  

Aaron,

I think your math is off.  A cubic yard would be 27 cubic feet...so half a yard would be 13.5 CF.   The pots WITHOUT the reservoir only hold like 3 cubic feet.  #With a reservoir like 2 cf?  

I agree with James, I'm no SWC expert, but I don't understand how this is going to work.

Ooops looks like I multiplied one of my numbers twice. Sorry. Lol. More like 6.5 cubic feet.

What if I dropped a section of 4" perf drain pipe filled to the top with soil in the center of the reservoir as the wick? The screen would rest on top; again slightly depressed. That should work.

That might work. It should wick up and spread out.

Design # 2. No mesh

The key, for me, is to spend little to no money on the pot itself. I have access to nursery pots, gal pails, and scraps of PVC pipe.
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/file?id=1729858

take a look at bill's SWP link. you basically make space in the bottom using large pvc pipes and some sort of mesh. don't need two container to make SWP.

the sketch in post #17 is lacking an overflow, how would one know when inner container holding water is full?

In response to the last 2 posts, the problem with Bill's setup (for me) is the large (20 gal) pot with no holes. I don't have those. All of my pots have holes. I don't need an overflow because all extra water drains out the bottom of the larger outer pot. In fact that would be how I would know I watered enough. This is all in theory mind you. I'll have to try some out in the spring.

you can always plug those holes.. 

Pete, are you trying to be difficult? Just kidding Pete. LOL I actually appreciate the feedback. I'm one of 8 kids. We argue about everything. It helps the process. Yes, I could plug the holes. I build ponds. I have the material. I'm thinking of another, easier, way. Like rooting cuttings there are many ways to achieve the same goal. Maybe this works. Maybe not.

It is next to impossible to plug all those holes effectively. There will always be a leak. You could try 6 mil polyethylene liners but they will be unwieldy and expensive. 

By some miracle the current proposed setup may work, but it cannot be called an SWC or SIP system. Furthermore, unless you use a proper (and expensive) wicking medium you will end up with an anaerobic soggy mess perfect for rotting the roots right off the tree.

Alternatively, you may want to look up and trial an olla watering system using your nursery pots. Again this would mean acquiring unglazed clay pots for extra $$.

Dallas figs , good point about getting the entire area too wet. It would be no trouble at all to get a piece of "Funny" pipe in there for an overflow drain. . (Funny pipe is a 1/2" flexible pipe used in irrigation). It would slip right in with a couple of holes drilled in the pots. I don't need mesh as the holes that I would drill in the nursery pots would be as small as the mesh. (I was thinking of 3/8" mesh not like window screen mesh). Also the inner pot is upside down.

FMD. I'm pretty sure Bill uses mushroom soil. I prefer mostly 50/50 pro mix HP and pine bark fines. For 20 gal I may add up to 25% compost or topsoil to stretch the mix. The water logged soil always in the water would get sour but seems to work for Bill. I know, it's weird.