mic
1417007842
Posted 1438865936
Reply with quote #1
When it rains too much at the fruiting end of the season, I notice that figs often split and or their flavour is diluted.
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1438866578
Reply with quote #2
Self watering pot usually have an overflow drain hole or 2 on the side so to answer your question,.....no. You can't over water unless it rains all day long and the overflow hole is blocked. The excess water just pours out the side. In high humidity, figs will split. The main reason I use SWPs is to use less water and to save me time.
figpig_66
1416870358
Posted 1438872616
Reply with quote #3
During rain my in ground figs get watered down flavor. So even if it has over flow hole.... its still getting constant water feed from rain is my guess.
elin
1360863025
Posted 1438897736
· Edited
Reply with quote #4
Hey Mic
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1298814119
mic
1417007842
Posted 1438908985
Reply with quote #5
Hi Dennis and Richard,
Yes, the overflow hole should handle overfilling and a cover should stop rain from getting in uninvited.
What I was worried about was the high availability of water to a tree in a SIP in general. In the SIP the tree will have a constant and limitless supply of water. Does that not result in lower fruit quality?
I guess what I am asking is do they respond differently to constant availability of water (eg in a SIP) than to a sudden increase in availability (eg when in a normal container and it rains as fruit is maturing)?
mic
1417007842
Posted 1438909036
Reply with quote #6
Ha Eli, too true! It is an art and a science.
Rewton
1291943117
Posted 1438909898
Reply with quote #7
I guess the way I have thought about it is that in a SIP a plant tends to be exposed to a much more consistent level of water and the roots adapt to take in what the plant needs and no more. With a conventional container it is less consistent and when you get a lot of rain the roots tend to take in more water than is optimal, especially during fruit ripening time. Contrary to what you might think you have very few problems with fruit splitting (or at least I don't) with SIPs.
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1438913700
Reply with quote #8
Exactly what Steve said.
cdeguida4
1432151798
Posted 1438918481
Reply with quote #9
I'm no expert by any means, but the way I look at it is, as the soil drys the soil wics up the water from the bottom just like one of those watering globes, the dampness of the soil naturally regulates the pull of moisture, although it's not gravity fed like a globe, it acts as a sponge. As an example a sponge sitting in a large puddle will only pull as much water as the sponge can possibly retain but can't physically pull in extra, with a SWP having the fill area below the soil and roots and having drainage makes sure the "sponge" wont be sitting in excess water above the water reservoir.
Fico Preto, any CDD
cdeguida4
1432151798
Posted 1438918764
Reply with quote #10
Of course the cover I see as a necessity to prevent the overfill as the hole can drain as fast as it allows so constant water flow from rain for multiple days the hole will likely have trouble expelling the extra water
Fico Preto, any CDD
