I would like to share this homemade irrigation system
that I created. I have been planting tomatoes for several years, and I realized
that there is a much more efficient way of being able to produce tomatoes using
the principles of physics.
This system works due to the law of Physics called Boyle’s
Law. The materials I used were simple and inexpensive.
If you are inclined, you can create a similar system in
your own home.
These are the items that I used.
-
One shallow plastic container per potted plant (I
had three potted tomato plants, so I used three shallow square plastic
containers.)
-
Two wooden blocks per plastic container (to
elevate the potted plant)
-
Clear plastic tubes
-
Mop head
-
Plastic pots
-
Empty 3 litre water jug
Step 1:
The first thing I did was drill holes into the plastic
pots where I would plant my tomato seeds.
Step 2:
After drilling the holes, I inserted the mop heads into
each pot, with the stringy part protruding through the bottom. These mop heads
will act to absorb the water from the shallow container and moisten the soil
within the pot.
Step 3:
I created a cross-shaped stand using the wooden blocks.
This is where the potted plants will sit so that they will remain elevated.
Step 4:
I drilled holes into the sides of each plastic container where the potted plants will sit.
This is where I will insert the plastic tube that will supply the water. The plastic tube will be connected to the main water source, which is the 3 litre water jug.
Step 5:
Now I created the “water source”, which is a water tank
made with the 3 litre water jug. This "tank" is positioned upside down so that the water flows into a smaller plastic container. This smaller plastic container beneath the water tank is connected to the main tube that will enable the water to flow through the tubes to the containers where the potted plants are sitting.
This system has been helpful because it ensures that my plantation is watered on a consistent basis, as long as the “water source” is filled. Watering plants doesn’t take much time, but sometimes when life gets busy and we miss one or two days of watering, the growth of the plants could be affected because the dry soil cannot properly deliver the nutrients to the plants. Having an automatic watering system gives you the peace of mind that your plantation always has the nourishment it needs.
You do not need to worry about over-watering with this
system because the water is not poured directly into the soil. The mop heads
merely act as water-absorbers to maintain the moisture level of the soil.
For those of you who are curious, this is how it works: Water from the “water source” will travel
through the tubes and into the individual plastic containers beneath the potted
plants. The water will never overflow
from these shallow plastic containers because the pressure in the “water source”
are naturally equalized. They will also never get empty, because the water
source will always replenish the containers to ensure that they are filled to
the brim.
(To understand how this works, please visit this link.)
