Simple Water Saving Devices for direct feeding of Plants in Pots & Polybags round the clock (Write up by Uhdam). Place pots in Plastic Basins or trays which can hold water. In plant nurseries, 5 ft. long Cement Tub, Slate slab tub & GI tray, all of them 2 to 3 inch deep, hold and save water. These are cost effective. Large amount of water saved and Plants with improved growth due to this technique have global impact. At present in India alone, about 250 million plants in pots & polybags are being watered individually, manually every day. Avoid this botheration of daily watering on top of the soil, by adopting Water Holding Devices.
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Write up by Uhdam - for Plant Lovers - Global Dry-zone Correspondent ( Millions of plant lovers are visiting this site with great curiosity. Note: Only Sharing Information & Knowledge, No commercial activity or enquiry. Keep Watching for Updated Versions)
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GIST: Plants in pots & polybags placed in Plastic Basin, Tray & Shallow Cement Tubs of about 3 inch deep take up water poured into them, that enters through the drain hole in pots. This is enough for 4-5 days, thereby avoiding frequent watering. For large no. of plants, Slate slab tub and GI sheet trays are cheaper, and helpful to save water. These devices also prevent wastage of water & nutrients. Faster plant growth due to continuous water supply leads to Wealth Creation*.
This interesting & innovative experimental work of a Professor is now being adopted by Housewives (Roof top Gardening) & Plant Nursery people since its publication in Newspapers and presentations in Symposia & Conferences. May be fascinating to Plant Hobbyists & Researchers, Horticulturists, AgriI. Microbiologists, Water Conservation Experts, Plant Pathologists, Soil Scientists, Germ Plasm Maintenance Centers & Plant Biodiversity Conservationists.
THESE SIMPLE WATER-HOLDING SYSTEMS HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED POT CULTURE IN HOME PREMISES & ARE BEING SLOWLY ADOPTED AS NURSERY TECHNIQUE AROUND THE GLOBE ! (See 44 Advantages below)
Glory of Pot culture: Several million plants are maintained in pots and polybags around the world. If there were no Pot Culture, we would not have seen so many plant types. Pot Culture being a plant miniature system - perhaps is as old as pottery itself while it has provided mankind with mega-happiness & satisfaction all through the history. In nature, do we find roses, crotons & foliage plants that we have in pots? On the other hand, such plants are spread over the premises of our Sweet Homes and almost all Offices, Business Centers & Service Organizations, but in pots! The point lies in different persons fascinated by different plant types and inclination to possess & save them. Indirectly this has been one of the methods of Conservation of Plant Diversity. When you offer or get plants, incidentally you are spreading Plant Diversity. Perhaps one of the cheapest methods of Automatic Germplasm maintenance on massive scale in human dwellings. Without pot culture, so many plant related Exhibitions & Fairs could not have been held. Pot arrangement is a part of all functions as potted plants are live, decorative, cheap, maintenance easy & transportable. Instead of having quickly perishable cut flowers, let the flowers be in pots for longer time.
Many a times, no other go than to have plants in pots, since one may not have ground space, land or it may be too far. Quite a few are living in high-rise buildings. Hence, many cannot dream of Agriculture, Horticulture & Forestry on land, but forced to be satisfied with Plants in Pots. Most of us love plants and try to maintain as many of them in pots. Less space demanding, while moderate canopy. Mobile Plant System -Thy name Pot Culture! One can have them close to dining table or in bedroom and keep on rearranging or shifting, suiting to occasions. Management is easy. Possession of plants in pots speaks of rich tradition. Display of Aristocracy in the past. Experimental trials are less cumbersome with pot culture. Besides, extra care & protection for rare plants possible. Pot culture is no more a Hobby now, but turning fast into a Mania. We feel, whether Presidents of America or British Prime Ministers, or a common person, Harry Potter readers, all like potted plants. Likewise Film Stars, Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Asia Pacific etc. Doctors & Nobel Prize Winners ( Nobel Laureates ). Similarly, Cricket & Tennis score listeners or Sports personalities. Software Engineers may not find time for gardening amidst Computer operation. No religion barrier – Christians, Hindus, Jews or Muslims.
Frequent Watering Problem? : Any way, daily watering of potted plants as it exists now is cumbersome & time consuming, whether at home or at nurseries. If you are tired, returning from a function or job late in the night, your wilting plants in pots will be waiting for you. Not allowing you to go for sleep? Moreover, when you are away from your lovely potted plants for 5-6 days, while on out-station tours, who will water them ? Even if some one waters, much of it comes out through the drain hole of the pot soon after watering and thus wasted, rather than retaining. Where is the space inside the pot to hold water? It is full of soil mix & root mass. Most of the times plants suffer acute water shortage, but they will be just alive, without growth! Solve the problem of daily watering of potted plants and wastage of water by placing permanently a plastic basin with water under the pot. A 3 inch deep & 9 inch dia plastic basin is suitable for normal size 9 inch dia pot. Plastic tray with 11" x 15" sides can be loaded with 12 plants in 3 inch dia polybags. Such basins & trays are readily available in market. (Remember: Plastic Basin & Tray are the Water containers and are used interchangeably in this article. Nothing special, they are usual trays & basins available in plastic shops. Larger water-holders are Cement tub and Slate slab tub or GI sheet tray at ground level or on the plant shelf in green houses. Likewise, pots, polybags & other soil mixture holders are Plant Containers (Container Gardening). Place the potted plants in plastic basins, while polybags with plants in tray or tub. Permanent cement structure on ground with spirit level surface also does. Fill the Water-holder, may be once in 4-5 days).
Let us know: Water from the Water-holder will be entering the pot through the drainage hole (Aeration hole). However, pans, that are being kept below the pots by housewives to avoid water spilling, will not do, as they are too shallow ! Further, commercially available less than 1 inch shallow tray that come attached to plastic pot also hardly holds any water. Whereas, 3 inch deep basins serve the purpose of holding water & avoiding spill at the same time!
Contacting Dr Raj is by email (Please avoid letters & phone calls): Water-holding System for Potted & Polybag Plants has been originally developed by Dr J. Raj, Prof. of Agril. Microbiology, Univ. Agril. Sciences (GKVK), Bangalore-560 065, India, based on his thought provoking ideas & extensive experimental research with Microbiological- & Soil Science perspective for years (Publications on Water-holding Systems for Plants in Pots & Polybags : Raj & Raj et al. 2001-2004). Evolved as his Brain-child, it involves principles of Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant growth. He explains water saving method using plastic trays and also shallow cement water-holders (cement tub & cisterns) to get very good plant growth. Being a Post Doc from Holland & UK (former the Land of Green Houses & Tulip Gardens and latter the Place of Inventions & Discoveries), Prof. Raj lists a number of advantages (See below) of his extremely simple water saving system. Tray Water System is especially suited for Plant Nursery and Roof Top Gardening as there will be bright sunshine, which is very much required for growth of most plants. Roof Top Gardening is virtually Solar Gardening; means Souravana or implying Akash Van (Space Gardening) as he calls.
These days, large sized plants in bags are being grown by nursery men for planting in grounds & fields. In such cases, if Tray method (or shallow cement tub, or cistern at ground level) is adopted by nursery men, the end users (customers) save the growth period of 3-5 years at the main field. Further, germ plasm (plant-types) can be maintained effectively in tray water. All such advantages will have positive influences on branches of Horticulture, Forestry & Agriculture. Dr Raj has collected scions of rare landline races of favorite Mango & Jambul (Blackberry) from far off places & grafted them. 24 of these maintained on roof-top have been spared for planting in the main field at Hebbal campus of the University. Tray System is already being adopted by many since its publication through presentation in Conferences, Symposia, also appearing as Research Papers, Abstracts and Newspaper items. Thus it is revolutionizing first the Pot culture at home & plant nursery, and then other fields of plant endeavors. No commercial activity undertaken by him, only interacting and sharing of knowledge & information, i.e. Extension. Visitors to Plant Growing Site Excuse.
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Nobel Prize Winning Work http://www.oocities.org/rajjana2/index.html (Other sites below)
Lectures on Water-holding Systems : One must attend to illustrious LCD (or OHP) Lecture on information generated by Dr Raj, with beautiful photographs of his work. General public, Student community & Scientists are being enriched. Water-holding Systems are beneficial to City dwellers keeping Potted plants, while Rural Poor & Rich through Plant Nursery.
Prof. Raj explains: Water from the tray gets into the root-zone soil through the drain hole in the pot or polybag. It floods lower most portion of the soil up to the level equal to water level that exists outside, 3 in. ht. Thus an internal water table is set up inside the pot. Then it rises in the soil column due to capillarity. This capillary movement in soil ensures a continuous & optimum level of water supply (Field capacity) to roots. Beyond capillary movement upwards if at all, water reaches upper portion of the soil by vapour movement (Vapour phase). Macropores are free & hence very good soil aeration ensured, unlike other methods of irrigation. The response of over 400 plants of different utility were studied adopting Tray/Basin Water System, in connection with experiments on Microbial Inoculants & Biofertilizers like P-Solubilizers & Nitrogen Fixers. These plants belong to Horticultural (Ornamental: both flowering & foliage, Vegetable, Plantation, Medicinal, Cosmetic, Aromatic & Spices plants), Forestry nursery plants or Grafts and root-stocks of fruit trees, Fodder & Plants of religious significance and also Energy plants like Jatropha & Pongamia (which are known to yield biodiesel). Water-holding systems help a lot to conserve plant diversity, besides saving water. The growth with tray water was 50-70 % more in many cases compared to normally watered plants without trays, thus revolutionizing pot- & polybag culture. Other structures tried are Cuddappah slab tub, Galvanized Iron Sheet tray, Cement tub on the plant shelf and cement ditch at ground level. All are 5 ft. x 2 ft. with 3 inch depth. Fifty Polybags of 3 inch dia having plants can be comfortably placed with enough space to hold water outside the bags in such structures. Tray or tub once filled, plants need not be watered for 5 -10 days. A standing water equal to quarter of the height of the pot or polybag is optimum. Most common mistake done is filling 3 inch deep water-holders to capacity even for 6 inch tall polybags, which floods the soil. Then water sensitive plants do not come up. Avoid keeping plant containers of different heights in the same water-holding device. If it is unavoidable, then maintain the water level suited to the shortest ones. This avoids flooding. Once a while clean the Water-holders by taking out mud and dried leaves, if at all.
Water Holding System & Transpiration Research
( Experiments by Prof. Dr. Raj ):
Determinations were done in order to know how much water the potted plant would have required for transpiration in a day, if water is not limiting. Also, how much is held in soil when the pot is watered thoroughly (slowly) and also what happens if watered in a normally hurried way. Thereby one can decide how frequently pots require watering. Let us consider that a 9 in. dia and 10 in. tall pot has 5.5 ltr capacity ( leaving top 1 in.). The root vol. of a well grown croton (as determined by water displacement method upon washing the root system and dipping in a water container - by Archimedes principle) is 0.5 ltr. Hence, soil vol. is 5 ltr and normally the total pore-space in it will be 2.5 ltr (50%). Further, if root-zone of a potted plant is equilibrated with water and then excess water is drained, we observe a field capacity figure (micropores wherein water is held) that ranges between 900-1300 ml. In fact, this range is close to the theoretical value of 1.25 ltr (25% of soil vol. is micropores). This means, in a pot of usual size around 1.0 ltr of water can be held in micro-pores.
Prof. Raj also found out how much water is transpired per week if water is not limiting, by keeping the potted croton plant in a tray of water, enabling continuous absorption by roots. It is about 4 ltr. This amounts to 500 ml of water transpired per day. When we water thoroughly the pot without a tray, it holds 1 ltr in its soil micropores, and this should have been enough for 2 days. Unfortunately, when water is poured in a hurry (normal method of watering) all the micro pore space will not be filled. Because, much of the water is running out quickly through the drainage hole of the pot due to cracks in dried up soil as a result of soil being hardened by the pushing roots. Water also runs down through the gap between semi-dry soil & inner wall of the pot. We all have been helplessly witnessing such wastage while watering. Indeed, soil would have dried up very fast due to rapid transpiration, often within 3-4 hours of watering and soil would crumble into powder if you try to dig. Determination as to how much water is held when watered in a hurry indicated that not more than 500 ml is retained in soil soon after watering, instead of expected 1 ltr. Curiously, that 500 ml is required for transpiration through out the day. All these suggest that daily watering of potted plant is a must, or else it wilts & eventually dries up. Same thing holds good for polybag plants. How painful it could be to see a rare and lovely plant withering that had been grown & nurtured with great care… Oh! miserable.
Well, avoid this botheration of frequent watering & wastage by placing a plastic basin or tray with water underneath the pot. Water in a 9 in. dia plastic basin is enough to feed a potted plant for 4-5 days. Evaporation from the water surface in the basin when exposed to bright sunshine was negligible, 60 ml/day. What are you waiting for? To start with, just get 3 inch deep two basins from plastic-ware shop & try yourself. Here, the water gets in through the drainage hole of the pot & rises in the soil column by capillary action due to micropores. In fact, under natural condition, water is obtained by plants on the same principle of capillary rise in soil & vapour movement from water table in deeper horizons of soil. How trees are lust green even in hot summer ? Think of red-wood of California that are more than 1000 years aged, & an Australian Eucalyptus tree 492 ft. tall ! (tallest in the world).
How much water is saved by adopting Tray system ? : 25-30 % water is saved by placing basins or trays below the pots. How? Let us imagine we water a 9 in. dia 10 in tall pot without a tray underneath (un-aided) when plant shows wilting symptom such as leaf drooping. When we pour, some amount of it comes out through the drain hole, before wetting the soil completely. This is due to cracks in soil & gap between pot & the soil. In other words, had we stopped supply the moment we see water coming out of the drain hole, it would not have wet the soil to optimum level - field capacity. However, let us continue watering, though it takes quite some time before wetting to field capacity while entering soil micropores. But, longer we water than required – more is the water wastage via drain hole & erroneous would be the estimate ! Then, what should be the criteria for quantifying water wastage under normal condition ? Or how much water is saved by adopting water-holding system such as tray or tub ? To get an idea, Prof. tries defining that. Wastage is the amount of water that comes out of the un-aided pot (without a tray) when watering is continued to bring the entire soil just to field capacity level from wilting stage, with half inch dia hose pipe connected to a tap at ground level that is getting supply from an overhead tank placed on top of ground floor as ideal situation (i.e. the water pressure from a height of 10 to15 ft. from the tap at ground level). Oh, Professor…it appears complicated that you have gone too far in defining the conditions. A rough estimate is, if about 1 ltr. Comes out through the drain hole while watering a pot, by that time the entire hard soil could be wet to field capacity by retaining 1 ltr. Then the plant remains stiff (turgid) for 2 days. Because each croton plant transpires 500 ml per day. Totally 2 ltr. pouring is required since 1 ltr is needed for filling soil micropores. This means 100% water saving by adopting water-holding systems, at least 25-30 % is the modest estimate. In large nurseries maintaining several thousand polybag plants the wastage of water could be considerable by water pouring method. However, most of us water well before wilting, or soil cracking stage that minimizes water wastage under domestic condition. Further, more than the water loss through drain hole, it is the effort wasted by not bringing the soil to required moisture level in spite of daily watering by adopting usual method. Use of bottle as additional water containers which can be inverted into the tray is another interesting aspect.
Adopted as Nursery technique : This method of providing water in trays is also working very well for plants in polybags maintained in nurseries. As Nursery Technique polybag plants may also be placed in 3 in. deep, 5-10 feet long & 2 feet wide water-holders. These may be made of Slate slabs with side pieces stuck with metal paste or made as shallow cement ditch with chicken mesh reinforcement, while constructing plant-shelves (Platforms). Or, they can be made on existing platforms in green- and poly-houses as shallow cement tubs. 5 ft. long Water-holders made of Slate slabs (Cuddappah slab) and GI sheet got made and tried by Raj work well. As many as 100 polybag plants can be placed in such trays, while the cost works out to less than a paisa /day /plant. Try in a small scale before you adopt extensively. With these water-holding structures, production of large size plants, bearing fruits, and other products like leaves, flowers, bark etc. are made easy. Let us not forget that a variety of cultivated plants, virtually thousands of them now not at all found in forest or nature, are being propagated in plant nurseries.
Microbial activity & Nutrient availability : Soil microbes involved in nutrient transformation require optimum soil moisture level. Heterotrophs convert organic forms of N held up in plant, animal and microbial dead cells into ammonia. Autotrophs convert ammonia to nitrate which is the form of N taken up by most plants. Likewise, P-solubilization, sulphur oxidation etc.. by microorganisms require considerable moisture. Plant Growth Promoting Rhizo-microorganisms (PGPR) and Organic Matter Decomposing microbes get activated. In Tray-water method, population of beneficial microflora such as nitrogen fixers, and enzyme activities (Urease, Phosphatases & Dehydrogenases) in the root-zone soil were enhanced due to continuous moisture level in soil that is essential and maintained at optimum level with aeration (Raj et al. 2002-04). Unavailable forms of nutrients were converted by microbes into available forms, due to their increased activity. Total N & P uptake by plants and chlorophyll content enhanced, due to water-holding systems.
Global Impact of Water-holding Systems: In India alone there are about 12,000 nurseries each producing lakhs of plants. A modest estimate of 5000 plants in each nursery means 60 million plants to be individually watered manually every day, although Advanced Nurseries may have mist poly houses. Several million plants are propagated and maintained in pots and polybags all over the world. Propagation of plant material means wealth creation. Acute scarcity of water is felt in several parts. Lot of water can be saved by adopting Water-holding System, which otherwise would have been running out through the drainage hole of the pot, if it were normal way of watering the pots without trays. Whereas with tray, even in summer, it suffices to fill the tray once in 4-5 days, thus helping water management and save on labour. Soil remains moist but aerated all the time. Water use efficiency is increased. Grafting success and plant survival improved tremendously. Algal growth in the tray water is minimum. No mosquito breeding since water moves continuously towards the root system and replaced by fresh water, giving no scope for larvae to emerge. Likewise, no rotting of roots as water does not stagnate, but moves towards root due to transpiration pull. These days, nurseries are producing large size plants in polybags, often bearing fruits. Such pots & polybag plants can be placed in long shallow cement tubs constructed in plant nurseries. They can be planted in main fields to save the end user 4-5 years of growth period, besides assured quality of the plants. Moreover, large size plants in bags offer mobile demonstration of tree characters such as branching and fruit bearing. Cheapest & simplest could be a thick polybag itself containing water to a height of 3 in. acting as Water Holder. Amazing….
A separate 1+1 (Theory & Practical) credit Course on Water-holding Systems for Potted & Polybag plants is necessary to deal with various aspects in all water conservation Research Centers, Agricultural Universities and Plant Research Institutes – exclaims Prof. Raj.
Tips for Roof-top Gardening: Have immense satisfaction at your own Roof top Garden.Take washed cement bags (Indian Rs.1=00 per bag) and fold in their upper quarter for making double layers. Such bags could be the cheapest replacement for pots. Fill it with a potting mixture (2:1:1 Soil-Sand-Organic manure) and transplant your seedling. If only available, add Phosphatic Biofertilizer containing phosphate solubilizing microorganisms to this layer. Fill top 2 inches with dried leaves to form a mulch layer & sprinkle water on them occasionally. This also enhances availability of N & P and other nutrients upon decomposition, including micro-nutrients, to plants. Place this prepared bag in a 3 inch deep plastic tray. In initial days water the plant at its base so that the mixture settles amidst roots. Let there be standing water in the tray, about 3 inch every time you water, i.e. once in 3-5 days. 50-kg cement bags hold soil mixture sufficient for establishing a sizeable root-zone (rhizosphere) and attractive canopy. For drawing water from overhead tank, immerse sufficiently long pipe (one used for drip irrigation) into the water tank. Siphon the water to the tray and have control with stop-cocks at the delivery end. Plants in tray water keep your house cool, without wetting the roof.
Cement bags (or similar ones) last for 8-12 months, after which re-potting (replacing the bag and some soil mixture) is easy. Whereas, do you know owners of plants in big earthen or cement pots experience a hell while re-potting? Providing tray water below such big and heavy pots is almost impossible. Water-holding System works well for Container Gardening. Also, people with physical disability may be benefited. Gardeners with problem soils can go in for Container Gardening, where there is scope to use the type of soil mixture you desire.
Precaution: Place trays on leveled base without grits. Don't try to shift trays or lift the cement bags often, since both the tray & bag are likely to be brittle and get damaged. If it is essential to shift, first lift at the bottom of the bag having plant & keep it aside. Move the tray and then place back the 'bag with plant' in the tray, without touching the tray-sides, which may be fragile due to exposure to Sun.
Tray water under the plant in cement bag best suits for growing mango and blackberry (Jambul) on roof-top to get fruits right there. One can also grow tomato & other veg crops. Wonderful results have been obtained. Enhanced plant growth is due to continuous uptake of water and nutrients coupled with ample sunlight. Try in a small scale before you adopt.
Most important : Tray water level should not exceed quarter of the height of the pot, polybag or any such plant container placed in the tray. Otherwise, excess of water enters causing root injury or rot due to flooding and anaerobic condition. If you want to store more water, increase the area of the water holder, but not rise the water level in the tray beyond quarter of the soil column inside the pot or polybag. Let us be aware water from the internal water table rises to some height through the so called macropores, which floods the soil. This is because soil macropores (smaller macropores) also have capillary action to some height, just like micropores. This rise may be, say 1.5 inch above the water level corresponding to that outside in the tray. It is for this reason, soil in small plant containers such as in cups will be flooded, therefore not suitable. Development of a separate method, partly involving the present water-holding systems, is underway. For the present however, a 3 in. deep tray can be filled completely if 10-15 in. tall plant containers are placed in it. Most important is Tray water level which should not exceed quarter of the height of the pot, polybag or any such plant container placed in the tray. Otherwise roots rot due to flooding. If you want to store more water, increase the area of the water holder, but not rise the water level beyond quarter. Let us be aware water from the internal water table rises to some height and even floods through the so called macropores. Soil macropores also have capillary action to some height. A 3 in. tray can be filled completely with water if 10-15 in. plant containers are placed in it. Size of plant container may vary from that of plastic cups to 50-kg cement bags. Thumb rule for water level in the water-holder is quarter or less of the height of the plant container (Pots or other containers). While maintaining water, be careful with smaller plant containers of less than 8 inch tall.
What are the 41 Advantages of Water-holding Systems for Plants in Pots & Polybags ?
(At home premises, nurseries, research stations, plant diversity conservation- & germplasm maintenance sites and potted plant hiring centers)
1. It is enough to water the pots placed in plastic trays once in 4-6 days by filling the tray, instead of daily. Thus, frequent watering is avoided. Tray system can be adopted at home premises, both inside the compound or indoor & on roof-top. Also in Plant nurseries, Research stations, Plant diversity conservation sites, for plant propagation and for growing Medicinal herbs.
2. Water coming out of drainage hole of the pot soon after watering remains in the tray and it re-tracks through the same hole. That water is taken up again (re-absorbed) slowly by plants, as the soil moisture level depletes due to transpiration. Soil will be moist and soft all the time round the clock.
3. When there are light rains, water will be collected in the tray and that will be used up by plants.
4. Twelve plants in small polybag (3" dia) can be accommodated in each plastic tray of 11 × 15 inch size, while 3 bags in a plastic basin of 9 inch dia. The size of the plant container may vary from small plastic drinking water cups to washed 50-kg cement bags. In any case, the height of water-holding tray or basin should be less than quarter of the plant container (pot or polybag) height so that the water column will be restricted to that height inside the plant container. In other wards, water column outside the pot should not exceed quarter of the pot height, it is critical & important. You may also place the polybag plant inside an over size Polybag of 3 inch ht. as water containers. After placing the pot or polybag with plants inside the bigger polybag ( as water holder), height of standing water should not be more than 2 inches.
5. Tray is a good water saving device (25-30% saved). Water rises by capillary movement due to micro-pores in soil. Water also moves into the soil macro-pores through vapour phase & condenses, then translocated into roots. Plastic basin or tray lasts for nearly 3 years and the cost works out to less than a paisa per day! (100 paise = 1 Indian Rupee. $ 1= Rs 46).
6. Buy basins & trays in a phased manner, if not possible at a time. Most houses will have plant propagation place (Latent Nursery) for their own plant requirements and for sparing to friends. It would be a learning place, especially for children.
7. While algal growth is minimum, no mosquito breeding in trays, since water moves continuously towards the root system as plant transpires and replaced by fresh water. Likewise, no rotting of roots as water doesn’t stagnate.
8. Very useful in plant nurseries as it saves time, labor and water. Of course, nursery men can get permanent structures made of cement mortar (lath & plaster) while constructing the plant-shelves (Ditched Platform). 2 ft x 5 ft. long, 3 inch shallow tubs made of slate slab (Cuddappah slab - heavy) or GI sheet (Light & highly portable & shiftable) are working well. Ground level cement cisterns are excellent, besides cheaper they are.
9. With water-holders, no spreading of seepage water (Imp. for house wives & maid servants, and for children to learn to keep clean), thus the pot surrounding remains clean and dry, avoiding salt accumulation & staining. No damage to roof or floor either by water or by roots.
10. Enzyme activity in root zone soil enhances due to microbial activity prompted by optimum moisture level.
11. Uptake of phosphorus & other nutrients, plant growth and chlorophyll content increase.
12. Better water conservation and water use efficiency in these days of acute water scarcity in certain parts of the world.
13. Activity of useful microbes in soil enhances due to optimum moisture levels and there by nutrients are transformed to available forms.
14. Tray water system may prove essential while protecting rare plants from withering or wilting due to water stress or under drought conditions (dry spell).
15. Plant growth is superb without using pesticides or fertilizers, or with minimum use; thus it is an Organic Plant Culture.
16. Uses indigenous material and it is a low cost technology, best suited for commercial nurseries and elsewhere like Research Stations, Office premises, Home, Business Centers etc.
17. Rooting is better in transplanted seedlings as the soil moisture level would be optimum from the beginning & maintained throughout.
18. Tray Water System is highly suited for Roof Top Gardening with bright sunshine. Contrary to common belief, even in winter plants require enormous quantity of water that can be supplied in trays.
19. Why not you grow in trays & enjoy bearing mango, blackberry (Jambul or Jamun, even good for diabetics), Singapore cherry, Ornamental, Spices & Medicinal plants, or any other plant you like? Gift a few of them to the needy nearest & dearest for instant planting on special occasions – Birthday & Marriage anniversary etc...
20. Since it is easy to have quick access to plants on roof-top, you can have better control over the plant; viz. Training branches by bending or tying or by hanging the stones, trimming, insect-disease control, plucking fruits ( Of course, small no.) in time etc... Plants can be protected from monkeys, squirrel etc. by chicken mesh (Rs. 8=00/ running meter.)
21. Plants maintained in pots and polybags on roof top can be planted into pits of main field, if you want to, at any desired time, even after 5-6 years!
22. If you have plans to grow plants like Teak, Rosewood (Timber plants), Sandal, Cedar (Handy-craft) and fruit trees like Mango, Jack, Jambul etc. in the grounds of your new house premises or on own land, may be after 3-4 years, start growing them now itself in Tray Water (on roof-top). You may transplant such well grown plants into pits when you are ready & there by save 4-5 years of growth period.
23. If you are growing a variety of plants by Tray water system, it is certain you are serving humanity & nation by Conserving & Spreading Biodiversity (Plant diversity) which is Most Urgent. This you can afford to do as it is simple.
24. Remember, Tray-water system ensures continuous (round the clock) water supply for plants in pots and polybags, while saving water & labour. Plant growth is faster, thus leading to rapid Wealth Creation*. Think of making nursery of Bio-diesel plants like Pongamia & Jatropha. Planting materials are in great demand. Finally it leads to less pollution & safe environment.
* Kautilya (Chanakya, a great Historic Fig.) says that money is not wealth. Wealth is not only what is ‘with’ you but also what is ‘in’ you. His Arthashastra (Science & Arts of Money) says that the qualities of a person, character and knowledge are prime requirements of wealth–creation. It is largely misunderstood that wealth is what is around you (As on today we may mean your car, house and other materials of display). They do not constitute the real wealth. In fact they are by-products of your inner wealth. This wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom are your true wealth. Without them, you cannot create external wealth. Only continuous empowerment with knowledge helps wealth to flow to you. “A knowledgeable man can create wealth anywhere anytime”.
25. Let us realize, but for pot-culture we wouldn't have seen so many different type of plants. Let us maintain them with Tray water without hassle.
26. Water is available at optimum level, with good aeration, for plant growth. Other methods such as drip cannot do so well on roof-top. Water is held only in micro-pores of soil due to capillary rise & hence no flooding of soil or rotting of roots. No anaerobic condition created in soil to cause undesirable effects, such as root injury due to hydrogen sulfide. Most important is Tray water level which should not exceed quarter of the height of the pot, polybag or any such plant container placed in the tray. Otherwise roots rot due to flooding. If you want to store more water, increase the area of the water holder, but not rise the water level beyond quarter. Let us be aware water from the internal water table rises to some height and even floods through the so called macropores. Soil macropores also have capillary action to some height. A 3 in. tray can be filled completely with water if 10-15 in. plant containers are placed in it. Size of plant container may vary from that of plastic cups to 50-kg cement bags. Thumb rule for water level in the water-holder is quarter or less of the height of the plant container (Pots or other containers). While maintaining water, be careful with smaller plant containers of less than 8 inch.
27. When you get rare plant materials, first thing is to save by growing them in pots or other containers, providing them with Tray Water. Later on you may take them even for Landscape Gardening or for planting in main field.
28. Many of us have strong craze for Agriculture, Forestry & Horticulture. It may never be fulfilled for several reasons. Go Roof Top Gardening with some consolation initially and great victory as you go by! Your lovely plants are accessible even midnight, cheaper, satisfying, innovative, educative, entertaining. Less botheration of frequent watering with water-holding systems like tray, basin, cement tub or cistern, Cuddappah slab tub or GI sheet tray, but clean surrounding.
29. For potculture trials on any bioagents such as biocontrol insects or microbes, Water-holding Systems prove essential to maintain soil moisture at optimum level.
30. No excess humidity developed since plants are not watered with a rose-can on foliage. There by humidity dependent diseases and pathogens are not encouraged. On the other hand increased evaporation from the holder is prevented because of canopy shade even in bright sun shine.
31. Best suited for Container Gardening.
32. It is a boon to aged and physically disabled persons.
33. For Bonsai ? Yyah!
34. In addition to pouring water into the tray, one may invert a bottle of water in slightly slanting position such that the mouth of the bottle is dipping in tray water. Bottle may be secured easily with a loop of thread or wire. As the water gets exhausted in the tray by plant uptake, the water from the bottle gets into the tray, bubble by bubble – Oh! Incredible Dr Raj ! Have bottles on all the four corners of the tray, amounting to about 8 litres, that is enough for fortnight. Inverting the bottle right on the soil was not all that encouraging, as water doesn’t run down easily because of vacuum that will be created on top of water inside the bottle. Nevertheless, this method does help to some extent.
35. Go abroad and come back after a week, your plants placed in water-holding devices will be smiling !
36. Behavior of a plant with continuous water supply could be different from what it was while growing under intermittent moisture stress conditions. For ex: A mango plant may exhibit regular bearing with tray water system compared to alternate bearing or shy bearing under dry-land condition.
37. Sometimes plants in ground soil may have to be uprooted and saved by planting in pots or bags, especially 3-5 year aged ones. Water-holding system helps a lot in such cases.
38. Water holding devices such as tray, basin etc, are suited for all kinds of Container Gardening.
39. While cut flowers are fading, losing fragrance, withering, perishing eventually, it may be good to have flowers with plants intact. So that they remain fresh for longer time. Esthetically more appealing than cut flowers. Once cut, gone the charm…
40. How are you going to maintain a large no. of demonstration plant types in live condition, without the botheration of frequent watering? Of course, many may not care to visit or see our plant types … The Qn. of demonstration doesn’t arise at all…
41. One may use kitchen waste water, vehicle washed- or cloth rinsed water without detergents for filling the trays. In that case, wait, let the plant absorb all the water before you fill it again. This avoids staling.
Let us not waste the life-saving, precious item, i.e. Water. Yes, ...Conserve it and use it in a befitting way.
You have Plants in Pots, Polybags or in other Containers? Then Save Water by placing Basins or Trays below them permanently. First save yourself from frequent watering botheration! Millions of plants in pots & polybags all over the world could have been placed in trays to conserve water & save labour and there by saved millions of $.
It is note worthy that several thousand crores of rupees or millions of $ are being spent on Water Conservation Research in India and around the world, no where else we come across the above explained Water-holding System - a simple & low cost technology, perhaps much awaited since centuries.
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Write up by Uhdam: after recording down the contents of LCD Lectures delivered by Dr. J. Raj for General Public, Housewives, Plant Researchers, Horticulturists, Hobbyists, Plant Breeders, Nursery men, Water Technologists & Conservationists, Plant Pathologists, Soil Scientists, Foresters & Environmentalists.
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Copy Right – Uhdam- Global Dry-zone Correspondent
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Write up & Insertion by Uhdam - Global Dry-zone Correspondent