[Symian]

Hi All

I built this bottle contraption to grow watercress. Have a look at the pics, in brief it is 6 bottles hung vertically "nose to tail" water starts at the top, drips through each bottle and collects in the bottom bottle. When it is full the water is pumped up to the top and the cycle is repeated. Each cycle takes approx 10 mins. It uses two float switches (from ebay) and an old car relay to hold the pump on.

I bought some watercress seeds on-line and have sown them on some loft insulation wrapped in a sheet of loo roll (so they don't wash through). I have never grown watercress before so I am not sure what to expect. Do they take long to germinate? The contraption is currently in my conservatory which gets very hot when it's sunny, do you think I should move it somewhere cooler. I've come this far and would be really grateful for any advice. Also any advice on fertiliser to add I don't really want to buy commercial hydroponic solution. any ideas?

If this thing actually works I will put a 'how to' in the construction section just in case you want to have a go.
Thanks everyone.

 

[Baldy]

Not quite sure why - but I must say I'm very impressed! 

personally I'd use some wet tissue paper 

Cheers,
Balders

[Symian]

Thanks Balders, I found it really enjoyable to make. It was one of those where I was sort of waiting for something to go wrong and it didn't (yet).

Would you use wet tissue paper instead of the insulation?
Sim

[Baldy]

Symian

sorry - was an attempt at humour - my kids get told to grow something and generally end up taking some watercress in that's been chucked on some wet loo roll!
Watercress should germinate really fast - 2 or 3 days from what I've seen from the kids efforts - googling 'watercress loft insulation' results in this thread being top of the list    but I've got a vague feeling I've heard of it being used before.
I suspect that if you are doing this to grow watercress then you've got the engineering know how to do an awful lot more. I'm looking forward to the next project. 

Cheers,
Balders

[Annen]

Well, I'll ask the question since nobody else has... It looks very clever but what does it do?

[Baldy]

I suspect that the idea is that the system ensures that there is continuous water available.
I could be wrong.
I often am

[Symian]

Glad you asked Annen,
It's primary function is to keep me out of trouble for a morning which it has done admirably. It's secondary function is as a hydroponic growing system. Stuff is supposed to grow out of the little windows cut in the middle four bottles. The water constantly circulates and could be used to grow all sorts of things but should be especially good for plants which grow in running water.

We are yet to see if it actually works, it might end up being a "conservatory eyesore". My other half is already firmly of the view that it is an eyesore
Sim

[Baldy]

Symian

I can just imagine my other half's face if I even 'thought about' something like this - seems you've got a good 'un. (mine ain't too bad to be honest - just not all that happy about some of my more 'off the wall' projects'. Generally I get away with it if its outside - shed/greenhouse)
Ach well.

Cheers,
Balders

[3759allen]

that does look impressive. i hope it does work well to re pay the hard work.

i'm trying watercress in my small pond, it's not growing as quick as i thought it would.

let us know how you get on with your invention.

[Annen]

Oh! It looks impressive anyway!

[R6robbo]

Hmmm....If this works why not try growing something thats really expensive and hard to
grow like wasabi.
It needs a temperature of between 8 and 20 degrees celsius and is grown in shade, usually
in gravel beds with gently flowing spring water.
Food for thought? You seem like you have the skills to invent something that may work.
Best of luck!

[Lincolnshire Floyd]

Do you actually mean watercress or just cress? Cress is usually the school project in primary schools as it does not require running water.  If  they've specified watercress it has to be an older pupils project and would require some design as you have proved.
Your contraption might work on a short term basis if you use distilled water. I thought of doing something similar but on a larger scale. What put me off is that watercress will not tolerate the lime in tap water. It would need a constant supply of rainwater because evaporation would be a real issue outside and running water evaporates very quickly. Shame really because I love watercress. Unless you can filter out the lime somehow?

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

[Growster...]

Brilliant concept, Symian!

What about one of those indoor waterfalls which are really ornaments, and have a tiny pump which continually drips water down two or three small 'ponds'?

I'm always trying to think up ways to use those bottles, and yours is really practical!

[sarah1983jane]

If your prototype works maybe using them big water bottles, the sort with a handle on the neck would be more productive?

[arugula]

If this works why not try growing something thats really expensive and hard to
grow like wasabi.

There was a programme on recently where they showed wasabi being grown at a watercress "farm".

Impressive as it looks, if your system doesn't work, you could grow american landcress.