• The Question Corner By Lisa DiMambro 

Question: I am having problems with wicking my plants; how much wick should I use and what type? Do I let the reservoirs dry out? What about soil?

Answer: The number one problem most have after starting to wick their plants is rot, which is a result of the root ball being too wet. I suggest that you start with a soil mix containing at least 50% added, extra perlite; if the plants still seem too wet, add more. The goal is to keep the soil slightly moist. I don't recommend wicking a newly repotted plant if most of the roots have been taken off, or babies that are newly potted up as they do not have the root growth to absorb the water and the result will be rot.

 There are many different types of wicking material, from acrylic yarn, to panty hose strips to nylon cord. There is much debate over which one to use and whether to use one or two ply, or even to split the yarn or cord you are using to make it thinner. I have used many types over the years and have come to one conclusion--the type or thickness of the wick doesn't matter, unless it is too small to pull up enough water for the plant causing the plant to dry out. I have personally found that the #18 nylon Masons twine works the best for wicking. It is able to pull up enough water for even the heavy drinkers like large Chiritas in bloom, which is an advantage over yarn. If you let the reservoir and plant dry out (who, me??) you can just add water to the reservoir, and even a dry masons twine wick will pull up the water. Therefore, soaking wicks for 10 minutes to restart dry wicks is no longer necessary.

Another important issue in wick watering is your reservoirs. You should empty and rinse them with plain water at least every 3 weeks so fertilizer salts don’t build up to high levels.

In summary, your soil is the deciding factor. The wick will pull up as much moisture as your soil will hold, no more. So if you are wicking and your plants stay too wet, add more perlite to your mix. I also don't believe that the amount of wick that is in contact with the soil or water makes any difference, for the same reason. Also, if you have the correct balance in your soil, you do not need to let the reservoir dry out between waterings.