Capillary Matting

What are your thoughts on Capillary Matting?

My greenhouse benches are Dexion for the uprights, and something that looks like weld-mesh for the bench surfaces. That wont' give me a true flat surface, so I am thinking to put down some rigid flat material (I have some large perspex sheets), plastic sheet on top of that (left over pond liner), then a good quality capillary matting.

I think nowadays it is beneficial to cover the matting with micro-porous sheet, then the pots on top (that reduces evaporation, stops algae growth, prevents rooting into the mat and makes cleanup of soil spillages easier - plus it increases the life of the matting).

Next is the water "reservoir". The matting will only "lift" a couple of inches I think, so I was thinking of attaching some plastic downpipe around the edge of the benches, with an upturned 90-degree bend on the ends, then cutting some slots in the top edge and dangling the ends of the matting into the pipe. That will give me a reservoir of some 30 litres (this is a method which I have used before, but I'm open to suggestions)

The greenhouse is 12' x 10', and I reckon that the benches on each side are 12' x 3'6" plus a bit across the end which will be 3' x 3'6" and I calculate that will be about 95 sq.feet = 8.8 sq.m.

I also have some "shelves" above the benches - they could get the same treatment. I might need to also make some on the floor (lots of plants to manage, without hosepipe watering, this summer). Normally I would put pallets on the floor and stand plants on those (to keep slugs and ants out of the pots). I could put something rigid on the pallets, then the capillary matting as above.

 

Sounds very good Kristen.

Normal capilliary matting is made of nylon. It doesn't rot but nylon is very poor at wicking water as its natural moisture content is only 4%. This is why it will only lift such a short distance.

However cotton has a natural moisture content of 40%, and consequently will "lift" water by a far greater amount - perhaps ten times or more. One possibility might be to have a large water container some way below the capilliary matting but to use cotton, ie an old towel, to raise the water to the nylom capilliary matting. Cotton will ultimately rot but you only need enough to do the lifting and make good contact with the nylon. It just might allow for more flexibility.

 

Good idea on the cotton. Possibly I could have the watyer supply above the bench, and the cotton to draw the water down onto it - so that I "supply" water rather than it having to draw it up.

I think I'll start with the "downpipe reservoir" and if I find its drying out at the furthest point I'll beef up the "supply"

Just need enough hours during the working day to place an order (and for the pots ... and the fencing ... :( )

 

Kristen - you can't have the water supply above the capilliary matting. The water will syphon out (it does this with fabric as well as a tube) and you will empty your water tank in a few minutes.

 

Yup, realise that thanks, but do you think it will be that fast? I was thinking that if it was "reasonably slow" I could use that to top up the matting "somewhere near the middle" ... I suppose a tank with an irrigation dripper might be more controllable?!!