self-watering of tomatoes plants

In my bid to promote self watering of my tomatoes I have filled a couple of empty milk bottles, made a hole with a heated NEEDLE (so we are talking about a tiny hole) underneath hoping that the water would last at least a couple of days, and placed the bottle next to the tomato plant...


The 6 pints bottle was empty after about three hours! What have I done wrong? I did leave the lid on. Other suggestions?

 

I would think the container is too flimsy material, and is collapsing in on itself

Suggest a glass demi-john, with two very small holes in the bung/stopper
Never tried it , but I do know that your problem is the milk container too soft a material (that is if you are using the standard supermarket 6 pint container)

I am unsure scientifically but I think with the demi-john you would need two pin holes to allow it to drip feed

Jack McH

 

Now that you say that: yes, it does look like the container is shrinking on itself, like when you put boiling hot water in a bottle which is not thick enough to widthstand it.

 

YouTube - ‪How To / DIY: Easy Watering System with a holed Bottle, principles and explanations‬‏

Yes it is the strength of the bottle
You need to get a heavy plastic soap or other commercial type container

The video above would only work if your tomatoes were in pots (Not in the ground like mine :-(

Good luck on your venture

Jack McH

 

YouTube - ‪Drip Irrigation System for less than 10 bucks‬‏

7/10 hours to the gallon on this one

Jack McH

 

It appears that is the answer then Perfect

Jack McH

 

The capillarity system is what I more or less what I had in mind, so, I will try and assemble something similar...
Thanks for the suggestions.