FAQS, Questions and Answers
Q. The water doesn’t appear to be going down in my PlantWatcher…how do I know if my PlantWatcher is working?
A. Plants want much less water than most people think. It is very common for people to over-water their plants. Without PlantWatcher, you may be over watering your plants. With PlantWatcher, the plant decides when to water itself. A plant will not over water or under water itself.
Plants also need sunlight. Sometimes people think the PlantWatcher is not working because it is not delivering water when in actuallity the plant is not getting enough sunlight. If your plant is not getting enough light, it will not draw water out of the PlantWatcher. Tests have proven that plant roots actually suck water through the soil up to as much as 30 psi !!! This is why we say that the sensor is activated by root suction.
There are many factors that determine when your plant needs water including size and type of plant, temperature, humidity, need for oxygen, and etc. Your PlantWatcher may not water your plant for several days. This is because water in the soil is available to the roots. The PlantWatcher will eventually release water when the roots, acting through the soil, turn the PlantWatcher on.
Q. Is it OK to use Model 280 in a larger pot than recommended, like 12 inch?
A. Yes, any PlantWatcher will work in a larger than recommended pot size. The only difference is that you will find it necessary to refill it more often. The recommended pot sizes were chosen to provide up to three weeks or more for vacation use. For vacations, you water the plant before you go and PlantWatcher holds back the reservoir water until the plant demands water again.
Q. Why does my plant grow so much better with PlantWatcher?
A. The plant is never stressed by over or under watering. Also, like nature's rains, watering is intermittent-- allowing essential oxygen down into the soil to the roots.
Q. Can liquid fertilizer be applied with PlantWatcher?
A. Yes-- Many liquid fertilizers are compatible with PlantWatcher. Of course, we recommend Waldo's Wonder-GroTM that will be available in March 2007. It is made specially for potted plants. Also, it is designed for healthy robust growth without burning the plant.
Q. How does PlantWatcher stack up against the competititon?
A. For comparison, constant drip watering devices can starve the roots for oxygen. Constantly wet soil, void of available oxygen, is not as good for the plant as alternating between wet and dry soil. Air in dryer soil brings oxygen to the roots. Also, constant drippers often over-water a plant. For example, the constant drip does not hold back water when the roots are satisfied. With PlantWatcher, the plant can be hand watered before a vacation and reservoir water will be held back until the hand watering is used up. It will then dispense water as the roots demand. Also, with the PlantWatcher sensor system, the capacity of the reservoir can be reduced as the plant only takes water as needed.
With regard to timer systems, there is no need to make complex estimates for dispensing the right amount of water or estimating the timing of the water. PlantWatcher automatically does that for you. The result of using PlantWatcher is longer reservoir life, no danger of leaks or flooding, and healthier more robust growth.
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