Rocketrods Backyard

robduca · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:42 pm

Hey Rod.
How are you finding the bluemetal is going for wicking the water?
I have a couple nearly ready and am undecided on what to use as the wick.

Cheers
Rob

Rocketrod · **Posted:** Sat Aug 23, 2014 6:48 pm

planting a trixie necterine /peach

Charlie · **Posted:** Sat Aug 23, 2014 7:01 pm

I love those little nectarine trees, I had one for a couple of years and am really missing it. Really pretty tree.

Hey Rod are the holes in the drum basically for drainage purposes?

Rocketrod · **Posted:** Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:12 pm

hi Charlie the bottom holes are about 90mm from the bottom of the barrel so the water level will only fill to 90mm the rest of the holes is called air pruning when the roots get to the sides of holes the root system gets air the roots sort of die off and produce more root system and grow straight down instead of a root system getting root bound when you normally put something in a round container look up on you tube Larry Halls rain gutter grow systems and that will explain it better than i can also Rob Bob has vids on doing it this way

Charlie · **Posted:** Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:16 am

Cool, thanks Ive learnt something new today.

Bender · **Posted:** Sun Aug 24, 2014 10:50 am

Nice rod. Can't believe how many flowers on it for such a small tree

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Rocketrod · **Posted:** Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:21 am

G day Rob it's early days with barrels but my bathtub wicking bed seems to work ok look up a thread on byap titled the wicking beds are taking overaround here blind Freddie does a lot of wicking beds

Rocketrod · **Posted:** Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:25 am

Bender wrote:

Nice rod. Can't believe how many flowers on it for such a small tree

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Yes ben before I transplanted it I had it in the greenhouse and it didn't take long start flowering and producing leaves

Ccbear · **Posted:** Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:46 pm

Rob the blue gravel does not wick the water but acts as extra water reserve. The wicking action is done by the soil above.

All looking good Rod, interested in your report on the air prunning barrels. Cheerd

jayendra · **Posted:** Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:12 am

Here is a variation you can try another time with barrels

The one with the lid has more water but less wicking action - suited for bigger trees.

Rocketrod · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2014 12:21 am

i showed my dwarf fruit tree on the 23 of August with beautiful blossoms now it has leaves and showing fruit all in ten days i think the air pruning method is working well

Rocketrod · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2014 12:24 am

Ccbear wrote:

Rob the blue gravel does not wick the water but acts as extra water reserve. The wicking action is done by the soil above.

All looking good Rod, interested in your report on the air prunning barrels. Cheerd

cheers Ccbear

Rocketrod · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2014 12:25 am

jayendra wrote:

Here is a variation you can try another time with barrels

The one with the lid has more water but less wicking action - suited for bigger trees.

nice variations there JAY might try the one on the left for my mandarin tree might make the barrel taller

jayendra · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:53 pm

I would use bigger pots but remember wicking usually only goes up 30cm

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Rocketrod · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2014 11:27 pm

Yes I thought that to but Rob bob said it is possible with bigger fruit trees etc might have to ask him

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