I have problems keeping potted plants wet enough, once the roots fill the container. It seems to me that this could be counter-productive while trying to keep plants wet during the summer months.

joebar, I read something about that on here once, too. Could you link to that article for me? Thanks in advance.

I grow a large number of miniature roses in pots ( not hanging baskets) and keeping them watered is a challenge for me. In the heat of summer they are watered daily. The potting mix ( pro mix) I use drains well, so they are never overwatered. We also grow a large number of tree roses (standards) in huge pots and these are watered daily with no ill effect. In fact, I don't like to miss a day of watering except when it's raining hard, then the pots don't dry out, but with the large canopy of foliage, not much rain actually makes it into the pots. I think the wick may be more appropriate for other plants that don't like the moist soil conditions roses do.

greenhaven- i think the article is in the container gardening section of this site. then enter the search "roses" and it is near the top. i agree with you kayli; roses are thirsty buggers aren't they? i use sunshine mix as well and they all drain quite well. last year i was using the wrong soil in my pots and many did get root rot.learning the science and the physics behind gardening is a really quite interesting. the key to this article was that the bottom layer of soil will still be wet even after the pot stops draining. that means that if say, for instance, your pot was kinda shallow and your rose was rooted right to the bottom, there is a chance that they chronically sit in the water. the wick fools the pot into thinking it is deeper than it is and continues to drain more thoroughly. this is important because you will never be able to overwater your roses, and never dehydrate them due to not wanting to drown them.this only applies to potted roses; one's placed in the ground will drain fine provided there is a deep enough hole.due to the extremely cool spring we have had in the PNW, the pots will not dry out anyways. just my two-bits folks, but i think that the dude that posted that great thread knew what he was talking about.

I too have read a few posts about the use of a "wick" in a potted plant including roses. But I do not use them, so I guess it really is up to indivdual choice. I think if you use a good potting mix the water will drain with out problems. That is why when I started growing roses in pots the owner of the rose nursery I bought them from stressed I use potting mix not soil and to look at the rose, if it looks like it is starting to wilt, water it other wise leave it alone. But I have to admit sometimes it is hard to not to water if the mix in the pot look too dry even if the rose is doing fine.

Check out the Container forum. Water movement in pots, or rather lack of it, is a real danger to their health. It's surprising to me that roots need air. Soil in pots doesn't drain the way it does in the soil Water in the soil drains by capillary action. and commonly becomes water logged choking off the roots.

A wick provides capillary action to a pot.

it's not a matter of choice.

I've added wicks to all my potted roses and for the first time roses that flowered rather intermittently now are doing it as if they were in the ground.

Jim

I have have not had the flowering issue you describe but I may try it when I get ready to move my baby roses into the 20" pots this fall. May I ask how you added your wicks to your established potted roses? Did you have to repot all of them?

May I ask how you added your wicks to your established potted roses? Did you have to repot all of them?

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I second that question.

Tie a knot at one end, use something pointy like a compost thermometer to push that knot & string up into the pot via the drain hole, leave one end of string hanging out. Use rayon type string that will not rot. It should only need to go in about 6" to make a big dent in the problem of a perched water table. If you have trouble with the plant getting too dry, it's easy to pull it out. I found that it didn't help at all if I was using the right size pot for my rose - the plant can use up the excess water daily and so there were no anaerobic conditions in the bottom soil. It helps more if the rose is too small for the pot.

I found this info very interesting. I have many, large roses (and many hope-to-be larger plants [roses]) in pots.

I recently was working with two very large plastic pots that have not yet been planted. For some time they have been partially filled with wood chips, partially broken down, some manure, some high nitro fert, compost and a very little potting soil. I decided to rework the mix to add some other goodies.

In pouring one partially filled pot into the other, I was surprised to find the bottom 8 inches were sodden and quite odorous. I assumed that the holes were plugged and left it at that. Then comes this thread and others, elsewhere. I will be wicking those two pots before I plant Marie Van Houtte and Niles Cochet.

As to the rest, already planted... I will watch and wait and if the wicked ones preform better and/or the non-wicked begin to show signs of stress from dampness, I shall rework them all by the end of January.

I am wondering if this is an issue with clay pots? The material seems to wick by capillary action naturally.

I drilled holes in the side of my already planted roses. Using a brace and a bit, or course for plastic pots. Then I continued drilling to remove some soil and then just pushed the wick into the pot.

There was little information on the container forum about what sort of wick, how long, how wide, etc. For the first pots I used strips of an old sweat shirt. For newly potted a length of cotton clothes line and maybe 18" or so coiled in the bottom.

Later I read about using plastic so it wouldn't rot. I was suspicious thinking the plastic wouldn't wick. Then I read that you can just test the material by dipping in water to see if it wicks.

There is a poster on the Container Forum that describes the need for wicks in great detail and the consequences of just letting water sit in the bottom. And details about his preferred container mix.

I have been reading that very long article, Jim. Much to digest and quite interesting. I can really see how this would apply to hobbyists such as those that want to grow tropical fruits and such in a northern clime. And for larger green house operations.

I shall make my first wicks with 3/8 cotton welt cord, not covered, which is used in the upholstery industry. I have a supply. I will do 3-5 wicks per pot due to the thinness of the welting. I would think that hemp twine and such other things would work. As you say... as long as it wicks.