Watering Houseplants With Science

Hi. Posting from Scotland. My background is in polymer technology and specifically developing hydrogels for medical, controlled release, biomaterials and sensor applications. My hobby is cooking and growing fresh kitchen herbs which I used to water to a fairly strict regime - although sometimes from above and sometimes from below. My plants did ok for awhile but usually then suffered from overwatering.
I decided that I should be able to control the flow of water to plants using my hydrogels in membrane form. After a few prototypes my invention worked spectacularly well with basil, achieving plants 2ft - 3ft in height! I extended it to using common houseplants like begonia, chrysanthemum, poinsettia, orchids, streptocarpus, hedera, areca, peace lily, gerbora, bromeliad and african violets with similar success.

My Osmogro invention uses osmosis whereby water diffuses from a reservoir through a hydrogel membrane into a plant container. When the water reaches the soil it dissolves nutrients and salts within the soil to form a solution which in turn creates an osmotic potential across the membrane. This causes more water to be drawn through to balance the relative concentrations either side of the membrane. At the same time the plant is drawing water and nutrients from the soil and "soil solution" through its root system. In effect the plant is controlling the rate of transport of water from the reservoir through the hydrogel membrane. The worry is taken away about how much? and when? to water as all that needs to be done is to maintain water in the reservoir. The plant then maintains the equilibrium. I've gone from keeping only a few plants, mostly herbs, to having lots of plants around my home. I have an african violet that has flowered 10 consecutive times in 4.5 years. I monitor when I fill the reservoir and can now predict when it is about to flower as there is an increase in water uptake. It is amazing how little water the plant uses, especially as it is now about 12 inches in diameter. I think this has been achieved by removing the lottery of feast and famine watering, whether from above or below. Chris

Great work! Hope you patent you work and we are able to purchase in the states, Keep us posted on you growth with this. Lou

Patents are filed including US and Canada. Chris

I've seen things like this already for sale here in the states.

I believe there are some capillarywicking filter discs available in the US but I have not come across anything that uses true hydrogel membrane diffusion to achieve effective watering. My osmogro system is unique and I believe the world's first and only houseplant watering technology that uses true diffusion of water through a hydrogel membrane, preventing capillary, wicking and hydraulic flow. Chris

Chris sounds very interesting. If they are patented here in Canada and the US are they for sale here to?
:) Donna

Donna,
No agents or distributors for North America yet although I'm making contacts. Email me if you'd like more information.
Cheers
Chris

This message was edited Jun 22, 2005 3:47 AM

This message was edited Jun 22, 2005 3:47 AM

Where do we buy stock in OSMOGRO, Chris? What a GREAT invention, congratulations! Membrane technology is fascinating! There are SO many applications....and you found a BEAUTY here! I bet all the closet Marijuana growers will be knocking each other down to buy one! LOL As an African violet grower myself, I can see why it would work so well for them. Great application! Well done!

Karen

Here is a picture of my first African Violet during its second flowering. It was described as "almost show standard" by the UK St Paulia Society. I think this was achieved because my membrane controlled watering method allowed the plant to establish its own happy and dynamic equilibrium. The 10th consecutive flowering has just started. If anyone is interested I can post a chart of the water useage for the 4.5 years that I have had the plant. The flowering and watering pattern and rhythm are quite clear to see. I hope to try my first leaf transplant soon.
Chris

Beautiful plant!

See below a chart of my african violet's water usage since I put it on my membrane osmosis watering system at the beginning of February 2001.

The plant was originally about 4 inches in diameter. Its peak size was about 16 inches between the second and third flowerings. As it begins its 10th consecutive flowering, the diameter is about 12 inches. The average leaf size is now smaller and more regular than during the earlier flowerings - there are 4 (maybe 5) concentric leaf rings compared to 2 - 3 rings at the beginning.

I think it is interesting to see how the overall rate of water use has decreased as the plant has grown in size. I guess this is due to the larger plant being able to hold and retain more water in its structure. I think that I am also seeing a pattern of 2 flowerings per season. From beginning to end, flowerings last on average 10 weeks.

I have not used any specialist fertilizers, just regular houseplant Miracle Gro Pour & Feed (capful every 2 - 4 weeks directly into the compost). The plant has been re-potted once.

Chris

See below an exploded version of my african violet's watering chart with clearer detail of the increase in water use prior to flowering.
Chris

Ah Chris, you're such a scientist! Only a Scientist would measure plant watering cycles in milliliters! But then how else would you guage the diffusion rate?.....(have you factored in evaporation?......
Just messing with you!) This is very interesting, and I think most gardners only care THAT it works and not so much HOW it works. I appreciate the time you've taken explaining it to me, alas, I'm one of the gardeners who truely WANT TO KNOW the details! LOL

K

Ach, I'm a slave to SI units ;-D

My plants are kept in a real environment (i.e. at home) and not in a controlled one (constant temperature, pressure, light etc) so it is not possible to factor in an accurate indication of evaporative loss because conditions are always changing. I did take measurements at the start to get a feel for it using a reservoir but with no plant. The measured evaporative loss was 30 - 50 ml per week. Now that the plant is quite large it forms an umbrella over the reservoir further reducing the evaporative loss - like a humidity trap. If I do consider the evaporative loss then at times the plant is using very little water indeed. The periods of really low water use continue to amaze me.

I think for warmer climates (even the occasional Scottish summer!) then an evaporation cover for the reservoir is useful especially for thirsty plants like basil.

Best wishes
Chris

Hmmmm, good idea, the evaporation reducer. Could be a special saucer with a flexible plastic lip that has sections sliced so many sized pots could be set into the saucer. Words aren't my thing, I will have to draw you a pic to explain what I mean. I think the times of little water usuage are when the plant is "resting".

K

K,
I know what you mean re evaporation reducer and have tried a few different prototypes like this. It's not a major issue in Scotland as we are not prone to having long hot periods. Simple reducers can be made by cutting holes in tupperware (plastic food container) lids.
Chris

Huh! And we've just had the hottest spell of weather in the West of Scotland for a couple of years. Not too bad on the evaporation front though because I'm around to look after things.

This weather has been really good for a little orange tree which has been grown from seed on my system and great also for my 4 year old daughter who has been able to achieve (well, with some help from dad) what I never could as a kid ;-) I'll post a pic soon. I gave some systems into Rose's nursery (kindergarden) and the teachers have been delighted at being able to keep healthy flowers for more than a few days. The kids all did the sunflower germination thing as well. Rose brought hers home and we put it on my system for a few weeks to bring it on before planting outside. Pleased to say it's now about 5ft high and smiling at the sun.

The kids at the kindergarden were being asked one day what their parents worked as. Rose announced to the class that her dad was "...a gentleman" ;-D Made me laugh anyway. She says to me every night before going to sleep "Dad, tell me something scientists do." Beats counting sheep, I suppose.

See below a basil pic. The plant is about 3 weeks on the system. I've got a fresh pesto recipe if anyone is interested!

Chris

Hey Chris,

I would love your pesto recipe! Please post it in the Recipes Forum, we can all enjoy it then! So you think it's hot there? We have been over 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) all week. Yesterday was 106°, with 107° slated for today! They say we will have a "cooling trend" over the weekend, we can expect 104° & 105°. Thank goodness we have dry heat (as opposed to humid) or we would all melt. LOL

k

K,

90degF would probably be a bit chilly for you then! ;-)

Happy to trade you some rain anytime.

Will post the pesto recipe on the Recipes Forum

Cheers
Chris

A friend based in France sent me a couple of pics of azaleas being watered on my membrane osmosis system. I've done ok with azaleas but these plants are way better than anything I achieved in Scotland. Must be the increased sunlight?
Chris

Here's the second pic. These pics show quite well how it looks as if the plants are sitting in a pool of water. However, as the pots actually sit on top of the gel membrane, this prevents the pots from being flooded. The membrane controls the diffusional flow of water (osmosis) into the pot. The plants take what they need through complemetary osmosis and thrive.
Chris

I've attached a picture of a phalaenopsis orchid that my mum has been
growing on my membrane system for about 6 months. When she first bought the orchid
it was reduced in price and in a bit of a sorry state with quite a lot of
leaf and flower damage. She cut it back more by instinct than knowledge and
this is the resulting 2nd flowering. She has another two phalaenopsis on
the system, both in good health but not flowering at the moment. I'm also successfully growing Cymbidium.

Chris

As a fellow scientist, I'm excited to see this product come out on the market. Has it? Have I missed it? I'm in the US and just can't wait!

Just found this thread and now I'm going to watch it.Keep posting and let us know when it will be available for sale in the States

me too. watching.....
xx Carrie

Chris,

Will your system work for succulents as well? Jade plants, etc. ? And is there a way to approximate the system for the rest of us?

xxx Carrie

Carrie,
I have had great success with kalanchoe, euphorbia and an echeveria. I have not tried a jade plant but see no reason why it should not work. Unfortunately you cannot approximate the system and must get hold of the special gel membrane - it is available online.

Best wishes
Chris

I'd like to know when it will be avaiable in the U.S. Be happy to test any prototypes you got laying around ; ). By the way my mother was raised in Edinburough untill she was 20, is that anywhere near you?

OOps my Mom would kill me. I meant she was raised in Glasgow. She is always talking about being a Glasgowigian, and that I'm touched in the head : D

Well I did some looking and found your website I think. www.osmogrow.com great deal to try one for about $7.00 including shipping. I ordered one to see how it works here in AZ.

Hey! Markopolo,

Glasgow and Edinburgh are about 50 miles apart as the crow flies but that is about 1,000,000 miles in attitude. Listen to yer mum ;-) Glasgow is very, very cool. But not that Edinburg isn't - just different. There's big differences in short distances in Scotland. But on the whole we're nice ;-D

Chris
It should be osmogro without the 'w'.

It is a while since I last posted but I thought some might be interested to see a picture of some larger specimen plants that I have been growing using new bigger prototypes of my membrane controlled watering system. These plants have been on the system for anything between 6 - 12 months. Everything seems to be working ok and I have managed to source a range of larger pots that can be easily adapted to work with the system. It is no problem to make the special gel membrane in different sizes.

Best wishes
Chris

I have also been looking at propagating and growing seeds and cuttings using my watering system. The system seems ideally suited as it helps to maintain an optimum and beneficial level of humidity around the young plants. Here is a picture of some petunia cuttings that have been grown in a standard propagation kit that was adapted to work with my system. I am quite excited about how this is developing.
Chris

Fascinating system! Are any US retailers carrying it at this time?

There are no US retailers carrying it at this time.
Chris

Chris- I tried looking at your website listed on 13 Oct and the link wasn't working. Has it moved?

The correct web link is www.osmogro.com . There is no "w" in Osmogro.

Chris

Okay, Chris. This sounds really cool, but I have a question- are the gel discs fitted to the 13/14 cm pots? Some of the plants I'd be interested in using this for would need larger pots. Also, why and how often do the gel discs need to be replaced?

The currently available gel discs are sized for the special flat-based 13cm and 14cm pots. If you look up several posts on this thread you will see a picture of some larger prototype systems being tested. I have now sourced a range of larger pots that can be easily modified to work with appropriately sized gel discs. Once I have done a few more tests and produced a stock of bigger gel discs then I plan to make these available.
Chris

That sounds great Chris. It sounds like you have done some wonderful work with the gel discs. I know I would like to have a few, if they aren't too expensive. Great job!

Jesse