what is the secret to wicking mini avs , please

I have no trouble wicking anything in a 3 or 4" pot.............but the minis I just repotted the other day with new soil and new wicks.................they won't pull the water up.........what could be the problem..........i don't have perlite on the bottom of them as that makes it even harder to pull up the water from the big perma nest trays of water and fertilizer...............thanks

I am answering my own question (LOL).............going to try putting another string in each of them on the opposite side of the pot..............????

Gail ... would it help soaking the wick/string before you thread it into the pot? Someone mentioned this to me awhile back and also said to moisten the soil mix before potting up the plants. Half the time I don't remember to do this so I cannot really vouch that it makes any difference. I remember someone from the local AV club saying on larger plants they use two wicks/strings if the size of the twine is thin. Could two wicks in a mini draw up too much water?

I did both of those things, Lin.............just don't understand.............I think when I do it again (but not now............) I will use a larger string.............for now, I am just adding a wet string to an already wet pot...............thanks

I am dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to wicking gail.I have never been able to get it to work well for me.Lins idea of wetting the wicks and soil sounds like a good one.Hope you get it figured out.Bet those little buggers are getting thirsty : (

Oh no................i never even give them a chance to dry out too much (LOL).............just a old lady nurturing her babies..........................I am going to also try another kind of acrylic string..........maybe even use acrylic yarn............

**********edited to say that my adult children think this whole plant thing is funny!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to make myself cook all evening as they are coming in tomorrow.................never learned to cook for anybody but a crowd..............had to put 4 giant pyrex dishes in the freezer of chicken and spaghetti...........still cook like they were all still in high school with their friends.............i really wanted to play with my plants...............Cedarnest.

This message was edited Jul 26, 2007 10:07 PM

I knew that Gail.I was just kidding you. : )) I know you are a great plant mom.Put me all to shame thats for sure.

I went to Wal-Mart and in the hardware? department bought a roll of nylon twine .... #18. The local AV lady told me it comes in a thicker size (32) too but I haven't found it at any Wal-Mart yet ... guess they are out of it.

where did you find # 18..............................just kidding.................i couldn't find that one..........at Wally World...............I have plenty of the 32.............and one in between and I may try that one on my minis, too.................

Ok Gail ... maybe I need to get some of the #18 and mail it to you and you can get some of the #32 and mail it to me! The local AV lady here told me that Wal-Mart sells both and I've been looking at two different WM's for a couple of months now and have only found the #18!!

have a busy weekend.............but Lin, we both need to get anywhere they sell string for fisherman I am told................My heavy 32 I ordered...................haven't checked Walmart for that one yet...................get back to you...............

On one of the forums, it was posted that the best to use is next to the tent stakes in the sporting goods dept. of Wal-mar. It comes in camo and white. I paid a 1.47 a spool. I am experimenting with wicking and so far it has been good for starting seeds. I haven't tried cuttings yet. Lou

thanks.............I also think (I just realized) that I am bad about taking a wick out if the plant seems a little wet.............then forget it until the string is dry................not taking any of them out of the water no matter what..............

Another thing ... someone told me never to use cotton cording as cotton will eventually disentegrate. So, I did go with nylon.

I do know better than to use cotton...............thanks............

I don't have the magazine in front of me... but the woman who writes a regular column on minis had an article a couple issues back about wick watering that might be worth searching out if you get the AVSA magazine. She uses strips cut from old panty hose as wicks (cut across the leg, 1/4 to 1/2 inch strip, give a pull to stretch it out, and just use the whole loop), and I think I've heard something about not using the shiny kind of hose, just "regular" ones.

I figured you knew about the cotton Gail .... I'm just glad I heard about it before wicking any of mine .... I would have never even thought about it - I heard some lady at the AV club say she used knitting yarn! I wouldn't think that would last very long at all sitting in water constantly!


Oh, I have used the strips of panty hose many times ... the nylon hose really sucks up a lot of water! More than the skinny nylon twine! I even went to the dollar store a few years ago and bought a couple of pkg's of knee hi's just to cut up for wicking material!

Maybe I will try some old panty hose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! got a drawer full of them even though I haven't had on a pair in several years..............

I've been cutting strips from my bag of old hose this summer... using them to tie up lilies, tomatoes, etc.