Hello, Ruby, what material are you using for your wick?

I would recommend something less caustic, like Hydrogen Peroxide, when you clean your wick.

Otherwise, plants co-exist with many, many different bacteria and fungi,
and hardly ever is there is problem.

Josh

I am using an all cotton wick (mop head)-bleached. It does get disgusting?

Cotton rots quickly & should be avoided. I actually have a woven nylon tie from an onion or citrus bag that I've been using as a wick for years & years. Works great & obviously doesn't rot.

Usually, you only need a wick until the planting has matured to the point where the entire root mass is colonized by roots. After that, you can remove the wick. I use mop strands from 100% rayon mop heads for my wicks. One mophead costs under $5 and you'll get hundreds of wicks & years of service for your investment.

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Al

Al,

Any suggestions for adding a wick to existing containers? I'm not sure how I could get the mop strand up into the mix through the mesh. I just learned about this and tested it by putting a towel under my azalea. I was surprised by how much water came out. I think my wet-foot-hating azalea will be much happier with me now.

Thanks so much for your help!

Angela