Water Timer: mechanical or electronic?

[mshan]

I have a Garden Patch Grow Box with two tomatoes plants in it.

They are growing like crazy and use up almost all the water in the container each day.

I'd like to get a water timer to add water via a hose each morning.

I am looking at a Gilmour Mechanical Water Timer at Amazon and Vigoro clone at Home Depot website, but reviews are very, very mixed.

Do others recommend the mechanical water timers, or is a more expensive electronic one necessary?

Specific make and model that is built well and works reliably that are recommended would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rubycon]

Electronic ones would probably be more consistent. Mechanical ones susceptible to changes in water pressure and especially fouling due to FOD in the source water!

 

[mshan]

Do you think the mechanical ones are as bad as the customer reviews, or are reviews because people don't know how to set them up properly? (sounds like they don't include an instruction manual)

I just need to refill the Grow Box each day to make sure plants don't dry up, but if some water overflows from container, that's no a problem, as long as water doesn't continue to run all day.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: mshan
Do you think the mechanical ones are as bad as the customer reviews, or are reviews because people don't know how to set them up properly? (sounds like they don't include an instruction manual)

I just need to refill the Grow Box each day to make sure plants don't dry up, but if some water overflows from container, that's no a problem, as long as water doesn't continue to run all day.

Best comment was you get what you pay for. Fluidic control is not a simple science. It's bad enough keeping a cheap spring timepiece in order. When you have plastic gears driven by water at varying temperatures things are going to be loose - let's just call it at that.

 

[mshan]

Do you think Home Depot and Lowes house brands for electronic water timers are same quality as this apparently highly rated electronic water timer at Amazon?:

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62.../ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1

 

[Rubycon]

Have no idea. You can probably buy locally and give them a whirl and if they fail to meet your requirements sell them back to the store, right?

 

[Eli]

I bought an electric one from Wal-Mart. It died after about a month.

YMMV.

 

[spidey07]

I found the most incredible water timer ever, think I posted about it. Let me check...they're a little pricey but IMHO completely worth it. I've had maybe 12-16 different ones and nothing comes close to this in terms of reliability. I will use nothing else from here on. It uses a solinoid and not some cheap worm and screw gears.

The gilmor and vigro ones will break on you. I'd avoid.

got it
Claber

They have all kinds of different models to truly automate everything, this one lets you program just about what ever you would want.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/

I use these self watering window boxes on my deck.

They work great. I water every other day on the hottest of days.

 

[mshan]

Is Claber considered the best, highest quality water timer brand? (and how is there warranty / replacement service?)

I am now thinking about this simple one: http://www.amazon.com/Claber-A...ter-8444/dp/B000BPF3D8

 

[olds]

I use mechanical. Be aware that's it's easy to over water tomatoes.

 

[mshan]

I have the tomato plants in a Garden Patch Grow Box.

There is one opening for filling container, which also acts as overflow opening too.

My main concern is have soil drying up if I am away and can't refill each day.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: mshan
I have the tomato plants in a Garden Patch Grow Box.

There is one opening for filling container, which also acts as overflow opening too.

My main concern is have soil drying up if I am away and can't refill each day.

Ever thought of growing them upside down?

 

[olds]

If you are watering each day, it may be too often.

I used to use these but they might be too small for you:
https://www.buyaquaglobes.com/?cid=496771

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: mshan
I have the tomato plants in a Garden Patch Grow Box.

There is one opening for filling container, which also acts as overflow opening too.

My main concern is have soil drying up if I am away and can't refill each day.

Ever thought of growing them upside down?

That's what my wife is doing. We had to put them up high so the deer wouldn't get them.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

That's what my wife is doing. We had to put them up high so the deer wouldn't get them.

Don't you shoot them?

 

[mshan]

I refill the 3 gallon capacity bottom of the Grow Box each day because the tomato plants are growing like crazy and suck up all that water every day.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

That's what my wife is doing. We had to put them up high so the deer wouldn't get them.

Don't you shoot them?

Nah, that would scare away the turkeys and mountain loins.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Originally posted by: mshan
Do you think Home Depot and Lowes house brands for electronic water timers are same quality as this apparently highly rated electronic water timer at Amazon?:

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62.../ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1

I installed the 4 station Orbit clock for a neighbor lady 3 years ago, still seems to work for her. A word of caution, it doesn't like rain, snow, or ice. For planters, or pots I would advise getting a regulator, and variable emitters.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: mshan
I refill the 3 gallon capacity bottom of the Grow Box each day because the tomato plants are growing like crazy and suck up all that water every day.

That's normal. I remember you posting about earthbox/grow boxes now. You do need to be watering pretty much every day and there is no way to over water with these containers. My maters are over 7 feet tall and use all the water in a day. Those upside down things are a complete waste, the plants hardly produce, it's a gimmick.

I use the timers I posted above to water, there are also automatic watering systems you can get that water on demand.

 

[mshan]

Yeah, I got two seedling tomato plants (one Super Sweet 100, the other Big Beef) from a local nursery in early May, planted with Miracle-Gro potting soil as instructed, added the proper amount of dolomite, and little over two months later the plants are out of control (6 - 7 ft. high and still growing strong). Plus I think the tomato plants only get 5 - 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, because garden is in north east corner of condo, which blocks sun during mid-day and late afternoon hours.

I can see why these self-watering containers are advertised for growing tomatoes!