sip vs swick, grassroots?

2cent

Well-Known Member
sip container grows, consist of a plastic tote where the base is lifted up by a platform, /rocks round pipes before the soil is added
swick sit the fabric grow bed ontop of a pearlite/rock bed

both seem very similar identicle purpose,
is 1 better than the other?

i got like 30 grassroots beds of all sizes, and im wondering if i should swick 1 of them, or drop 1 into a container like sip with my fabric being a kindof potliner and wicking membrane?

there 25gal planters with 2 plants in each
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
sip container grows, consist of a plastic tote where the base is lifted up by a platform, /rocks round pipes before the soil is added
swick sit the fabric grow bed ontop of a pearlite/rock bed

both seem very similar identicle purpose,
is 1 better than the other?

i got like 30 grassroots beds of all sizes, and im wondering if i should swick 1 of them, or drop 1 into a container like sip with my fabric being a kindof potliner and wicking membrane?

there 25gal planters with 2 plants in each
My window box has a plastic platform with two sump areas, that sounds like sip, so does an autopot, I've seen the term mentioned but I've only just learned what it actually is.
So yeh imo it's a still wick/capillary system and should similarly, but it would be interesting to see for sure?
 

2cent

Well-Known Member
My window box has a plastic platform with two sump areas, that sounds like sip, so does an autopot, I've seen the term mentioned but I've only just learned what it actually is.
So yeh imo it's a still wick/capillary system and should similarly, but it would be interesting to see for sure?
Yeah ok ill bite if u sub .
Il drop 2 swick and 2 subs.
In style of 2x 600 4'x8'
Swick sip swick sip
Both styles at end and both in light crossover
All PA cuts ready to go in
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
Yeah ok ill bite if u sub .
Il drop 2 swick and 2 subs.
In style of 2x 600 4'x8'
Swick sip swick sip
Both styles at end and both in light crossover
All PA cuts ready to go in
It'll be interesting to see if there's much if any difference, what do you expect yourself?

I'm surprised sip/capillary isn't more widely used among growers, it's a very reliable auto system and it can be made easily and cheaply... that's some mixture of qualities!
 

2cent

Well-Known Member
Well thats all in 1 isnt it haha

Sandpits... my gos haha why have i walked past them at the exit like 50 times while trying to find containers to do this in for the grow bed when they are perfect haha
 

living gardening

Well-Known Member
So Question . . . Do Sip systems work in extreme heat or does the higher water temp screw things up?
I grow hemp and peppers in the zone 4 and I use pavement to heat my pepper pots (5 gal buckets) and that alone seems to extend my season by 1.5 months. I want to switch to a sip but I'm worried about the water?/!
Any experience?
BTW . . .we've been in the 90's most of the summer so that's why I ask about water problems.
 

kratos015

Well-Known Member
So Question . . . Do Sip systems work in extreme heat or does the higher water temp screw things up?
I grow hemp and peppers in the zone 4 and I use pavement to heat my pepper pots (5 gal buckets) and that alone seems to extend my season by 1.5 months. I want to switch to a sip but I'm worried about the water?/!
Any experience?
BTW . . .we've been in the 90's most of the summer so that's why I ask about water problems.

Sips will work just fine in heat, you'll just need to cover the perlite/wicking material with something so the water in the SIP doesn't evaporate on you.

Even if you can't cover it, you can just fill up the SIP 1-2 times a day if that's what it takes. It'll still work fine. I've done SIPs for various types of seedlings outdoors in the Arizona summers, 110+ temps with <10% humidity. Just had to water the SIP twice a day on the worst days.

However, issue I'm seeing is that if you're using your pavement to heat the peppers, a SIP will reduce the amount of square footage being heated up by the sign, so there is the risk you won't be able to extend your season by 1.5 months anymore because of it. Just food for thought.

And, all of that said, I only use SIP for seedlings when I'm outdoors and nothing more. I pretty much always plant straight into the ground, or into a bed. Only things I plant in pots are things that can put up with inconsistent watering from a hose, mostly herbs. Everything else goes straight into the ground because it makes watering absolutely foolproof.
 
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