Urban Farmer: * Aeroponics Issue * Hoops go dormant

are patented, manufactured planting pots that are essentially “selffeeders”.

Nutrient solution is automatically fed on demand via “Smart Valves”, and smart,

they are. This clever system can be gravity fed, so it does not depend on pumps

or timers for feeding. It could be considered a passive wick system, and is

often used for automatic feeding of long-term specimen plants, such as potted

ivy or philodendrons in a doctor’s office.

Here’s how it works: Auto Pots, like the ebb and flow system, mimic the natural

rainfall cycle. The units consist of a saucer that holds 2 plant pots and

contains the “smart valve”. Solution is gravity fed into the holding trays, not

the pots, so it’s actually “sub-irrigation”. The growing medium then wicks up

the fluid to the plant’s roots. As the medium starts

to dry out, the valve opens

up, flooding the saucer once again to a depth of 1”. There is a large reservoir

to hold nutrient solution, but the fluid is not captured and reused.

Valve opens and refills Valve stays shut ‘til pot dries out

As with Dutch buckets, any medium can be used with these nifty pots: coco coir,

perlite, vermiculite or even gravel. The system is flexible; great for a custom

setup.

Build or buy your own stand to hold them, no specialized stand is necessary. We

have set AutoPots up with our HydroPad® though, and it works very well. In fact,

you can set up a full 16 pot garden in a compact 4’ X 4’ PVC stand.

There are even entire greenhouses filled with nothing but rows and rows of

Autopots are

expensive. But, once you have ’em, you’re done……. forever. Buy