What are some opinions on "Wall-O-Water"s? r - Page 4

saltmarsh · October 1, 2011

JLJ That' s a great idea about the 3 liter drink bottles. I'll pass it on to my neighbor and I'll bet you've put a smile on his face.

clkeiper · December 6, 2011

We. also,, have used WOW's with great success. We plant in a high tunnel in the early part of March. Filliing them with the "bucket" method, but I also use a piece of old hose for a "nozzle" (cut the end of the hose with a sharp angle cut to give you the "get it in there"!) to slip down inside the tube to keep it from collapsing into itself as I am filling it. I use a shut off valve on the end of my hose so the water isn't constantly running and I can control the flow as I am filling the tubes. Therefore the "nozzle" slips down into the tube filling it from the bottom up. We then remove the WOW's in mid April (protecting with a floating row cover at this point) and plant our 2nd crop outside in the garden with the WOW's. and then remove those and watch the weather for our 3rd planting and use them or not if it doesn't look as if the weather will get too cold. We go to all this work to get our tomatoes to the market before anyone else in the area. And we always have them before others.
Then when the outside tomatoes are done, we are still picking out of the high tunnel for the remainder of the fall. For our selves and a few late "do you have any more tomatoes" people just stopping by. So with the WOW's and the high tunnel we have tomatoes in the ground for 7 months of the year.

harveyc · February 16, 2012

For the benefit of others, I thought I'd post a link to a post by the OP ("Indyartist") in another thread where he reported his satisfaction in using WOW:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...139#post214139

Defiant20 · February 16, 2012

I tried them last year on tomatoes and peppers in zone 6 in the Texas Panhandle and they worked really well, surviving many nights below freezing with no ill effect on the plants.

A few things I would recommend:
1) Use 3 pieces of rebar, dowel rod, pvc, or bamboo tied together to form a tepee to put inside to support it in excessive wind.
2) Push the bottoms out from the inside. That way when it gets hit by the wind, the top closes and absorbs the force. (You can tell we get a lot of wind here)
3) If it is well below freezing, use a large rubber band to seal the top and remove when it warms up.
4) Put a 5 gallon bucket upside down and put the wall o water around it to fill it, then remove the bucket
5) Place them where you are going to plant them several weeks early to warm up the soil

I am trying 62 of them this year between peppers and tomatoes, so I will have a better idea next year how well it works on a larger scale. I am trying to get tomatoes early to avoid the high heat of the summer.

Brian

Petronius_II · February 16, 2012

I notice a common pattern developing, as in this latest example:

Quote:

I am trying to get tomatoes early to avoid the high heat of the summer.

WOW's seem to have most potential benefit for tomato growers who typically have one or two of these problem sets:

1. Too cold, short growing season.

2. Too hot, short fruiting season.

3. Other environmental considerations including critters large, small, and maybe microscopic; too much rain (or too little, depending on how the WOW's are used?); wind, hail, maybe other factors that may vary widely from one garden to another.

As for people who typically have good trouble-free growing without much special treatment, meh, not so much.

I know at least one Albuquerquean who thinks they're great, but I'm not sure how much he really knows about growing tomatoes.

RobinB · February 16, 2012

I have used WOWs with great success, but would add the following: 1. I found that foliage on the plants growing inside the WOWs was so dense that I had a slight problem with some sort of mold when I first removed the WOWs. After I pruned the plant a bit to get better airflow, they were fine. 2. I also found that since it was hard to see the base of the plant, several maters had too many well-established stems by the time the WOWs were removed. Neither of these is a major problem, just something to be aware of. Last year, I found that they froze solid on many occasions, and the plants were fine. I plant out in early May with the WOWs, and the main garden goes out in mid-June.

jennifer28 · February 16, 2012

hi,

I'm in zone 6. My gardening neighbor friend loves wall o waters and swears by them. So last year I tried them for the heck of it. I thought it would be easier than making a cold frame or a low hoop house like kind of cover. Ummmm, WRONG. I find them really aggrevating and just a nuisance but they do work. I also might add that even though I read the directions about filling them, I ended up soaking myself the first time I tried to fill one.

Much mayhem ensued, including my husband pointing at me and laughing his arse off. I find these do not suit my personality at all. I am not patient and I like to do things simply, quickly, and easily. If you don't mind messing with them, they do work. And they work well. That's my opinion.

texasrockgarden · February 25, 2012

I use Kozy coats. Once I developed a technique for filling them, installing them over plants and later lifting them off the plants, I found they do a good job of allowing me to plant out tomatoes with great success four to six weeks earlier than my avg last frost date. I get ripe tomatoes a month earlier than if I didn't use the water walls.

I have a few pics on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...2518947&type=3

tgplp · February 25, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwr6404

I plant outside in pots around mid April. I have larger pots and use the WoWs. They're a winner here in the PNW. OT: Indiartist how far from Muncie Indiana are you located? I was born and raised in Muncie.

Do you really think they do something here in western Washington??? I really like the idea of WoWs, and I tried them two years ago, but I don't think they really heated up or anything. Also, how the heck will they ever get sun here?

I'd love to hear that they do work, I'd try them again, and honestly I ca't really remember what happened with them two years ago... I know they at least kept my tomatoes alive.

Anyone else used WoWs in the PNW?

Taryn

vermiit · April 15, 2012

Here in zone 14a, in Central CA, we've had unusual late storms, and I was worried that my tomatoes might take a beating, but the WoW's really sheltered them well!

I'm thinking of just keeping them on throughout the entire season, to keep my chickens at bay, and perhaps cooling them a bit when the days get hot.

Defiant20 · April 15, 2012

That is another benefit of the wall o water's, protection from severe weather, they definitely saved mine from a recent hail storm.

Tom Atillo · July 31, 2012

I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEM.............
I do live in the Willamette Valley (where frost is rare) rainy and cool.
My take on early tomatoes is ........just wait until the weather is right......the late plants always seem to catch up with the early ones so why bother with all the extra work?
Ok I admit I'm lazy but I do crank out some great produce

Tom Atillo · July 31, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indyartist

I appreciate all the input, my hardware store has 3 packages that I'm going to go pick-up (after this cup of tea) and I'll ask them if they will re-stock anytime soon so I'll see about getting more. They are 3 to a packages so I'll have 9 for sure and may buy more if they keep stocking them. I'm going to try and get at least 4 weeks out of them and I only have to decide how optimistic I am about how warm I think NE IN will be by our mid-May frost free date. I'm leaning on putting out tomatoes in late April and hoping to at least make up for the slow sickly look some of my plants have when it hasn't dropped cold enough to kill them but isn't warm enough to make them happy. I'm imaging taking them off in the first week of June having a measurable head start.

Just a tip..............use loose fitting cages to support the Wows so you can remove them as the season progresses. If you leave them on it limits light, encourages mildew, and makes harvest harder.

ElementalDomain · September 17, 2012

I live in the desert and used them on my farm. They do grow algae and you have to take them off while the plant is still small. Mostly the trouble I had though was that I had to fill them every couple of days (with being in the desert). If you don't want to waste water you have to keep the hose down to a trickle and that can means a lot of time if you have a lot to fill. They degrade here in the desert - can't see them lasting more than three seasons. I moved back to straw bales to keep them warm. I also have started using the "My Lazy Gardener" system - which although a little more expensive (get them on Amazon) has more functions, and will last longer.

December 6, 2011	#47
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	We. also,, have used WOW's with great success. We plant in a high tunnel in the early part of March. Filliing them with the "bucket" method, but I also use a piece of old hose for a "nozzle" (cut the end of the hose with a sharp angle cut to give you the "get it in there"!) to slip down inside the tube to keep it from collapsing into itself as I am filling it. I use a shut off valve on the end of my hose so the water isn't constantly running and I can control the flow as I am filling the tubes. Therefore the "nozzle" slips down into the tube filling it from the bottom up. We then remove the WOW's in mid April (protecting with a floating row cover at this point) and plant our 2nd crop outside in the garden with the WOW's. and then remove those and watch the weather for our 3rd planting and use them or not if it doesn't look as if the weather will get too cold. We go to all this work to get our tomatoes to the market before anyone else in the area. And we always have them before others. Then when the outside tomatoes are done, we are still picking out of the high tunnel for the remainder of the fall. For our selves and a few late "do you have any more tomatoes" people just stopping by. So with the WOW's and the high tunnel we have tomatoes in the ground for 7 months of the year. __________________ carolyn k Last edited by clkeiper; December 6, 2011 at 08:05 AM. Reason: spelling and included one more thought

February 16, 2012	#52
jennifer28 Two-faced Drama Queen Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital Posts: 955	major aggrevation factor, but they do work hi, I'm in zone 6. My gardening neighbor friend loves wall o waters and swears by them. So last year I tried them for the heck of it. I thought it would be easier than making a cold frame or a low hoop house like kind of cover. Ummmm, WRONG. I find them really aggrevating and just a nuisance but they do work. I also might add that even though I read the directions about filling them, I ended up soaking myself the first time I tried to fill one. Much mayhem ensued, including my husband pointing at me and laughing his arse off. I find these do not suit my personality at all. I am not patient and I like to do things simply, quickly, and easily. If you don't mind messing with them, they do work. And they work well. That's my opinion.

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October 1, 2011	#46
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	JLJ That' s a great idea about the 3 liter drink bottles. I'll pass it on to my neighbor and I'll bet you've put a smile on his face.

February 16, 2012	#48
harveyc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Sacramento County Posts: 40	For the benefit of others, I thought I'd post a link to a post by the OP ("Indyartist") in another thread where he reported his satisfaction in using WOW: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...139#post214139

February 16, 2012	#49
Defiant20 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 44	I tried them last year on tomatoes and peppers in zone 6 in the Texas Panhandle and they worked really well, surviving many nights below freezing with no ill effect on the plants. A few things I would recommend: 1) Use 3 pieces of rebar, dowel rod, pvc, or bamboo tied together to form a tepee to put inside to support it in excessive wind. 2) Push the bottoms out from the inside. That way when it gets hit by the wind, the top closes and absorbs the force. (You can tell we get a lot of wind here) 3) If it is well below freezing, use a large rubber band to seal the top and remove when it warms up. 4) Put a 5 gallon bucket upside down and put the wall o water around it to fill it, then remove the bucket 5) Place them where you are going to plant them several weeks early to warm up the soil I am trying 62 of them this year between peppers and tomatoes, so I will have a better idea next year how well it works on a larger scale. I am trying to get tomatoes early to avoid the high heat of the summer. Brian

February 16, 2012	#51
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	I have used WOWs with great success, but would add the following: 1. I found that foliage on the plants growing inside the WOWs was so dense that I had a slight problem with some sort of mold when I first removed the WOWs. After I pruned the plant a bit to get better airflow, they were fine. 2. I also found that since it was hard to see the base of the plant, several maters had too many well-established stems by the time the WOWs were removed. Neither of these is a major problem, just something to be aware of. Last year, I found that they froze solid on many occasions, and the plants were fine. I plant out in early May with the WOWs, and the main garden goes out in mid-June.

February 25, 2012	#53
texasrockgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South Central Texas, Zone 8b Posts: 81	I use Kozy coats. Once I developed a technique for filling them, installing them over plants and later lifting them off the plants, I found they do a good job of allowing me to plant out tomatoes with great success four to six weeks earlier than my avg last frost date. I get ripe tomatoes a month earlier than if I didn't use the water walls. I have a few pics on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...2518947&type=3

April 15, 2012	#55
vermiit Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: z 14, California Posts: 137	Here in zone 14a, in Central CA, we've had unusual late storms, and I was worried that my tomatoes might take a beating, but the WoW's really sheltered them well! I'm thinking of just keeping them on throughout the entire season, to keep my chickens at bay, and perhaps cooling them a bit when the days get hot.

July 31, 2012	#57
Tom Atillo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Pacific N.W. Posts: 32	I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEM............. I do live in the Willamette Valley (where frost is rare) rainy and cool. My take on early tomatoes is ........just wait until the weather is right......the late plants always seem to catch up with the early ones so why bother with all the extra work? Ok I admit I'm lazy but I do crank out some great produce

September 17, 2012	#59
ElementalDomain Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Yucca Valley, CA Posts: 8	I live in the desert and used them on my farm. They do grow algae and you have to take them off while the plant is still small. Mostly the trouble I had though was that I had to fill them every couple of days (with being in the desert). If you don't want to waste water you have to keep the hose down to a trickle and that can means a lot of time if you have a lot to fill. They degrade here in the desert - can't see them lasting more than three seasons. I moved back to straw bales to keep them warm. I also have started using the "My Lazy Gardener" system - which although a little more expensive (get them on Amazon) has more functions, and will last longer.