Bringing additional water to The Tropical Paradise
In addition to the drip watering system here at The Tropical Paradise, I have a misting line. It's exactly the same as the ones that you see overhead at patios and outdoor seating areas at restaurants, except that here the line is buried in the ground.
The mistake that I originally made was to just have the misting heads right on the line, like you see on patios. The problem was that they got clogged up, and covered up, very quickly. So I have invested in these Aero Mist Nozzle Extensions. And I mean invested! They are very expensive, and I usually can't find them locally so I have to pay for them through Amazon, plus some expensive shipping. But they are of excellent quality and have stood the test of time. And that's what you need for them to do - stand up. They are about three inches tall, which is just enough to keep their heads out of the dirt. I replace the mister heads every once in a while. They are also pretty pricey, but they work!
I have the misters set to come on every four hours for twenty minutes. I will reduce the frequency as the weather gets cooler, but it's still pretty hot out there, especially for tiny seedlings. And tropical plants love plenty of water and added humidity. For December and January I will shut it off, as well as the regular watering system. But right now it comes on at 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 9:30 pm, 1:30 am, and 5:30 am.
I try to get out and *walk the line* while they are misting, to check for clogged heads, or places where they have been bent down by people who have walked into the garden (please don't do that!). They start out a bright copper and then get dull, which is nice.
The mistake that I originally made was to just have the misting heads right on the line, like you see on patios. The problem was that they got clogged up, and covered up, very quickly. So I have invested in these Aero Mist Nozzle Extensions. And I mean invested! They are very expensive, and I usually can't find them locally so I have to pay for them through Amazon, plus some expensive shipping. But they are of excellent quality and have stood the test of time. And that's what you need for them to do - stand up. They are about three inches tall, which is just enough to keep their heads out of the dirt. I replace the mister heads every once in a while. They are also pretty pricey, but they work!
I have the misters set to come on every four hours for twenty minutes. I will reduce the frequency as the weather gets cooler, but it's still pretty hot out there, especially for tiny seedlings. And tropical plants love plenty of water and added humidity. For December and January I will shut it off, as well as the regular watering system. But right now it comes on at 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 9:30 pm, 1:30 am, and 5:30 am.
I try to get out and *walk the line* while they are misting, to check for clogged heads, or places where they have been bent down by people who have walked into the garden (please don't do that!). They start out a bright copper and then get dull, which is nice.
Comments