Frequently Asked Questions...
Have
these been proven?
Why did you design the Container
Tender™ the way you did?
What
is the current estimate of water use by a containerized tree?
Is
it easy to use?
Should the tubing be on top of or under the Container Tender
when installed in the pot?
But will the small channels plug?
What about
algae buildup (or slimy bacteria, iron, manganese oxide, calcium, magnesium
carbonate, etc)?
So
what filtration should I use?
Can
I leave them out over the winter?
What
is the maximum number of pots that can be run in one zone with Container Tenders,
and what would the corresponding pump size be for optimum performance?
What
sizes are available?
Have
these been proven?
The Container Tender has been through university, as well as field tests, and
has lived up to its claims. Although the product is new in the sense that you've
never seen anything like it before, it's really just a combination of existing
and proven technologies brought together to give you a multitude of benefits
in one simple package.
Why did you design the Container Tender™ the way you did?
Basically we looked at what would create the optimum growing conditions for woody container-grown plants and designed the Container Tender™ based on the following observations*...
Plants grow best when they have the proper amount of water in the growing
medium.
Not too wet.... they typically do not like wet feet, but not dry desert conditions,
either. Even moisture distribution throughout the container is ideal -- and
that's what the Container Tender™ delivers.
Plants grow best when
they have the proper amount of water when they need it.
The Container Tender™ allows you to slowly and precisely deliver water
and nutrients to your plants. Proper moisture throughout the growing day is
best. Long term or cyclic irrigation is better than a daily 15 minute saturation.
OSU studies have shown that woody plants need only about 1.0 gallon per inch
of trunk caliper per ET per hour for a growing day.
Plants
grow best when they have the proper nutrients.
Some fertilizer (chemical or organic) is required. Leaching that fertilizer
through the container is not productive. Once again, the even distribution of
the Container Tenders™ reduces leaching by efficiently delivering fertilizer.
Half-inch diameter whips were grown into 1-1/2 inch seedlings in 7 months by
supplying 100 ppm nitrogen fertigation via Container Tenders™.
Plants grow best when
they are not competing against weeds.
The Container Tender™ provides an effective weed barrier. Weeds
use precious water and nutrients and hand pulling weeds can damage intertwined
roots. One crab grass plant in the container can stunt the growth of the plant
by 60%.
Plants grow best when
the temperature in the growing medium is moderate.
Warm soil in the spring, not too hot in the summer, and warm again in the fall.
This is why plants grow so well in a greenhouse. The dark and light surfaces
of the Container Tender™ help to control pot temperature.
Plants survive
best when transplanted if they have an efficient root system and are able to
get nourishment from less-than-ideal planting site.
Over watering containers does not condition roots for dry planting sites. Roots
that are fine, dense and relatively shallow are best. Transplant sites rarely
have more than 4 inches of top soil for roots to take hold. The many benefits
of the Container Tender™ result in a better developed root system.
* These observations are based upon the latest research done by various universities
and agencies, along with discussions with Dr. Dan Struve of Ohio State University.
It is noted that this is just a start and a great deal still needs to be learned
about these factors. And we're working on it!
What
is the current estimate of water use by a containerized tree?
Although there are a lot of variables involved, the simplest answer is that
the Container Tender should provide about 0.7 to 1 gallon/inch of trunk caliper
per day. Of course there are a lot of assumptions that go into that number,
so we strongly suggest that you start there and adjust accordingly. By all means
feel free to experiment with lower and higher rates and tell us what you find.
We realize that one gallon per day is about four to eight times less than what
growers typically apply with competitive products. The big difference is that
the Container Tender is designed to evenly distribute the water around the surface
so that you do not waste the water (and fertilizers) out the bottom of the container.
In addition, remember that lower flow rates delivered over longer periods of
time is better than delivering the gallon, or so, all at once.
Is
it easy to use?
Click this link for a PDF of the
Installation Instructions. You'll see just how easy it is!
Should
the tubing be on top of or under the Container Tender when installed in the
pot?
It really doesn’t make a lot of difference. However, some growers have
found that if the tube comes out under the Container Tender and under one retention
tab, the unit will lay flatter. If you come up with a better or easier way,
please let us know.
But
will the small channels plug?
Short Answer....
The Container Tender™ has already been subjected to both laboratory and
typical field test environments without experiencing plugging.
Long
Answer.... The independent testing facility at The Center for Irrigation
Technology in Fresno, California has confirmed that the Container Tender™
product is not susceptible to plugging from inorganic particulates (sands).
This was based upon units successfully passing their standardized laboratory
test.(1) In fact, the Container Tender™ passed their test when subjected
to a very coarse 60 grit material under low flow conditions. (2)
In
parallel, Container Tender™ products did not show any plugging problems
in typical nursery environments when used in less stringently controlled tests
done on city water in Ohio and pumped well water in central Florida.(3) Continued
testing is being done around the world to prove that the product is tolerant
to all water conditions.
(1) The CIT laboratory test simulates a typical field installation
with sand of various sizes pumped through laterals and emitters. It is run under
very tightly controlled conditions.*
(2) As compared to the Container Tender™ withstanding 60 grit material,
some competitors’ emitters have failed this same test when very fine 220
grit was used, even at much higher flow rates.*
*Please note that, although this laboratory test represents the industry standard,
it cannot take into account all possible field conditions. Therefore, we still
specify that Container Tenders™ be used with 140 to 200 mesh filtration
typically found in the field.
If you are confused by what different grit sizes are, just think about how sandpaper
from your local hardware store is rated....a higher grit number means finer
particles. For example, 100% of 60 grit material passes through a 425 micron
filter (40 mesh) while 220 grit material passes through a 106 micron filter
(140 mesh).
(3) In one application in Florida the fine sugar sand was plugging competitor’s
7.7 GPH spray jets while the Container Tender™ continued to function.
What
about algae buildup (or slimy bacteria, iron, manganese oxide, calcium, magnesium
carbonate, etc)?
Algae is effectively controlled with chlorine injection. The Container Tender
is constructed of polyethylene which is not affected by chlorine or other chemicals
used for water treatment. A good reference for how to properly treat your water
for contaminants was written by Robert G. Evans at the USDA. This PDF can be
downloaded by clicking here or at the following
web site: http://www.sidney.ars.usda.gov/personnel/pdfs/Microirrigation.pdf
Note that the Container Tender is designed with channels larger than typical
drip emitters, but some filtration is needed to keep out the "boulders"
and some chemical treatment may still be required to keep things flowing.
So
what filtration should I use?
Each system is unique and should be treated as such, however a minimum 180 mesh
filtration system is suggested for use with Container Tenders.
Can
I leave them out over the winter?
Yes, they have been tested to withstand freezing. You should, however, purge
your lateral lines of water prior to freezing temperatures.
What
is the maximum number of pots that can be run in one zone with Container Tenders,
and what would the corresponding pump size be for optimum performance?
The maximum number of pots in one zone is totally dependent upon how big of
a pump you want to use. Let’s assume you want to buy a small pump rather
than a big one. Let’s also assume (for the sake of this example) that
you want to place 2000 Container Tenders per zone. Now we can size the pump.
2000 units times the maximum flow rate from a Container Tender (1.25 Gallons
per hour at 30PSI) equals 2,500 gallons per hour for one zone. Divide that number
by 60 and you get about 42 gallons per minute. So you would need a pump capable
of delivering around 42 GPM at 30 PSI. This is not to be confused with the suggested
delivery rates of the Container Tender. We suggest lower delivery rates at lower
pressures for longer periods of time. This calculation provides a maximum requirement
to help select your pump.
Keep in mind that there are many other factors to consider, such as elevation
changes, the depth of your well or pond, and the size and length of your main
lines; but overall, you will find that you will not need a very big pump to
irrigate 2000 trees with Container Tenders. (Probably much less than 5 horsepower!)
We cannot actually recommend a specific pump for you, however, we would be more
than happy to have our technical people talk to your irrigation system designer
to answer questions and “crunch” some numbers. Just send an e-mail
to techinfo@containertender.com or call 1-800-390-6169.
The Container Tender™ is currently available in the following sizes:
Container Tender #1214C - Fits pots with inside top diameter
between 11.75" to 14.25"
Container Tender #1417C - Fits pots with inside top diameter
between 13.75" to 17.25"
Container Tender #1720C
- Fits pots with inside top diameter between 16.75" to 20.25"
Container Tender #2124C - Fits pots with inside top diameter
between 20.75" to 24.25"
Container Tender #1821S - Fits square pots 18" to 21"
Additional sizes will soon be available.
If you have a question for us, just call (859) 331-5111 and we'll see if we can find an answer.
For additional info on the benefits of the Container Tender, visit our Products and Field Tests & Research pages.