I've recently tried using terracotta spikes for watering my vegetable garden. I bought 8 of them, soaked them in water for a few hours, and then buried them in moist soil. I even stuck in some water-filled wine bottles to help out. But when I checked back, my vegetable bed was dry, and the wine bottles still had a lot of water left in them. To make matters worse, the plants nearby looked really limp from lack of water. Has anyone else had success using these terracotta spikes? What could I be doing wrong?
1 Answer
It sounds like you're on the right track! The effectiveness of terracotta spikes can depend on the specific ones you're using. Some brands work really well, while others, like those white versions from Amazon, tend to have issues. Keep in mind that the spikes can still be doing their job even if the top layer of soil looks dry, as they water from below and can reduce evaporation. Have you checked what brand of spikes you have?
I have the exact same spikes you mentioned, and they work great! Maybe there's something different in your setup?