The manual Controlled Watering System

Hand-fill Container Irrigation - How It Works

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Planter Technology’s CWS Manual Container Irrigation system is based on a concept that reaches back to 1972. We were the first company to perfect a system to help maintain pots and plants of all types, and are still the leading player in the marketplace. The CWS system has been used in hundreds of thousands of installations all over the world, and has proven itself to be the easiest to use, most reliable system in the world.

Our Instructional Video will also give you a short introduction into how the system functions. Whether on our CWI- or CWM-type container irrigation systems, our SeaCrest Series or Natural Spring decorative planters, or our CWS Planter Liners, the system functions in the same way.

If you need a brief written explanation of the system:

The CWS consists of a double-walled container (or a modular reservoir, in the case of the CWM), with a moisture sensor extending from the top of the wall. Water is filled through a hole at the top of the reservoir, and closed with a stopper of some sort. Water flows into the soil mass through small holes at the bottom of the reservoir. The water wicks its way up through the soil (using the soil’s own natural capillary action) until it reaches the white tip of the moisture sensor. The sensor absorbs water from the soil, and blocks the passage of air through the tube.

A vacuum develops above the water in the reservoir, which prevents water from flowing out the holes. The valve action of the sensor provides for an optimal balance of moisture and oxygen in the soil. As the plant draws moisture from the soil, the sensor begins to dry, and releases air into the reservoir. The watering process starts all over again.

Exterior Applications

As rain falls, water builds up at the bottom of the container. Because the soil is moist, the sensor is closed, and no water is allowed out of the reservoir. When the rainwater reaches the top of the overflow drain, the excess will drain out. After the rain, the system dries down until the sensor opens up, and the irrigation starts over.

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