When the days get shorter and the nights get colder, it's time to make your Boum plant watering system frost-proof. With a few simple steps, you can ensure your Boum system gets through the winter well – and is ready for use again in spring to ensure healthy plants at the start of the season.
Overview: Winterizing your Boum system
Winterizing the Boum watering system – when is the right time?
As long as it's still mild outside and there's no threat of frosty temperatures, the Boum watering system can continue to work safely through the winter and take care of your balcony garden. At this time, it's more about the wintering of your plants that you need to pay attention to: What temperatures can they tolerate? Which are winter-hardy, and which are better brought indoors? If your plants' well-being is ensured, you can simply leave Boum running until it gets frosty.
Protecting the Boum controller from frost
As soon as the first frost is announced, you should bring the controller indoors. All our technology is inside the controller – it doesn't like the cold. If temperatures drop below freezing, the sensitive components and battery life can suffer, which you should avoid to ensure you can use the Boum system for years.
Wintering in a protected place
You don't necessarily have to bring the controller indoors. If you have a winter garden or a protected balcony, that's enough to protect the controller even in winter. Simply move the water tank and controller to this location as long as there is frost.
Wintering indoors
If you don't have a protected place, it's best to bring your controller indoors to protect it from frost. Here's how to do it:
- If the battery level is above 60%, unplug the panel and wait until the battery level is between 40-60%. The battery level decreases by 5% per day.
- Grab your Boum tool, which was included in the delivery, and use it to detach the irrigation hose from the controller.
- Turn off the controller using the ON/OFF switch.
- Disassemble the solar panel.
- Store the solar panel and controller in a warm and safe place.
This way, everything will be ready for the start of the new season and can be reassembled in a few minutes.
Boum watering pots and hoses are frost-proof
Once you've brought the controller indoors, your watering system is already winter-proof. Don't worry about the pots and hoses – they can stay outside in any weather, you don't have to worry about them at all. We have thoroughly tested them in all weather conditions to ensure they are frost-proof.
However, we recommend that at temperatures below freezing, there should be no more water in the tank and in the reservoirs at the bottom of the plant pot. Plants need significantly less water in winter, and the reservoirs will only be used again in spring. So: pour out the water and instead water by hand every 1-2 weeks until it gets warmer again.
Conclusion: Preparing Boum for winter
With just a few simple steps, you can prepare your Boum watering system for the cold season. As long as it stays mild, you can continue to use it without problems – only when it's frosty does the controller need a protected place. Pots and hoses, however, can remain outside. In spring, everything can be reassembled for the start of the season with just a few simple steps.
