Plant watering: Some options at a glance
All plant lovers know it: Watering is one of the biggest challenges when growing potted plants. When is too much water, and when is too little? Incorrect watering can stunt plant growth and, in extreme cases, lead to plant death. Furthermore, with climate change, water is becoming scarce in the summer months, making water-saving solutions even more important.
Since watering potted plants is a lot of work, and you have to rely on friends and neighbors to water them while you're on vacation, automatic watering systems are becoming increasingly popular. There are various options available:
Drip irrigation
We know them from garden centers: drip irrigation systems are widespread in private homes. With this method, water is delivered directly to the plants in small, controlled amounts. This occurs through openings or nozzles in hoses or pipes placed along the rows of plants. The water quantity is adjusted manually or using moisture sensors.
Wick irrigation
Wick irrigation is a method in which water is passively drawn (i.e., via capillary action) from below into the root zone of plants using capillary-active materials. The amount of water is determined by the capillarity of the material and the water loss of the system.
Boum – automated wick irrigation
With Boum, we've developed a novel, autonomous irrigation system that supplies plants with water over several weeks. A water tank pumps water once a day into reservoirs in the Boum planters. The water is then drawn up into the soil via wicks. This makes the system self-regulating and, in combination with the right substrate, ensures optimal soil moisture with minimal water loss. The plant receives neither too little nor too much water.
Other alternatives
Aside from the two options presented above, there are a number of other irrigation systems available. However, these are either not suitable for extended absences (water bottles, clay cones, pots with reservoirs) or require special infrastructure and are therefore usually not suitable for balconies and terraces (integrated drip systems, flood systems).
We compared the Boum system and drip irrigation and wanted to investigate how the two differ in terms of effort, water consumption, and plant health. To do this, we conducted a comparative test over 60 days.
The differences between boom and drip irrigation
|
Boom System |
drip irrigation system |
|
|
water source |
Tank with pump |
Tank with pump |
|
irrigation |
Wick irrigation |
Drip irrigation |
|
Power supply |
solar powered |
solar powered |
| Preferences |
Standard setting (self-regulating) |
Manual setting |
|
scope |
Exclusively with Boum pots |
For any planters or garden beds |
The test: Which plant irrigation system performs better?
| Test duration | 59 days, September-October 2023 |
| Tested Irrigation systems |
Drip irrigation system (leading manufacturer), Boum System |
| Tested plant species | Cherry tomatoes, Turkish chili, orange chili |
| Number of pots | 1 pot per plant and irrigation system (6 containers) |
| Conditions | Pot volume 15 l, Boum soil, same location, rain-protected |
| Drip irrigation | Every 12 hours, a 20-minute pumping process with 0.5 l of water per pot (1 L per day) |
| Settings Boom | standard |
| Measurements |
Water consumption per pot (gravimetric) |
| Measuring frequency | Every 1-5 days |
The drip irrigation measurements were taken as a reference and the values of the Boum system were compared as a percentage deviation.
The numbers: Boum performs better
Construction
The installation of the Boum system took 75% less time than the installation of the drip irrigation system.
The difference was primarily due to the installation of the nozzles and the arrangement of the hoses and nozzles – with the Boum system, simply plugging them in is sufficient. In addition, adjusting the irrigation volume with the drip system took a long time. For the correct irrigation, manual optimization was required until the optimal number of nozzles and pumping time were found. The customer service department of the drip irrigation manufacturer recommended monitoring the system over several weeks and making regular adjustments. All of these steps were eliminated with the Boum system.
-75% time expenditure ⏱️
Water consumption
Over the measurement period, the Boum system used 36% less water than drip irrigation. This result was primarily due to the fact that the Boum system dynamically adjusted its water consumption to the weather, while the drip system always used the same amount of water, leading to water waste (overflow) on cooler days and undersupply on hotter days. Plant water use was lower with drip irrigation than with the Boum system because more water ran through the soil unused.
-36% water consumption 💧
Update 2025
The new Boum 3 system is also equipped with a rain catcher . By collecting rainwater, Boum is even more water-efficient – so, depending on the weather conditions, the figures may be even higher than the test result above. And, of course, the refill time will be longer accordingly.
Plant growth and yield
The Boum system significantly improved both plant growth and yield. Tomatoes showed a 44% higher yield than drip irrigation. The chili plants showed a similar yield, as the measurement window for new fruit formation was too short, but the chili plants showed 5x higher growth in the Boum system compared to drip irrigation.
+44% yield 🍅
The result: The Boum system saves time, water and ensures higher yield
The Boum system is simpler to set up, saves water thanks to its self-regulating system, and most likely, as a result of the optimal supply, Boum promotes plant growth and yield. Due to the length of the trial, the overall effects on plant growth were likely underestimated; we suspect even more significant deviations in plant health would occur with longer trial durations. Similar growth and health gains can be expected for other plant species.
The comparison test shows that the type of irrigation has a strong influence not only on the effort required, but also on water consumption and plant health. A popular drip irrigation system was tested. Products from different manufacturers may vary. Combining drip irrigation with an active or passive moisture sensor and a corresponding control system may potentially lead to better results, but at the same time increases the complexity of this solution.
Overview of the advantages and disadvantages of irrigation options
But which system is right for me? In addition to the test results, the various irrigation systems have many other advantages and disadvantages. These are listed separately in the table below – everyone has to decide for themselves based on their individual needs.
How Boum works
Want to learn more about the Boum system? Under " How it works, " we explain exactly how the system works and introduce the individual components.
