Apparently with sweet potatoes you should discontinue watering for a couple of weeks before harvesting.
Who knew right?
So that's what I tried to do.
The only problem is that I rigged up an impromptu greenhouse planter-garden when we got here from an old patio tent and some poly.
Thing is though, the poly isn't quite as wide as the framework and so hangs in pockets between the struts.
The sweet potato planter just happens to sit at the point where one of these folds dribbles on it every morning and the thing just didn't stop growing and now I may have to dig them up at an unoptimal flavour.

but...

Could this method not be used on purpose? A series of clear stacked-umbrella tree shapes is nestled between a circular arrangement of plants so that condensation guarantees adequate watering even in times of drought.
A bit of lithic mulch to absorb and shade... and Bob's yer uncle.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 04 2020

Also https://en.wikipedi...wiki/Fog_collection
This method is well used for collecting free water. [neutrinos_shadow, Oct 04 2020]

These guys are dialing it in. https://returntonow...N2M1jd1-pm15ZYxPeYg
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 10 2020]

Is this 'poly' polythene sheeting, polypipe or something else?
-- pertinax, Oct 04 2020


Yep, polyethylene film.

Cool link!
After reading that I've completely revamped the design in my head and think that an inverted series of stacked umbrella shapes could be made to produce a significantly larger volume of water by covering the entire surface with dabs of silicone and allowing them to dry before inverting.
The bowl shapes would then have much more surface area with these little silicone fingers all pointing skyward.
Water could then run down the central shaft to be dispersed at whim rather than being constrained to a planting pattern determined by the un-inverted tree shape I had in mind.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 04 2020


What would be the benefit of the increased surface area?
-- pertinax, Oct 05 2020


Surface area determines the amount of water which can passively condense within the collector and coupled with the inverted umbrella-tree design maximizes heat loss while minimizing evaporation loss to airflow.

Also, if the individual sections were designed to rotate when wind speeds became dangerous then cetrifugal force would force water outwards and therefore upwards within the bowl causing it to gain weight along its periphery slowing the rotation enough for water to drain back to the central shaft.

Such a system should self-regulate passively keeping the collector from collapse in high winds.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 05 2020


A fractal silicone lattice would work even better than fingers. I am just incapable of constructing the thing I see in my head given the tools in my shed... so to speak.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 06 2020



random, halfbakery