Blumat

Blumat does something in this shop that nothing else does: watering with no power, no timer and no pump. The brand sits in two places, and those two belong together in a way neither category shows on its own. The watering system is with the growing systems, and the measuring instrument that works on exactly the same physics is with the meters.

The system

Under Growing Systems sits nearly all of it: Tropf sensors singly, by the box and as a trial set, the Maxi sensor for larger pots, the ready-made 3 and 10 metre sets, and the houseplant version for single pots indoors. Alongside that, the whole supply side: 8 mm tubing in white and black by the metre and on rolls up to 100 metres, 3 mm drip tubing, T-pieces in 3 and 8 mm and in the mixed 8 to 3 version, connectors, elbows, end pieces, the tank feed-through, the tap connector, the pressure reducer, the soil stake, the securing clip and the bottle adapters.

The meter, and why it sits apart

Under Measuring and Control sits the Digital Tensiometer with a protective cap. It does not water anything; it measures how hard the soil is pulling on the water, and that is the same quantity a Tropf sensor opens its valve on. One part ties the two together outright: the extender is listed for both the Digital Tensiometer and the Tropf-Blumat Maxi. If you want to know whether your system is set correctly, the meter is the tool that shows you.

What people forget on a first order

The pressure reducer. Blumat runs on low pressure, and a mains connection without a reducer is a different situation from a tank running on gravity. Then look at tubing size: 8 mm is the supply, 3 mm goes to the plant, and the step between them is exactly what the end pieces and the mixed T-pieces exist for. Be generous estimating tubing length, because the rolls run to 100 metres precisely because a real layout eats more than you expect.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need power for a Blumat system?
No. The sensor opens and closes on the moisture tension in the soil. Only the Digital Tensiometer is an electronic instrument, and it does not water anything.

Can I connect Blumat to the mains tap?
There is an 8 mm tap connector, and then watch the pressure: the pressure reducer is listed for a reason.

What is the difference between the plain Tropf sensor and the Maxi?
The Maxi is the version for larger pots and comes with longer tubing. The extender that goes with it also fits the Digital Tensiometer.