Sand Base of Subirrigation Nursery Pot

This depicts the method I've used for many years of starting nursery plants in trays that get filled about an inch or so with water which wicks up through saturated sand and into the organic material of the potting soil. The plants are never dehydrated and free to grow roots as shallow or deep into the zones of moisture as they prefer. I'll often see roots extending far out of the pots into the water. It's a delicate balance to prevent rot, and keep the levels right. But just like in very high tech aquaponics, it's possible to maintain a healthy constant moisture supply to plants from below.