FIELDWELL / learning sample A product learning lesson · about 8–10 minutes

Wick One · adviser desk lesson

Show where the water goes.

Understand the water path, demonstrate setup and explain what customers need to check.

Fictional learning sample. Product and rules are illustrative examples.

Understand the path

Water moves up through a connection.

Water is stored below the liner. A wick carries it into the potting mix, where the plant’s roots can take up moisture. Explore the cutaway to see how these parts connect.

Water moves from a bowl into the tiny spaces in an absorbent strip, wetting it above the water level.
A familiar connectionWhen a paper towel touches water, moisture spreads through its tiny spaces. The planter’s wick works in a similar way; it does not measure the plant’s needs.
How the planter connects water and mixCutaway, not to scale. A connected leafy stem meets roots below the mix surface. The removable liner stays above MAX. A continuous absorbent wick runs from beneath the roots through the liner base into the lower reservoir. MAX

  1. Reservoir

    The reservoir is the water store in the outer pot, below the liner. Its visible MAX mark is an upper fill limit, not a target to exceed.

  2. Wick

    The absorbent wick connects the reservoir water to the mix. Its lower end must reach water and its upper end must sit in the mix beneath the root ball. Wetting a wick cannot bridge a gap.

  3. Potting mix

    The mix surrounds the roots. Suitable container mix needs to hold moisture while still allowing air and drainage. Mixes and plant needs vary.

  4. Roots

    Water reaches the roots through the mix. Check the mix itself as well as the reservoir; the water level alone does not tell you whether the plant needs a refill.

First setup

Make the connection, then check it.

This setup uses a moisture-preferring foliage plant and compatible potting mix. Follow the instructions for the model you are demonstrating.

Cutaway of the empty liner: the damp wick passes through its base, leaving an upper end inside and a free lower tail

Prepare

Inspect and prepare

Check that the intended plant and mix suit this model. Wet the supplied wick and fit it through the liner.

Connected roots sit below the mix surface; the upper wick end lies beneath them and the lower tail hangs outside the liner

Plant

Place the wick beneath the root ball

Lightly moisten appropriate potting mix. Keep the wick’s upper end in the mix beneath the root ball and its lower end free. Plant without burying the stem.

The outer reservoir is filled to MAX while the planted liner sits beside it on a tray, with its loose wick tail resting on the tray

Fill

Fill to the limit

Set the liner on a tray. Fill the outer reservoir no higher than MAX and remove excess water before returning the liner.

The liner rests on its supports with the wick touching reservoir water and extending into the mix

Seat and check

Confirm both ends reach

Reseat the liner on its supports. Check that its lower wick end reaches water and its upper end reaches the mix. The mix remains above the reservoir.

Try a customer situation

Notice what needs attention.

Choose the action you would recommend to the customer. Read the explanation, then try again if you want to reconsider.

Scenario AThe reservoir is filled to MAX, but the wick’s lower end hangs above the water. What should the adviser recommend?
Scenario BThe reservoir is low, but the potting mix still feels wet. What is the best response?

Practice only; not a grade or certification.

Explain it in your own words

“Does it water the plant for me? Could I leave it for two weeks?”

Write a brief explanation you could give to a customer. You may use your own notes instead. Anything you type stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Reveal a model response and self-check

Example response

“The reservoir stores water below the liner, and the wick carries it into the potting mix when it reaches both. We still check the mix and reservoir against the plant’s care needs. I can’t promise it will last two weeks.”

Review your explanation

  • Did you describe the path from reservoir through wick to mix?
  • Did you mention that the wick needs physical contact with water and mix?
  • Did you avoid promising a duration and say to keep checking?

Compare and revise for yourself. Your writing is not automatically scored.

Keep nearby

Need a quick reminder?

Open the Wick One desk reference ↗