i use a layer of reflective insulation as mulch and polypropylene webbing to draw water up into the fabric pots from the reservoir. i've found to keep the soil level to half the height of the pot diameter, which when combined with the plastic mulch should produce a wet/dry ring (see picture) on top of the soil. top dressing at the first sign of flower produced a crazy upward root explosion last fall on my balcony, although by then i was watering from the top because i didn't put enough wicks out to make up for the extra water loss from being outside and the plants had gotten too big (after i realized i needed to top water) for me to try to add more
for a small indoor grow though wicking pots are awesome. i do all of my soil mixing and potting in the kitchen and bathroom. all i do in the tent is point a modified watering can/hose/wand thingy at the reservoirs to water. also it is nice because the plants can be easily moved from reservoir to reservoir
in flower though it is true watering is more frequent, although still better than hand watering. since i make a flowering soil mix there is no need to top dress, maybe only when re-potting mother plants. good thing about fabric pots is you can trim them down and still have enough left to fold over, and then unfold if you add top dressing, it's just about keeping the soil ratio to half height to width and the plastic mulch layer. although, as the plant grows, i found i can keep adding layers of soil to the top, and then i will add an extra wick to the bottom. this way i can keep a mother plant in the same pot for a while before repotting. plants go root bound in fabric pots different than in solid pots, if root bound is what to call it. more like, the roots overtake the viable soil in density in the root ball, and then things slow down etc and then time to add fresh soil
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