The concept of self-watering containers
The science behind self-watering pots is called capillary action, the same process by which roots absorb water from soil. Roots spread throughout the pots to absorb the water for their needs.
This simple invention helps busy people, travel lovers grow plants without feeling stressed about underwatering.
The concept of self-watering pots is simple: a pot with thread in the bottom and a tray in the bottom to store water. The thread acts like roots, absorbing water from the bottom tray and transferring it to the upper layer of the pot filled with soil.
Why proper watering is crucial for container gardens
If you are wondering what is the role of water in plants. Water is a lifeline for plants. Water helps to structure the plant, cell growth, carrier of nutrients to plant, raw material for photosynthesis and temperature regulation.
Plants’ healthy growth depends on only a few important factors like the right soil mix, sunlight and proper watering. In container gardening the space is limited so the need for proper watering is more important than ground gardening.
How self-watering containers simplify the watering process
Not only busy people, but gardeners who have a huge collection of plants gain benefits from self-watering pots by saving time and energy. Some of us buy plants and forget to water them for many reasons, those self-watering pots are a lifesaver for a plant. Sometimes, you’ve to travel frequently so watering plants is not possible. Even if you have hardy plants they become dull and lifeless after a few days. With the help of self-watering pots, you can keep your hardy plants alive for around 10 days with some techniques.
1. WHAT ARE SELF-WATERING CONTAINERS?
Self-watering pots contain three parts or layers. The pot has drainage holes, a cotton thread or wick cord (basically water-absorbing thread) that connects within the soil and a bottom tray with space to store water. There are various designs, patterns, shapes and colours of self-watering pots available in the market but this is the definition of self-watering pots and how it works.
How self-watering pots work
These pots have two functions: a water reservoir and a wicking system. The water reservoir represents the bottom pot or attachment that stores water.
A wicking system is a cotton thread or wicking cord that absorbs the water from the bottom tray and stores water. The soil absorbs that water from the thread.
Types of self-watering containers
DIY
If you don’t want to spend money on self-watering pots, the DIY option is simple: Buy a wicking cord, cut it to fit in the pot and bottom tray, and put it in a separate bowl of water. You can also use the bowl of water-to-water multiple plants.
Store-bought options
You can buy from stores and online shops., the only thing you have to make sure of is the self-watering mechanisms work properly. And whatever the pot you’ve to follow the pot size rule 2-inch bigger than the root ball. Choose materials based on your weather conditions, aesthetic preference and budget.
Plastic Self-watering pots are lightweight, durable and a more affordable choice than other material self-watering pots, this is also the best option when you want to try self-watering for the first time. Ceramic self-watering planters are preferable for aesthetic appeal and as a way to add a decorative touch.
Self-watering Planter Boxes are a good choice for growing larger shrubs and dwarf trees for outdoor use. These Planters give Hedge planting-like look. These planters are preferable for multiple planting. Hanging Self-Watering Pots helps to keep the hanging plants hydrated for several days, sometimes we forget to water hanging plants and this self-watering solves that underwatering issue.
2. BENEFITS OF USING SELF-WATERING CONTAINERS
Water Conservation: Reduced water waste
In self-watering pots, we pour a limited quantity of water into the bottom pot or reservoir. The wicking cord only absorbs the water when it is dry. So, no water wastage and no water is spilling while watering your plants. Self-watering pots are highly beneficial for people with water shortages or people who have limited access to water.
Consistent Moisture: Avoiding Overwatering & Underwatering
Maintaining certain moisture levels is of difficult task for gardeners. Sometimes, we overwater and underwater also. To avoid these issues self-watering containers are helpful, they only absorb needed water from the water reservoir so no over or under-watering.
Apart from these reasons some of the famous Houseplants love moisture they prefer a well-drain potting mix but they need little moisture always. Plants like Ferns, Peace lilies, Elephant ears, Caladium and Hosta’s are moist-loving plants you can switch self-watering pots for these house plants to keep them thriving.
Reduced maintenance: Ideal for Busy gardeners
Not everyone has devoted time to gardening, some of you are pro gardeners or full-time home gardeners passionate about gardening. Some of you want to grow plants with a busy lifestyle you can do gardening and other gardening-related work at weekends or free time. But Watering is not a weekly task, and cannot be rescheduled based on our work.
Watering is a lifeline for plants, so if you are planning to set up a new garden as a busy bee choose self-watering pots instead of normal plant pots to keep your plant hydrated and reduce the watering frequency. If you already have a garden with pots, consider self-watering pots while upgrading or buying new pots.
Improved plant health: Steady supply of water
Using Self-watering pots make sure the water supply is steady. To Understand why watering is important to plants, you have to know the water’s function in plant growth. Water is an essential raw material for photosynthesis, without water Photosynthesis slows down. Water is a Nutrient Transport; it helps to dissolve the nutrients in the soil making it easier to absorb by roots.
Water maintains Turgor pressure in plant cells that helps to keep the plant upright and firm, that way you see wilting and dull plants while underwatering. Water helps to maintain a Cool Temperature through the process called transpiration where water evaporates from leaves (like sweating).
Consistent moisture helps Root Development, creating deeper and stronger roots to access the water and nutrients from the soil. Well-hydrated plants are generally more disease-resistant, Drought-stressed plants are more vulnerable to pest and diseases.
3. HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SELF-WATERING CONTAINER
Choosing the right self-watering pots is not a tough task to accomplish, you’ve to look at some important things and tick the box before buying any pots. Just match these tips with the product description.
Size and material: Match the container size plant needs
The one thing about pot size and plant size is, that gardeners think they need to plant over-sized pots to reduce the watering frequency and repotting. If you plant a small plant into an over-sized pot the potting mix holds more moisture and nutrients than the needed quantity leading to root rot or plant burn.
Some of you planted in smaller pots, without repotting for a longer time which creates root-bound and underwatering issues. The right size for any plant is 2 inches bigger than root ball, pot sizes shouldn’t be calculated by plant size.
No plants need alternate weeks repotting, a plant needs to report a bare minimum of 3-4 months once repot if the plant is fast growing. The material of the self-watering pot can be chosen based on your climate, humidity and your plant type ideal materials.
Reservoir capacity: Choose based on plant type and climate
If you are in cold and wet climate countries you don’t need a large quantity of water reservoir because the humidity is naturally high in cold and wet countries. If you’re in dry and hot countries choose a large-capacity water reservoir because the plants need more water in dry and hot weather.
If your plants love moisture and need stable watering and the place you place the plant does not impact the outdoor weather you’ve to choose a large quantity reservoir.
Drainage considerations: Importance of good drainage
Self-watering pots made for balanced watering no underwater and no overwatering. To check these features in self-watering pots, ensure drainage and waterlogging. A large pot causes over-saturation so choose the right-sized pot. Drainage holes ensure the excess water is drained out so there is no waterlogging.
The wicked system (Fabric, tube, cord) is key to water drawn to plants, so make sure the wicking system is working properly. To make a self-watering pot better, add leca balls or gravel to the bottom of the plant pot so the roots have better aeration. To prevent algae or any stink in pots, clean the reservoir for at least 2-3 months.
Design options: Aesthetic choices and how to integrate them into your garden
Ceramic and terracotta give a natural earth feel and add rustic looks to the interior. Glass and acrylic finish pots are minimalist and you can have colour options that can be blended with your home decor. Metallic finish pots or metal pots add a piece of luxury to the home.
Choose the colour that can blend with your house interiors and home decor theme. Sometimes, you’ve to choose pots based on the spots of the house.
4. DIY SELF-WATERING CONTAINERS: STEP BY STEP GUIDE
Double pot self-watering
- The materials needed for DIY self-watering pots are simply a pot with a drainage hole.
- a pot without a drainage hole that is an inch smaller than an upper pot visible pot is preferable.
- an absorbing cord or fabric, you can buy a wicking cord or use any good quality cotton fabric and roll them as a cord.
- Choose the right pot size based on the above details.
- And fit the pot with holes inside the pot without a drainage hole.
- Check the gap between the two pots and make sure there is enough space to store water and that the two pots are not touching.
- Insert the wicking cord in a pot with a drainage hole, a small portion in the underlayer and a bigger portion in the upper pot.
- Add gravel in the bottom of the pot with drainage holes that are good for drainage.
Recycled material Self-watering pots
- To use recycled materials like old plastic bottles, and glass jars as self-watering pots you’ve little creativity to do that.
- To use beverage bottles as self-watering pots, cut the top layer of the bottle in the above picture add a hole put a wicking cord and put the upper layer in the bottom layer shown in the picture.
- To use a Glass jar as a self-watering pot, choose an upper layer pot that can fit in the mouth of the glass jar, and cut the lengthy wicking cord that can be reached till the glass jar’s bottom.
- Make sure the jar can hold the pot or use support to hold a pot like a stand.
5. COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID WITH SELF-WATERING POTS
- Overfilling the water reservoir is a mistake that fills the gap between the reservoir and the pot it creates aeration problems
- Heavy potting mix creates soil compaction and less oxygen flow inside the potting mix, roots struggle to penetrate.
- Neglect to add an aeration layer to better aeration you should add gravel, broken terracotta pieces or leca balls underneath the potting mix in the top layer pot.
- Ignoring the water level in the water reservoir. Leaving them empty means you forgot to water the plant. Non-visible water reservoir faces this issue often because we can’t see the water levels.
- Wrong plants in self-watering pots also lead to chaos, choosing plants that don’t like moisture like Snake plants in self-watering pots bad idea. Most of the drought-tolerant plants don’t like moist soil.
- Forgot to clean the water reservoir leads to algae buildup and bad smell.
- Forgot the wicking system, not checking wicking cords once in a while leads to clogs, changing the wicking cord if the cord is fabric or thread, check for if the wicking system is pipes.
- Seasonal changes, changes in the water levels based on seasons important.
CONCLUSION
The benefits and uses of self-watering differ from person to person. This Blog helps to match your needs and find the right self-watering pots. These pots help to reduce frequent watering, maintain stable moisture levels in soil, prevent drought stress and improve plant health.
Self-watering pots help busy gardeners and travel lovers also grow plants without worrying about watering. Try these self-watering pots for efficient gardening. Tell me about your experience with the self-watering pot in the comments section. And let me what kind of gardening product you wanna know about.
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