Looking to reduce your time spent your gardening? For anyone that works long hours, is on the road often, or often forgets to water their plants – self-watering planters are the perfect solution!
For those gardeners unfamiliar with this concept or new to gardening, self-watering planters allow plants to absorb water at their own pace. This eliminates the risk of over/under watering of plants preventing mildew, which creates hospitable environment for pests.
Here is the complete low-down on everything you need to know about self-watering planters:
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What are self-watering planters? How do they work?
Self-watering planters consist of containers with in-built water reservoirs. The reservoir waters the plant from bottom up, though many self-watering containers also have the facility for watering from top. Some containers also come with a fertilizer band to feed the plant throughout the season. This makes them convenient for growing flowering plants, herbs and vegetables. Many manufacturers also have designs that can be connected directly to the watering source so the reservoir draws water automatically as it empties out over the days.
Benefits of using self-watering planters
1. Complete elimination of daily watering
Self-watering planters that have a water reservoir allow plants to absorb as much water as they need. This allows you to go as long as 2 weeks between watering. This makes them ideal for students and busy professionals who often have very little time to water plants. Self-watering containers are also suitable for elderly gardeners or people who travel frequently.
2. Self-watering planters are ideal for indoor gardening
Water is a precious resource, which we all need to use carefully. While watering plants is essential to maintain greenery around us, majority of us end up over-watering or under-watering them. The excess water usually gets drained out where it seeps into the soil or creates a runny mess in the patio or balcony. This often prevents us from placing plants indoors on windowsills or furniture. With self-watering planters, this mess can be eliminated as the water reservoir is in built and there is no issue of drainage – making them ideal to be used indoors.
3. They take out the guesswork of how much to water
Excess watering can lead to root rot and mildew which then breeds fungi that could even kill your plant. Similarly, under-watering causes drying of the soil resulting in drooping leaves that are not only sore on the eyes, but also, ultimately, lead to the death of the plant. Self-watering planters take away all the guesswork of watering. The advanced watering systems deliver just the right amount of water needed for the plant’s healthy growth. Many planters also come with a water level indicator that tells you exactly when to fill the reservoir. This helps produce bigger, more vibrant growth than conventional planters.
4. They are easy to use and versatile
Self-watering containers are extremely easy to use. They come with a water supply shaft that makes it easy to add fertilizers and water; so almost anyone can use them. The liner inside the planters can easily be changed making caring for plants and changing plant a child’s play. They can be extremely useful as window planters or garden planters – which are often difficult to maintain for a busy individual.
5. They make ideal gifts
Self-watering planters are available in a wide range of colors and sizes. The mini self-watering planters make an ideal gift on birthdays and special occasions. Since they readily fit in small spaces such as narrow windowsills and tabletops, plant lovers would welcome them.
Self-watering planters are the perfect solution for anyone who wants the beauty of plants without daily maintenance. We hope these benefits will encourage you to try out automating your gardening experience.
Author Bio:
Ankush Gupta is a marketing administrator based in Toronto, Canada. He assists in contributing resourceful content throughout the web and prides himself in his ability to provide high-quality content that readers will find valuable. Follow him on twitter: @ankushguptaTO