Self-watering plant pots vs pots that drain

[Stephen Tashi]

Common directions for putting plants into pots says the pots must have drain holes so that the roots of the plants don't "drown". How is this problem avoided in the "self watering" type of pot where there is a reservoir of water at the bottom of the pot and and a cylinder filled with soil that wicks moisture up from the reservoir? Do the roots of the plant never grow into the cylinder? - Or are the plants re-planted elsewhere before this can happen?

 

[mcastillo356]

Hi, @Stephen Tashi, google it. I typed "self watering plant care". There are a lot of ideas, advice... And ads, of course

 

[Fervent Freyja]

Yes, the roots can grow into the outer pot and it can cause them to rot. I would only use self-watering pots for plants that require a lot of moisture or for plants that will be harvested.

 

[JT Smith]

I recently set up self-watering for a basil plant before going away for a long week. I just stuck the pot in a larger plastic basin which I added a bunch of water to. I figured that as long as the water level in the outer basin wasn't too high the roots would not be soaked. Instead the water would wick up "as needed". I think that's the tricky part though -- what is needed by the plant?

Reading about the various self-watering schemes online I got the sense that there's a certain amount of tuning required, depending on the plant and the environment. I felt lucky that the basil plant was alive and well when we got home. Since then I've left it in that plastic basin and every 3-4 days I add some water to it. I wouldn't do this with our cactuses though. I suspect that wouldn't be good for them.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

How is this problem avoided in the "self watering" type of pot where there is a reservoir of water at the bottom of the pot and and a cylinder filled with soil that wicks moisture up from the reservoir?

Better self-watering pots can be designed if some electronics is employed: a soil moisture sensor, a mini water pump, a microcontroller (like ATmega8A) programmed with Arduino, a 9V battery and a positive voltage regulator (like LM7805) should be able to get the job done.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

I recently set up self-watering for a basil plant before going away for a long week. I just stuck the pot in a larger plastic basin which I added a bunch of water to. I figured that as long as the water level in the outer basin wasn't too high the roots would not be soaked. Instead the water would wick up "as needed". I think that's the tricky part though -- what is needed by the plant?

Reading about the various self-watering schemes online I got the sense that there's a certain amount of tuning required, depending on the plant and the environment. I felt lucky that the basil plant was alive and well when we got home. Since then I've left it in that plastic basin and every 3-4 days I add some water to it. I wouldn't do this with our cactuses though. I suspect that wouldn't be good for them.

Frequent water changes are still needed for self-watering planters. Stagnant water becomes deoxygenated and serves as a breeding ground for pests and fungus. I have some plants that I grow purely in water, I will either top off the container or blow air into it to stir things up when it isn't due for a change.

Have you tried the Picturethis app? It's the best. You can take photos of your plants and get an ID with light/food/water requirements, as well as a diagnosis on any issues that the algorithm picks up in the photo. You can create your own albums as well. It's helpful in creating schedules for watering specific types of plants.

For your basil plant, you can sit it in a tray of water and allow it to slowly soak up just what is needed over a couple of hours. Whatever water is left in the tray isn't needed.