Self-Watering Planters

Container gardening is one way to grow food in small spaces or in areas with poor soil quality. One of the biggest problems with container gardening is the need for frequent watering.

This is especially true for gardeners in areas with hot, dry weather, or when you want to go on vacation. Switching to self-watering planters means your plants always have access to the water they need without sitting in soggy soil.

On the other hand, overwatering is probably one of the most common ways people accidentally kill their plants. [If you see fungus gnats, you are probably overwatering.]

You can prevent both problems by using self-watering containers.

​Self-watering planters are an excellent way to conserve water while keeping your plants healthy. They also make fertilizing your plants simple. This is because the water is underneath the soil instead of being poured on top.

Self-watering planters hold water in the base.

Self-watering plant containers feature a water reservoir below the soil, separated by a perforated platform. The platform keeps the soil out of the water but allows roots access to the water supply. Being relatively sealed under the soil, water evaporation is significantly reduced, while providing your plants with all the water they need.

You can make your own self-watering plant container out of a pair of discarded 5-gallon food-grade buckets by drilling one larger hole and several smaller holes in the bottom of one bucket. Insert a piece of tubing into the larger hole and place that bucket inside the other one. Fill the bucket with potting soil. You add water through the larger hole, and the roots will work their way through the smaller holes to reach the water.

​You can make smaller versions of the same thing using a variety of food-grade materials. Just look online or at your local library. If you decide to buy ready-made self-watering planters,  be sure to choose those made with food-grade quality materials. You don’t want to grow food in toxic containers.

DIY self-watering container (Gamzeyaavor)

​When it is time to feed your plants, simply dilute the fertilizer in water and add it to the water reservoir. Your plants’ roots will pull those nutrients in and thrive!