Container gardening is a great choice for homeowners, who like the hobby but don’t have a huge yard or garden to support the same. If you are trying to grow plants at home, you have to think beyond regular pots, and that’s where a self watering planter can be handy. In this post, we are sharing more on self-watering planters and things you must know before buying one.
What exactly are self-watering planters?
Contrary to what the name may suggest, a self-watering planter doesn’t really water the plant itself. It relies on a watering system, including a pump and a reservoir at the bottom, offering the moisture that the plant needs to grow. With self-watering planters and containers, you don’t have to water your plants frequently, but can be assured of natural growth. The best self-watering planters are hydroponic devices that can be used indoors. The components of the device include a water talk, flowering pots with baskets, a LED light source, a charging cable and a specific kind of control panel. Note that not all self-watering planters are same, so you have to do your homework right.
How to get the setup done?
Most manufacturers will mention how to set up your self-watering planter, but in general, no extra tools are required. You will need some of hydroponic media though, such as soil, coconut coir or even pebbles made of clay. Depending on the size of the planter, you can plant a certain number of plants, and the ones that need more of light should be placed close to the source of light, which is the LED. As we mentioned, there will be a control panel with advanced self-watering planters, so you can adjust the light source and other things as required. Some planters also have a water dripping system, which allows water to drip on the plants at regular intervals, so on a day when you cannot really water your plants, you don’t have to worry about growth.
Features to look for
Beyond the basic things we just talked about, many self-watering planters also have special sensors that will set off alarms for specific situations. For instance, if the water level is too high or too low, you can expect to get an alarm. The irrigation interval can be manually adjusted as required, and at the right time, the pump will turn on. Check if the panel for controls is easy to use.
Tips on using self-watering planters
Self-watering planters are ideal for growing specific kind of plants, specially herbs, salad greens and selected flowering plants. The product you choose needs to be easy to use, because that’s the whole point of using a self-watering planter. You don’t want something that requires too many adjustments or more of personal attention. The number of plants you can grow in a container is also something to consider. We would recommend that you select a planter that can accommodate at least six to eight plants.
Online stores may have incredible offers on self-watering planters, so check for options now!
