Last updated 11 July 2024
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Gardening is a labour of love. In our quest to balance work and travel demands while nurturing lush and thriving plants, self-watering pots are a brilliant ally!
Eh… so what are self watering pots?
These innovative gardening solutions simplify plant care by mimicking natural groundwater systems.
A self-watering pot is usually made up of:
- A 100% Waterproof Outer Pot – this serves as a water reservoir.
- An Inner Pot – this fits perfectly inside the outer pot and has numerous drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
- Water Level Indicator – good models have detachable ones for easy maintenance or at least a transparent “window” for you to monitor water levels.
- Water Transport System – this can be a nylon rope, microfiber cloth, or soil channels to transport water from the reservoir to the roots.
- Overflow Mechanism – an opening to allow excess water to flow out. This function is often found in outdoor self watering pots to avoid waterlogged soil that causes rot root.
Already bought one?
With the theory out of the way, here are some tips to get the most out of your self-watering pots!
1. Craft the Perfect Potting Mix
The success of a self-watering pot largely depends on the soil mix’s ability to wick moisture upwards while avoiding waterlogged soil.
Well-draining soil ensures excess water moves down to the reservoir, preventing root rot.
An example of a good starting soil mix would be 50% volume of standard potting soil with 50% inert materials like perlite, vermiculite, or small leca pebbles (1-4 mm of grain size is ideal). If your soil remains too moist, increase the volume of inert materials to 70%.
Check out our detailed guide here for more recipes of ideal soil mixes for your plants.
2. Opt for Moisture-Loving Plants
Not all plants are created equal when it comes to water needs.
The soil in self-watering pots tends to be slightly moist from the constant drawing of moisture from the pot’s reservoir.
Thus, do consider moisture-loving plants like basil, pandan, Vietnamese coriander, sweet potato, jasmine, and most leafy greens.
3. What about Drought-Loving Plants?
For plants like Mediterranean herbs which prefer soil to dry out completely between waterings, double the share of perlite or inert materials in your potting mix (i.e. 2-3 parts volume of perlite to 1 part of multi-purpose organic potting soil).
When watering these plants, let the soil and the pot’s reservoir become bone dry for a day or two before you water again.
How? Put your finger around 3cm into the soil and it should feel dry.
By optimising your pot mix, the lazy busy Kaya Leaf gardener won’t have to water your plants everyday!
3. Water from the Top Initially, Then Bottom Up
When you first pot your plants, water them from soil surface for the first month to help settle the roots and potting mix. Avoid wetting the leaves and stalks as it raises risk of pests and disease.
When you first sow the seeds and have young seedlings, it’s even more important to water from the top to wet the soil around your plant roots throughly.
Only when the roots are more developed after a month or two should you start watering mainly through the designated opening to fill the water reservoir. This method encourages roots to grow deeper to seek moisture and reduces the risk of diseases associated with damp leaves and stalks.
Every two weeks, you can still give your mature plants a thorough watering from the top to encourage the root system to spread out better.
From Fertiliser, with Love for The Young Ones
For the first first one or two weeks, wetting the seed starter soil around your young seedlings with some organic and diluted water-soluble fertilisers will accelerate their growth. Use a third or half of the recommended fertiliser dose.
Why?
The roots of young seedlings are barely developed. If you bypass the top soil and only add water through the designated hole to fill the pot’s reservoir, the seedlings’ roots will struggle to access nutrients from the dry soil around it.
After one or two months when your plant has at least 3 pairs of real leaves, you can mulch the soil surface with some home made compost or mix in some slow release organic fertiliser.
True story – my bok choy seedlings were dormant for almost 2 months before they suddenly accelerated in growth. I made the mistake of watering directly into the pot reservoir too early.
4. No to Concrete Jungle!
If your pots are sitting on the concrete floor where they receive light for quite a few hours a day, please consider putting the plants on elevated shelves or planter boxes with legs. Why?
Concrete absorbs the sunlight and heats up during the day, and then releases the heat at night to its surroundings, including your plants!
Your plants’ health will be affected as they will effectively be sitting on a barbecue rack!
5. Prevent Mosquito Breeding with a Simple Hack
Prevent your self-watering pots from becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes!
If there isn’t a built in cover, block the reservoir opening with a cut-up piece of sponge.
This simple yet effective measure allows water to pass through while blocking mosquitoes, ensuring your gardening efforts are both successful and safe.
6. Choose Organic Fertilisers or Compost for Healthier Plants
Nutrients are vital for plant growth, but water-soluble nutrients can be flushed out of self-watering pots over time.
To replenish these nutrients, opt for organic fertilisers derived from natural sources like fish emulsion, seaweed, or compost tea. These fertilisers provide plants with a balanced diet, promoting vigorous growth without the harsh chemicals found in synthetic options.
You can make your own water soluble eco-enzyme fertiliser using our guide here!
Even better, use your own home made compost or store bought ones which will always be better for your plants in the long run.
Conclusion
Self-watering pots are generally quite idiot-proof but we hope these tips will further maximise your chances of a successful edible garden, all in a modest urban and tropical space!
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