Self-Watering Pot

A self-watering pot is two pots in one. The plant sits in an inner pot with a drainage hole and a cotton wick. Below it, the outer pot holds a reservoir of water. The wick draws water up into the soil as the soil dries, so the roots get a steady supply instead of a flood followed by a drought.

Ours have a small window in the side so you can see the water level at a glance, and a fill spout at the rim so you can top up the reservoir without lifting the plant.

At a glance

• Material: matte recycled plastic, inner pot and outer reservoir.
• Reservoir: lasts one to two weeks for most plants, depending on size and season.
• Sizes: 5, 7 and 9 inches across.
• Price: $18 to $34.

Which plants it suits

Self-watering pots are made for plants that want soil that stays lightly moist and sulk when it dries out. A calathea is the best example: steady moisture is most of what it needs, and the reservoir delivers it. A Boston fern is another good match, as are most ferns and many flowering plants.

They are the wrong choice for succulents, cacti and any plant that needs to dry out completely between drinks. For those, constant moisture leads to rot.

Setting it up

• Pot the plant into the inner pot with fresh soil, threading the wick up through the drainage hole into the middle of the root ball.
• Water from the top for the first two weeks, so the roots grow down toward the wick.
• After that, fill the reservoir through the spout and let the wick do the work.
• Let the reservoir run dry for a day or two before refilling, so the roots get some air.
• Pour water through the soil from the top once a month to flush out mineral buildup.

A reservoir makes watering less frequent, not unnecessary. It is still worth knowing when to water and what dry soil feels like, because the pot cannot tell you when the reservoir is empty.