The same is true indoors. You’ll find that many self-watering planters come with a bottom saucer to collect an overflow of water. This prevents plants from sitting in water, which eventually could cause root rot. Look for pots with drainage holes to account for overwatering by mistake. The impressive 6-gallon reservoir is located all along the bottom of the planter box. Depending on how many plants you have and their stage of growth, this can last a few days or a few weeks. It includes a water level indicator and reservoir fill spout at one end. While it can be used indoors without worrying about damage, it is designed for outdoor use and larger growing needs. It is also heavy to move once it is assembled and filled with water and soil. We recommend putting it together as close to its final home in your yard as possible. It’s possible to overwater your plants if your self-watering planter does not allow a way for excess water to drain. All planters should have an overflow mechanism that allows water to drain out if the reservoir is filled to full. This is especially important for those planters placed outside. After a rainfall, excess water needs a place to go.

With indoor plants, you want to be sure not to plant them in a pot that is too large. Myers explains that the planter should be about an inch or two larger than the root ball as most indoor plants don’t like a lot of excess soil.Made of weather-resistant cedar, the CedarCraft Self-Watering Elevated planter makes it easy to water outdoor plants without having to kneel, bend over, or reach up to take down a hanging planter. You can use it for seedlings all the way through most mature plants. It requires some assembly, but its tongue-and-groove construction minimizes the need for tools. Most homeowners will have what they need on hand to put this handy planter box together. There are a range of sizes and shapes of indoor and outdoor self-watering planters to suit the space or plant that will go inside of it. Select a planter that is proportional to your plant, which is most likely the same size of the pot it came in from the garden center or about two inches larger so that it has room to grow. Whether you're a longtime horticulture enthusiast or new to the houseplant game, these nine self-watering planters will keep your greens happy and thriving. What to Consider This planter is designed to sit on your window sill, so measure before purchasing to make sure your sill is wide enough to hold the planter. If you love to cook with herbs, this is the best self-watering planter for you. The fluid lines of this planter complement the natural look of your plants while the matte white finish doesn’t draw too much attention from the star of the show. There are three sizes to choose from, and the largest size measures 10 inches in diameter; that’s enough space to hold a small tree, such as fiddle leaf figs, or a monstera. West Elm makes a complementary line of home decor in this line, including planters in other sizes as well as tabletop centerpieces and vases. You can create a grouping for a larger impact or let individual planters make a style statement on their own.

The water reservoir takes up half the space, so you won’t need to worry about having to use a ton of soil. The water capacity is 128 ounces, which lasts from a few days to a few weeks, depending on your plants. If you have it outside where it can collect rainwater, all you need to do is monitor the drainage holes to see whether you should add water. When you see water running out of the drain, you know the reservoir is full. Refill frequency really depends on how much light the plant is getting, how healthy the plant is, and what type of plant is in the container,” Besheer says. Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab as well as a trained cook and a published recipe developer. She has a grand diplome in classic culinary arts from the former French Culinary Institute and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the former Natural Gourmet Institute, now both known as the Institute of Culinary Education. The advantages of self-watering planters are invaluable for those who frequently travel, go away for the weekend, or are swamped with the demands of daily life; these small to large outdoor plant pots are a smart system you won't be able to live without once it's set up. Whether it's a spontaneous trip or the occasional forgetfulness, these planters ensure your plants remain vibrant and healthy, eliminating the worry of returning home to wilted or parched flowers or produce. Contemporary and chic, the Glowpear Self-Watering Urban Garden Planter is the right size to grow a handful of plants while fitting on a small outdoor patio. With this planter, you can grow vegetables, fruit, herbs, plants, flowers, and even take indoor plants outdoors since it comes with a clip-on drip tray.This ceramic tray allows you to easily get started on your garden indoors. Plant vegetables, flowers, or even start a mini indoor herb garden with the Judith Bloom Seed Starter Tray. Capacity: When choosing an indoor herb garden, consider how many herbs you want to grow and whether you'd like to experiment with other greens (like lettuce). Indoor herb gardens can grow as few as three plants to over 30. Keep in mind that the more herbs you want to grow, the bigger the device and the more space it takes up.

Made from polyethylene, the container is chemically inactive, BPA free, phthalate free, and safe for growing edible garden vegetables. The 2-gallon self-watering planter has drainage holes to prevent overwatering, and it has casters so you can easily wheel it around your patio if need be. For a neutral look that lets your plant shine, you can’t go wrong with this minimalist design from Fox & Fern. While pricey, it’s made of high-quality materials that look at home in your living room or shared office space. The proprietary fiberstone is lightweight enough to move around if needed and UV-resistant. Even if you have a sun-loving plant that needs to be by a window, you can rest assured knowing this pot will maintain its color and finish.Watering globes: the most low-tech, high-reward option on the market, watering globes are an incredibly simple self-watering solution. Designed to slowly release water through a long, thin stem which is speared into the soil, watering globes can hold up to two weeks’ worth of water for your plants. Particularly thirsty plants such as ferns will soak up water through their roots as and when they need it – an action known as sub-irrigation. Watering globes are particularly fantastic, low-cost solution if you’re going on holiday for a week or two. You can find plenty of seed starting kits that include soil, seeds, and plastic trays for single-use, but if you are looking for a self-watering planter that you can use year after year, we recommend the Judith Bloom Seed Starter Tray. Aside from being reusable, we love this seed-starting tray's modern, stylish design, and we think it will look great on any kitchen countertop or table. Made of terra cotta and ceramic material, this planter is available in two colors: white/terra cotta, and gray/terra cotta. To use this planter, simply fill the reservoir in the bottom before potting your plants. Once they are planted, water the plants, as usual. Any excess water collects at the bottom of the reservoir or drains out the drainage holes. The plant can access the collected water with its roots when needed. This is an indoor/outdoor planter but is particularly great for outdoor use, due to the included drainage holes. When it rains, and excess water abounds, it simply drains out the bottom after enough has been stored in the reservoir. If you keep the reservoir full, it won’t be a problem,” Myers says. “But if you let it go too dry, just be sure to fill it up soon. You don’t want to be filling the reservoir everyday since that defeats the purpose. But do be sure to monitor it.” Lighting: Window herb planters are a simple, affordable option, but maybe don't include a grow light — which means, you'll need to consider sunlight conditions in your home. Some herb gardens feature lighting that can manually switch on and off, while others have self-timers that operate according to schedule.