Tuesday 27 January 2015

Do it yourself - self watering plant pot

Things are all fine until we go for holidays for our plants especially the indoor beauties. I have tried self-watering plastic bottles with cotton wicks while away on holidays and it had served the purpose very well. 

Recently I began researching more about organic vegetable growing that led me to self-watering plant pots. Read a lot about watering, organic manures, organic pests repellents, organic seeds etc. There are plenty of commercial plant pots that are self-watering but expensive. So I thought of making one like this one with materials available locally.

Here is a plastic plant pot. I have kept two stones inside so that the square blue plastic sheet you will find below will fit perfectly about an inch above the base of this pot. Holes were put on this blue sheet and two cotton wicks inserted. Below this water will be collected and above this blue sheet good quality soil, cocopeat, vermicompost, and a little neem cake powder were put. 

A small hole was also put on the brick colored plant pot about an inch above the base so that excess water may be drained out. I have not fixed a plastic tube that extends from the top of the soil to the base reservoir because this is a small pot and I am quite sure that I can control watering this plant to prevent overflow and over-watering. For bigger pots, it is better to use a plastic tube to pour water that reaches directly the reservoir at the base so that the source of water is at the base and water absorption takes place from below. No topsoil watering in this case. Also no need to keep the plant pot on a base plate here to collect excess water like we do in normal plant pots if we can control watering.

As you know cocopeat has great water retention properties. Neem cake prevents pests invasion and Vermicompost is rich in plant nutrients. The excess water that we pour together with the nutrients will collect in the reservoir. It will be absorbed by the wick by capillary action and enters the soil.

So this should work for 3 - 5 days even if we are not available at home to feed these beauties. For more days go for bigger pots and reservoirs.

You are all familiar with the second plant๐Ÿ˜Š  It is an easy-care indoor plant that figured in NASA's list of awesome indoor plants which purify indoor air.

But what about the first dark green plant?
Please name it๐Ÿ˜Š

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28 comments:

Joy said...

very creative:) Sorry, I don't know the name of the other plants:)

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thanks Joy :)

Birgitta said...

Cool and creative :)

Dawna said...

I could definitely use a self watering plant pot!

ariverflowsby said...

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

Blackswan said...

I'm impressed, Rajiv! I don't have green plants like my mom. I'm really afraid of ants in my home........

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thanks Birgitta :)

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Give it a try Dawna :)

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thanks Richard :)

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thanks, Shirley :)
Little bit of natural greenery inside homes is soothing.
Many common indoor plants got featured on NASA's list of plants that improve indoor air quality and remove toxic gases.
I have added a little Neem cake to prevent ants problem. I never had any such issues.

Sherry Ellis said...

Impressive! I could use one of those when I'm on vacation.

Haddock said...

I must try this out. Wonder if dry neem leaves will ward off the ants.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thank you, Sherry :)
Try it out.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

The leaves may act as a mild repellent.
Thanks for this good comment.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thank you :)
If used carefully this works well.

stardust said...

Home-made self-watering pot is ideal; inexpensive and useful. And you must have had feeling of accomplishment.

Yoko

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Yep, it is working good.
Thanks Yoko.

Birgitta said...

Thank you!

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

You welcome...

George said...

I really like your home-made self-watering flower pot. I need to make a couple of these for our house.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

cool...well, you could easily buy one from a dealer...will be easily available over there.
Thanks George :)

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

aahaa..very handy post ! thanks for the tips. will try out.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

:) why not....
Thanks.

Beate said...

That is an awesome idea! Thank you for sharing! :)

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Thank you so much Beate :)
Honored by your comment :)

Giga said...

Good idea. I have a lot of green plants in the house and I go quite often, so this way is good. Regards.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Try, it should work cool...
Thanks Giga :)

jessica said...

I really like money plants it looks beautiful in your house.I have 7 money plants in my house.