Estimated Delivery between October 19 and October 21.
A pot that waters itself from below.
Water sits in the clear reservoir underneath, and a cotton rope draws it up into the potting mix as the plant uses it. You fill through a port on the side, glance at the reservoir to see where the level is, and top it up when it runs low.
Four sizes from 3 in to 9.3 in across (8.2 to 23.5 cm), in white or gray, each with one cotton wicking rope. It suits the plants that suffer most from an irregular schedule — pothos, peace lilies, herbs on a kitchen counter.
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HomeSelf-Watering Planter with Cotton Wick, 4 Sizes
A cotton rope draws water up from a clear reservoir underneath, and you fill it through a port on the side.
Most houseplants are not killed by neglect so much as by an irregular rhythm: a drought, then a flood, then another drought. Pothos, peace lilies and kitchen herbs all sulk after a dry spell and take a while to recover.
Wicking evens that out. A cotton rope runs from the potting mix down into the reservoir, and moisture travels up it gradually as the mix dries, rather than arriving all at once when you remember.
Because the reservoir is clear you can see the level without lifting the pot, and because you fill through a side port there is nothing running out over a shelf.
Thread the cotton rope through the hole in the base of the inner basket, leaving a tail long enough to reach the bottom of the reservoir.
Add potting mix on top of the rope, then plant as you normally would.
Water thoroughly from the top once. This settles the mix and wets the rope so wicking can start.
Fill the reservoir through the side port.
Top it up when the level runs low, and water from the top occasionally to flush the mix.
Small: 3 in across, 4.4 in tall (8.2 x 11.3 cm)
Medium: 4 in across, 5.4 in tall (10.5 x 13.8 cm)
Large: 6 in across, 7 in tall (15.3 x 18.2 cm)
Extra large: 9.3 in across, 10.4 in tall (23.5 x 26.4 cm)
Material: AS plastic, with a clear reservoir section
Colors: white or gray
Included: one cotton wicking rope per pot
The supplier lists up to 15 to 20 days between refills from one fill. That figure moves a great deal with heat, pot size and how thirsty the plant is, so treat it as a ceiling rather than a schedule.
Four sizes, two colours. Every size works the same way; the reservoir simply holds more as the pot gets bigger.
Small, 3 in - cuttings, a single herb, a desk plant.
Medium, 4 in - the usual size a nursery pothos or peace lily arrives in.
Large, 6 in - something established that you are repotting up.
Extra large, 9.3 in - a floor plant, or a big herb you harvest from often.
Measure the root ball of what you already have and go one size up from it. Potting a small plant into a very large reservoir pot keeps the mix wetter for longer than most roots want.
The first watering from the top is the step people skip, and without it the rope stays dry and wicking never starts.
Let the reservoir run empty for a day or two between refills rather than keeping it permanently full.
Water from the top every few weeks as well. It flushes salts that build up when water only ever arrives from below.
A cotton rope is a natural fibre and will eventually rot. Replace it with any cotton string when it does.
Plants that like to dry out fully, such as cacti and most succulents, are not a good match for a wicking pot.
Light reaching a clear reservoir can grow algae. It is cosmetic; rinse it out at refill time.
How long does one fill last?
The supplier lists up to 15 to 20 days. In practice it depends on the size of the pot, how warm the room is and how thirsty the plant is, so watch your own first couple of fills before planning around it.
Do I still water from the top?
Yes, once at the start and then every few weeks. Bottom watering alone gradually concentrates mineral salts in the mix, and a top watering flushes them through.
What if the rope stops working?
Usually it dried out completely and lost contact with the mix. Water thoroughly from the top to rewet it. If it has rotted, any cotton string does the same job.
Which plants suit it?
Anything that likes steady moisture: pothos, peace lily, ferns, most kitchen herbs. Cacti and succulents prefer to dry out fully and are better in an ordinary pot.
Can I keep the reservoir topped up all the time?
Better not to. Letting it empty for a day or two lets air back into the mix, which roots need as much as they need water.
Why you'll love it
Steadier than you are. The rope moves water up gradually as the mix dries, instead of a flood every time you remember.
The level is visible. A clear reservoir means no lifting the pot to judge its weight and no guesswork.
Fills from the side. A port on the side means nothing runs out over the windowsill or the shelf.
Getting the reservoir right
There is one step people skip, and it is the one that decides whether a wicking pot works: the first watering from the top. Until the rope and the potting mix are wet through, there is nothing for water to travel along, and the reservoir just sits there full while the plant goes thirsty.
So set it up, water it properly from above, let it drain, and only then fill the reservoir. After that the rope keeps the mix at a fairly even dampness on its own.
The second habit worth building is letting the reservoir run dry for a day or two before you refill it. Roots need air as well as water, and a permanently full reservoir keeps the lower mix saturated. A short dry gap is closer to what happens in the ground.
Finally, keep watering from the top every few weeks. Bottom watering alone slowly concentrates mineral salts near the surface, and a good soak from above flushes them out. Do those three things and this is a much more forgiving pot than a standard one.
A quick guide for your growing space
Heat
Pots dry out far faster than garden beds in a hot spell, and a small one can empty in a day. Check the top inch of soil before you top anything up rather than watering on autopilot.
Humidity
Damp air slows evaporation, so soil stays wet longer than you would expect. In a humid stretch, water less often rather than on a fixed schedule, and make sure every pot can drain freely.
Frost
Water left in bottles, tubing or a reservoir can freeze and split it. Drain and store watering gear before the first hard freeze, and water in the morning so roots are not sitting wet overnight.
Small spaces
Balconies and patios catch wind and reflected heat, which dries containers faster than an open garden. Grouping pots together helps them hold moisture a little longer.
