6 Self-Watering Systems for Houseplants That Experts Swear By — And No, None of Them Require an Ugly Plastic Bag or Bottle
I've chosen only the best-looking and most efficient slow-watering method to help your houseplants while you're on holiday
Who has the time (or the budget) to find people to watch your houseplants while you're on holiday? I definitely don't. And since summer is when most of us spend time away from home, this is when our indoor gardens need an extra splash of TLC. The answer? Self-watering systems.
Designed to quench your houseplants' thirst gradually, these slow-watering techniques are perfect if you don't want to come back to crisp leaves and droopy stems. And of all the self-watering systems to water your houseplants while on vacation, I've chosen only the best-looking, of course. This is Livingetc after all...
So, think planters with self-watering inserts, traditional ollas, cool plant straws, bottom watering, soil covers, and gorgeous water globes. Let's take a look.
1. Self-Watering Pots
This is the first kind of self-watering planter where the base leads to a mini reservoir.
Image credit: LSA International
And then there are the smarter, more covert styles that are designed to hide the water supply.
Image credit: Beards & Daisies
Jo Lambell, founder of Beards & Daisies, tells me that self-watering pots are among her favorite solutions for keeping houseplants alive in the summer. So, how does a self-watering planter work? "There's a reservoir in the base, and the plant just takes what it needs when it needs it," she says.
"And the best part about self-watering planters is that you only need to top them up once every few weeks," she adds. "It's perfect if you travel a lot or your memory is not to be trusted!"
This ribbed planter from Beards & Daisies is a great choice for your thirsty cultivars that rely on steady watering.
I love the look of this Canopy Self Watering Planter from LSA International. It's simple but stylish.
Since terracotta is an absorbent natural material, this is another good-looking option for your houseplants.
Jo, the founder of Beards & Daisies and author of The Unkillables, discovered her passion for houseplants in 2001 after transporting a six-foot Monstera home on public transport. This sparked the idea for a business that makes plant delivery more accessible. As Beards & Daisies approaches its 10th anniversary, it offers a carefully curated selection of indoor plants, from prayer-plants to palm trees. Jo and her Plant Folk team are all about spreading plant love and sharing expert tips with both budding and seasoned plant enthusiasts. And with their 100% recyclable or compostable packaging, they’re keeping things green in more ways than one.
2. Ollas
While I love a traditional olla, this ceramic 'water cacti' from Bergs Potter is a contemporary take I can get behind.
Image credit: Bergs Potter
These ceramic ollas sit pretty and offer your houseplants a healthy drink of water when you're not around.
Image credit: Pepin
According to Jo, as far as slow watering systems go, traditional ollas are another reliable classic. "You bury these porous terracotta vessels in the soil and fill them with water once a week," she explains.
"The clay surface releases moisture slowly and directly to the roots. So, essentially, it's a low-maintenance option for watering houseplants and ideal for any beginner gardeners nervous about watering."
If you're going to nestle an olla into your houseplants, you might as well add some color while you're at it.
However, if you're a true minimalist, you can't go wrong with this unglazed irrigation olla from Crocus.
Safe to say, Bergs Potter's ceramic 'Water Cacti' is my latest slow watering obsession.
3. Plant Straws
How cool are these plant straws for slow watering? A summer essential if you ask me.
Now, this is my first introduction to plant straws, and I have to say I'm impressed. "Plant straws are so easy, and they can also look great next to your houseplants," says Jo.
"An 'arm' hooks over the pot into a glass vase filled with water. Then a cotton wick runs from the vase into the soil, drawing moisture up slowly as the plant needs it," she explains.
It reminds me of the DIY self-watering planter with rope, only much more stylish. And I recommend making the small vases a part of the display. Something like this Small Tiered Glass Vase from H&M, or this Conical Small Glass Vase from HAY.
This Self-Watering Plant Wick System from Amazon is another sleek way to keep your houseplants well cared for.
This curved gold straw is a lovely finishing touch if your indoor garden is into houseplant minimalism.
On the other hand, if houseplant maximalism is more your style, this colored set of straws is undeniably cool.
4. Bottom Watering
If you want to give multiple plants a bottom watering at the same time, float them in your bath tub.
Bobby Berk's trick for watering houseplants happens to be one of the best slow systems for summer. It's like bathing your indoor garden. Start by taking your grower pot (or your decorative planter with a drainage hole) and popping it into a large vessel of water (a bath works).
Then let the cultivar slowly drink until the surface of the soil feels moist. This allows the water to be absorbed from the root up and keeps your houseplant hydrated for a couple of days.
5. Water Globes
These whimsical little glass globes are another way to hydrate your houseplants in the heat.
If you're asking for my favorite slow watering system for houseplants, it has to be water globes. A great example is IKEA's 'self-watering inserts', where form meets function with these beautiful glass accessories. Start by treating your houseplants to a drink.
Then, hold your water globe at an angle under a running tap, or dunk it into a bowl of water until it's three-quarters full. Then gently invert it and position it into the soil so the base is buried deep enough to reach the roots. Et voila!
I love the way these water globes from Ferm Living catch the light. And it's also available in a clear finish.
Mix this Pink-Green Flora Self-Waterer with the amber-lilac colorway for a well-dressed indoor garden.
Last, but certainly not least, may I recommend this pretty Amber-Colored Self-Watering Glass Globe from H&M?
6. Soil Cover
If you haven't before, now's also a good time to explore soil cover ideas for houseplants. It's not exactly slow-watering in the sense of it hydrating your garden, but it works hard to reduce the pace at which moisture evaporates from the soil.
So, if you've just given your houseplant a healthy watering and you're leaving your indoor garden to fend for itself over the weekend, a trustworthy soil cover is the ultimate finishing touch.
Try this Natural Sphagnum Moss from ZeeDix or this Preserved Mood Moss from SuperMoss for a larger garden.
FAQs
Which Plants Benefit Most From Self-Watering?
Houseplants like peace lily, boston fern, pothos, and monstera benefit greatly from self-watering systems when you're away. These plants tend to have fleshy stems and dense roots that slowly absorb water as they need it.
Which Plants Benefit Don't Like Self-Watering?
Houseplants that don't require frequent watering are not as compatible with self-watering systems, as this could overfeed the plant. So when it comes to your snake plants, cacti, and indoor succulents, forego the slow watering accessories.
And if you have an outdoor garden that needs tending to, the Hozelock slow watering system has your back.
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