Self watering container gardening - buy self watering plant containers online

If you love gardening but just have a deck/courtyard, then you can still grow flowers and vegetables in containers.  A group of plants in containers can look extremely attractive, especially if you vary the heights of the containers above the ground and place them in "clumps" rather than rows.  However, there is one big problem with growing plants in containers rather than in the ground: you will need to water your plants more frequently - every day, perhaps even twice a day in hot weather.

However, it's possible to grow plants in containers without having to water them every single day.  One way of achieving this is to use plant watering spikes.  The other is to grow your plants in self watering containers. 

Most self watering containers have an built-in reservoir, which you fill directly (rather than watering the compost). There is usually an overflow hole that lets you know when it's time to stop watering and prevents your plants from getting too wet!   It is possible to make your own self watering containers but you can also buy them ready-made.  They come in various materials/colours, are available in all sorts of designs, and would make a great gift for the space-challenged gardener.

EarthBox RB-EB-PBB Garden Kit - for decks, balconies and windowsills

The EarthBox self-watering container has wheels (good news if you don't want to risk back injury from lifting a container full of potting compost!), and comes with fertiliser, dolomite and two germination covers - all you have to do is buy compost, and some plants or seeds!  The rectangular shape means that it's ideal for windowsills as well as decks and balconies.  Dimensions are 30 inches long by 13.5 inches wide and 12 inches high.  Requires watering every other day or so.

Handy Pantry 3 Tier Self Watering, Stackable Hanging Planters

Hanging baskets are particularly demanding when it comes to water, so a self watering hanging planter is a very appealing idea!  The Handy Pantry stackable hanging planter holds at least nine plants, and can be placed on the ground or hung up using a hanging chain (included).  The planter is eleven inches in diameter by two feet tall, and comes in four colours.  The stackability means that this planter is very suitable for trailing plants, or plants that put out runners, such as strawberries!

Monkey Pots Vegetable Planter | Flower Planter | Outdoor Planters - Self Watering Planter Box!

This is the Lexus of self watering containers. It's five feet tall and 30 inches wide, and has three planters, one on top of the other - ideal if you don't have much space. All the planters are removable and the base planter also has wheels. Recommended for plants that need staking, such as tomatoes - you can plant several tomatoes in a row in one of the planters, tie them together and use the frame to anchor the ties! 

TVP Pottery 4" Purple and Green Ridged Self Watering Planter

This is something for your moisture-loving indoor plants, e.g. African violets, ferns or Christmas cactus.   TVP Pottery's self watering planter is an attractive glazed ceramic container with a porous inner pot that acts as a reservoir, allowing water to gradually seep into the soil as required.  Depending on your plant's needs, this will store 1-3 weeks' worth of water.  The outer pot is 6 inches wide.  This would make a great gift for someone who likes growing indoor plants.

Apollo Self Watering Planter: 6 inches - pack of two

Here's an economical option for growing small plants such as herbs - Apollo's pack of two self watering planters in white polypropylene. Each pot is six inches in diameter and 4.5 inches high, and comes with a hidden reservoir.

© KitschKat August 2010