Self-Watering Pots: How They Work and Which Plants Love Them

If you travel for work, forget to water or tend to overwater, a self-watering pot can be the difference between a thriving plant and a sad one. Here's how they work and how to get the most from one.

How a self-watering pot works

A self-watering pot has two parts: the pot holding the soil and plant, and a reservoir or tray of water underneath. Water moves up into the soil through the drainage hole by capillary action, the same way a paper towel soaks up a spill. The plant takes what it needs from below, and the top of the soil stays drier.

There are two common designs:

• Built-in reservoir: the pot sits on its own water chamber. Our Flower Sunflower and the stackable Tiny Kisses work this way.
• Bottom-watering tray: the pot sits in a matching deep tray that you fill, like Soothing Rains and Moonlight Drama.

Why plants like it

• Even moisture. No cycle of bone-dry then soaked.
• Deeper roots. Roots grow down towards the water, so the plant is sturdier.
• Fewer fungus gnats. The dry topsoil gives them nowhere to breed.
• Less work. Many plants only need a refill every 7 to 14 days.

Plants that love self-watering pots

• Peace lily
• Pothos and money plant
• Ferns (Boston, bird's nest)
• Calathea and prayer plant
• Syngonium
• Aglaonema
• Fittonia
• Herbs like mint and basil

Plants to avoid

Skip self-watering pots for anything that wants to dry out between drinks: succulents, cacti, snake plant, ZZ plant, jade and ponytail palm. Constant moisture rots their roots. Put them in a regular pot with a drainage hole instead, like Cloud or Nectar.

How to use one properly

1. Water from the top the first time. Settle the soil so it touches the bottom and can start wicking.

2. Fill the tray or reservoir. For a bottom-watering tray, let the plant drink for about 30 minutes, then pour away what's left after an hour.

3. Check before refilling. Push a finger 2 inches into the soil. If it's still damp, wait.

4. Flush once a month. Water generously from the top and let it drain out, to wash away fertiliser salts.

5. Go easy in winter and monsoon. Plants drink less, so refill less often.

Quick answers

Can I go on holiday with a self-watering pot? Usually yes, for 7 to 10 days with a full reservoir, depending on the plant and the season.

Why are the leaves turning yellow? Usually too much water. Let the reservoir run dry for a few days before refilling.

Do self-watering pots need drainage? Yes. Ours all have a drainage hole between the pot and the reservoir, which is what makes the wicking work.

Shop all self-watering planters and planters with saucers.