That $40 self-watering planter was a total scam on my balcony

I bought one of those self-watering planters with the reservoir on the bottom from a big online shop. Thought it would be perfect for my tiny balcony in Austin. Six weeks later, my cherry tomatoes had roots rotting because the water never drained right. The plastic cracked after two months in the Texas sun. I lost about $40 plus the cost of the plants themselves. Total waste of money and time. Has anyone else had better luck with a different brand for balcony self-watering pots?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_anderson62d ago

Those cherry tomatoes were doomed the second that plastic hit 100 degrees. Mine warped into a sad taco shape before I even got to water anything.

fisher.mason1d ago

My wife got me a ceramic self-watering pot from a local nursery here in Austin for about $35 and it's held up way better than any plastic one. The trick is the clay wicks water up slowly instead of just dumping it in the bottom. I've had basil and mint in it for almost a year now with zero root rot issues. The ceramic does get hot in direct sun but it doesn't warp or crack like that cheap stuff. You gotta check the drain holes though because not all of them are designed right for Texas weather. Just make sure whatever you buy has a proper overflow hole or you're asking for trouble.