If you forget to water, or are away a lot, the Fielda 8, 10 and 12 inch self-watering pots are the set to start with.
Three pot sizes in one buy cover a herb pot, a kitchen plant and a larger houseplant. The other four picks below cover one small pot, a big houseplant, a balcony box and a patio bed.
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The five planters, sorted by size, at a glance:
- Fielda 8, 10 and 12 inch self-watering pot set (8, 10 and 12 inches): herbs and houseplants, three sizes in one buy.
- King’s Gardening Clever Pot 8 inch (8 inches): one small pot with a fill indicator.
- Vego 15 inch self-watering planter (15 inches): one large houseplant.
- Lechuza Balconera Color 80 planter box (31 x 7 x 7 inches): a long box for a balcony or patio.
- Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 gallon raised planter (12.7 gallons): a raised outdoor herb bed.
Fielda 8, 10 and 12 inch self-watering pot set
Herbs or houseplants on a windowsill or balcony, when you want to try three pot sizes.
Fielda 8/10/12 Inch Self Watering Pots, Set of 3
Size: 8, 10 and 12 inch pots
Cotton wick, water level window, removable tray
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Fielda says a cotton wick draws water up from the bottom tray.
A window with measurement markings shows how much is left.
Fielda puts the time the soil stays evenly moist at up to 7 to 10 days. It depends on the plant, the pot and the weather.
The pots also have drainage holes and a removable tray. Fielda names herbs and tropical foliage as plants for them.
- Works well for
- A set of three, so one purchase fills a shelf
- Not needed if
- A plant that needs a pot wider than 12 inches (that is the Vego 15 inch)
King's Gardening Clever Pot 8 inch
One small pot for flowers or African violets that you want to check at a glance.
King's Gardening Clever Pot Self Watering Pot 8 Inch
Size: 8 inch pot
Cloud water level indicator, roots raised above the basin
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King’s Gardening says the cloud indicator shows when the planter needs water, and watering funnels on both sides send water to the basin. The maker also says the pot raises the roots above the basin to prevent root rot.
The plastic is UV stabilized.
- Works well for
- An indicator you read without lifting anything
- Not needed if
- A set of several pots (that is the Fielda set)
Vego 15 inch self-watering planter
One large leafy houseplant, such as a monstera or a peace lily, that likes evenly moist soil.
15 Inch Self-Watering Planter for Large Indoor Plants
Size: 15 inch diameter
Bottom water reservoir, elevated inner pot
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Vego names monstera, fiddle leaf fig, areca palm and peace lily as plants for it.
It says the 15-inch diameter suits plants 4 to 7 feet tall.
The inner pot sits above a bottom reservoir, so the roots take up water as needed.
- Works well for
- Room for a tall plant, 4 to 7 feet by its maker
Lechuza Balconera Color 80 planter box
A long box on a balcony or patio that gets forgotten on busy weeks.
Lechuza Balconera Color 80 Self-Watering Planter
Size: 31 x 7 x 7 inches
Water level indicator, brackets sold separately
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Lechuza says its reservoir supplies water as the plants need it and stretches the time between waterings. The box uses inorganic granulate (small mineral grains) to give roots the right amount of water.
The brackets fit into the back of the box and are bought separately. Add them to the order if the box will hang.
- Works well for
- One long box that hangs on brackets, with a fill indicator
- Not needed if
- Hanging it with no brackets: they are sold separately
Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 gallon raised planter
A raised outdoor herb bed on a patio.
Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 Gallon Raised Planter
Size: 12.7 gallons, 32.3 x 14.7 x 30.7 inches
Water gauge, reservoir, drainage plug
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Keter’s bed has a water gauge that shows when the plants need more moisture, and a reservoir meant to prevent root decay and overwatering. The drainage can be opened or closed, which lets you decide whether the bed drains.
It needs simple assembly.
At 30.7 inches tall it is a bed, not a pot.
- Works well for
- Space for a mixed herb bed in one planter
- Not needed if
- A long balcony box (that is the Lechuza box)
Which size fits your space
The sizes run from an 8 inch pot to a 12.7 gallon bed.
- 8 inches: the King’s Gardening pot, or the smallest of the Fielda set (8, 10 and 12 inches).
- 15 inches: the Vego planter, for one large houseplant.
- 31 x 7 x 7 inches: the Lechuza box.
- 12.7 gallons: the Keter bed, 32.3 x 14.7 x 30.7 inches.
| Your pots and space | Start with this |
|---|---|
| One herb pot and a windowsill, with room to try more pots | Fielda 8, 10 and 12 inch self-watering pot set |
| One small flowering pot you want to check at a glance | King's Gardening Clever Pot 8 inch |
| One tall, leafy houseplant | Vego 15 inch self-watering planter |
| A long box on a balcony or patio | Lechuza Balconera Color 80 planter box |
| A patio herb bed | Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 gallon raised planter |
How a reservoir planter works
A self-watering planter keeps a store of water below the soil and lets the soil draw it up. University of Maryland Extension, the university’s extension service, describes the design.
The growing medium sits on a perforated platform directly above a water reservoir.
In most designs, water is wicked up from the reservoir into the medium.
The plant roots grow through the medium and into the water.
Maryland says an overflow hole on one side takes the place of drainage holes in the bottom.
Illinois Extension, the University of Illinois’s public education service, says the overflow hole keeps the reservoir from getting too full.
The Fielda pots have drainage holes and the Keter bed a drainage plug, so check how yours empties.
Which plants like it, and which do not
Plants that want evenly moist soil suit a reservoir. Vego makes its planter for monstera, fiddle leaf fig, areca palm and peace lily. Fielda names herbs, and King’s Gardening names flowers and African violets.
Illinois Extension warns that some plants tolerate and prefer dry soils, and if kept too moist they will often decline. It gives succulents as an example, set against tropical plants.
A reservoir does not stop the pot from running dry. Maryland says the design makes it possible to ignore your containers for a few days.
If it does not rain, its 5-gallon bucket version in full sun needs water every day in July and August.
Why too much water still rots roots
Roots that sit in soggy soil run short of air. Illinois Extension says an overwatered container will be waterlogged and the roots will lack oxygen.
That can lead to poor growth and eventually the plant’s death.
The planters here try to prevent that in different ways. Keter’s reservoir is meant to prevent root decay, and King’s Gardening raises the roots to prevent root rot. Fielda says its water window helps avoid overwatering.
The Fielda, King’s Gardening, Lechuza and Keter planters each have a window, indicator or gauge that shows the water level.
When a self-watering planter is the wrong buy
Skip it if your plant wants dry soil between drinks. Succulents are Illinois Extension’s example, and a reservoir keeps the soil damp when they would rather dry out.
You also may not need one for a long weekend. Grouped and shaded, an ordinary balcony pot lasts three or four days, as the guide to watering container plants while you’re away explains.
For longer trips, the same page covers a wick, a timer or a neighbor.
If a plant already wilts in wet soil, the problem is more likely too much water than too little. Root rot in potted plants explains the signs and what to do.
Which planter for your balcony or windowsill
For a herb pot on a windowsill, start with the Fielda set. Take the King’s Gardening pot if you want just one small pot.
A large houseplant goes in the Vego 15 inch planter. A long balcony box means the Lechuza, and a raised outdoor herb bed belongs in the Keter planter.
