Wasted $60 on those self watering balcony planters and they rotted my roots

Bought a set of 3 from a brand I saw on Instagram back in April. Thought they would be perfect since I forget to water sometimes. By June my basil and mint were all yellow and droopy. Pulled them out and the roots were literally sitting in sludge at the bottom. The drainage holes are a total joke. I tore one apart to see how it works and the wicking system just traps moisture. Stuck with regular terracotta pots and saucers now. Anybody else had luck with a self watering system that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamiekim17d ago

Try the Lechuza self-watering pots, I've had mine 2 years with no rot issues.

sanchez.sean17d ago

@sanchez.mary two years? No rot? That's wild.

sanchez.mary17d ago

This is probably a dumb thought but doesn't the whole "self-watering" thing mean the soil just stays damp all the time? I feel like I'd still manage to kill something in one of those.