How To Make a Self-Watering Container

Reader Contribution by Mike Lieberman
Published on April 23, 2011

Containers are great for those that are gardening in small spaces. Though there is the fear of not knowing when or how often to water them. This is why I started to make my own self-watering containers.

Self-watering containers are not the same as regular containers that you see in the stores. This is because the roots of the plants suck up the water from the reservoir container. They consist of  two similar sized containers called a reservoir and planting container. The ones that are most commonly used are the 5-gallon containers.

Placed on the inside of the reservoir container is a wicking basket with holes drilled in it. You can use a 16 oz deli container for that. Some holes are also drilled around the side of the reservoir container to allow for air circulation and for the excess water to drain out. 

In the planting container you drill a  3-1/2-inch hole into the bottom in the middle. All along the bottom, you drill some 1/4-inch holes to allow the soil to drain and breathe.  The planting container is put inside of the reservoir container with the wicking basket directly under the large hole.

The wicking basket is filled with soil and watered. You can then continue to add moist soil to the planting container along with the plant. You water the self-watering container by removing the planting container and pouring the water directly into the reservoir container. When the water reaches the top of the reservoir, it will begin to come out of the overflow hole.

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