DIY Self-Watering Planter Step-by-step Instructions
Full instructions for how to transform a garden tub into a self-watering planter. The bottom of the tub serves as a water reservoir that can be filled via a PVC pipe placed at the side. Water wicks up to the potting mix through a small sink filled with potting mix in the middle. This is a flexible DIY garden project that you can use to transform any close-bottomed plastic pot, container, or planter into a self-watering container. Get the materials to make this project.
Servings 1 Planter
Cost 20
Equipment
- hacksaw or hand saw
- electric drill with a large drill bit
- lighter optional
Ingredients
- plastic garden tub Optionally, a plastic planter, bucket, or container of any size. It must have a closed bottom.
- plastic plant pot The height should be 1/4 to 1/3 of the height of the plastic garden tub.
- perforated land drain pipe or more plastic plant pots the same height as the main one above.
- PVC pipe 1" diameter. Length should be 1-2" longer than the height of the garden tub.
- landscaping fabric or another fabric that will stop potting mix from getting into the water reservoir.
- potting mix (for vegetables) I'm using a peat-free multipurpose mix suitable for most crops.
Instructions
- Assemble the materials and tools, and if the tub or container that you're using is large, place it in its permanent place. It will get very heavy once filled with water and potting mix.
- Use a nail (or other device) to perforate the plastic plant pot with several rows of holes around it. The point is to allow as much water inside as possible while still keeping the pot sturdy. If you use a nail, heating the tip with a lighter will make it much easier to use to poke holes through plastic.
- Using a hacksaw (or another saw), cut the perforated land drain pipe into pieces the same height as the plant pot. Cut as many pieces as you can fit into the bottom of the garden tub with the plant pot in the middle.
- Cut the PVC pipe to be 1-2" taller than the garden tub. A hacksaw works great here, too.
- Place the plant pot and pieces of land drain pipe in the bottom of the garden tub. Using a drill, create a single hole at the same height as the tops of the pipes/plant pot. This will work as the overflow hole, and will stop excess water being in the planter.
- Place the PVC pipe inside the planter at the edge and at a slight angle. It will act as the planter's watering pipe. If your planter has handles, I recommend placing the pipe against one of them. It'll come in handy as a watering can support.
- Line the planter with landscaping fabric, pushing it down into the plant pot in the middle and around the PVC pipe. The fabric sits on top of the land drain pipes and should come up to the edge of the garden tub, at the very least. This liner is important since it keeps most of the potting mix from getting into the water reservoir.
- Pack the plant pot (now lined with landscaping fabric) with potting mix. This pot and potting mix will act as the wick for the water in the reservoir.
- Fill the rest of the container with potting mix up to an inch from the top.
- Trim the landscaping fabric so that it's flush with the top of the planter.
- Fill the water reservoir by pouring water through the PVC pipe. Keep filling until you see water flowing out of the drain hole. This is how you'll continue to keep your DIY self-watering planter filled with water.
Video
Notes
The container used in this project is a 40-liter (10.5-gallon) garden tub. You can use whatever container you wish, though, provided that it's safe for the garden and has a closed bottom.