A water reservoir planter delivers water directly to plant roots without any guesswork.
This part of a self-watering installation delivers water to plants at an intelligent pace while showing you when the empty reservoir pool needs refilling. The genius of these devices is that plants will never go without water. No longer will you spend time incorrectly watering your plants or waste money replacing them.
Home gardeners will find many benefits to using these devices. However, you must know how to use a water reservoir planter correctly to reap maximum benefits.
If you’re new to the game, follow this quick guide on how to use self-watering pots for the optimal health of your plants.
How To Set Up Self-Watering Planter Devices
Before we cover how to use a water reservoir planter, it makes sense to understand how to set it up in the first place.
These steps offer an excellent guide to setting up your self-watering planter.
Step 1: Select the Right Plants for Your Climate
Water reservoir planters make the perfect choice for plants that need consistent watering. They won’t work well with succulents or plants like cacti that require dry conditions. For the best results, ask the experts which plants grow well in your climate zone.
Step 2: Choose Your Potting Mix and Soil
If you plan to use a regular container, ensure you have good quality soil that drains well.
If you plant in a water reservoir planter, make sure you use a potting mix designed specifically for this type of planting system. The planting works best if the soil comes with some extra nutrients already added so that your plants don’t get too hungry from being unable to eat as often.
Step 3: Plant Your Seeds or Seedlings
Planting remains the most exciting part of any garden, and it’s even more exciting when you use a water reservoir planter! First, place your seeds or seedlings in the planter to position them exactly where you want them to grow.
Then add your plants, keeping in mind how they will want to grow as you place them. Experts recommend planting tall plants near the center and trailing plants near the edge.
A key point to remember when thinking about how to use a water reservoir planter is to make sure that the roots do not sit directly on top of the reservoir. Doing so will block the water flow, which will eventually kill your plants.
Make sure that you provide plenty of room between the top of your soil and the top of your planter so that air can reach all parts of your plant’s root system. Watering too often or too much can cause root rot and early death in many plants—so please be careful.
Step 4: Add Water and Nutrients to Your Planter With Reservoir
Once your plants are in the soil, fill the planter’s water reservoir with water until it reaches half its capacity. This will allow your plants to drink up as needed and grow with minimal stress from over-watering.
Next, add fertilizer. You can pour it directly into the reservoir or use a slow-release fertilizer tablet.
Step 5: Place Your Self-Watering Planter Outdoors
Place your planter where you want it to stay for the season, then enjoy!
How To Use a Planter With Water Reservoir
Once you have set up your self-watering planter, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with how to use self-watering planter installations. It is essential that you know how to use a water reservoir planter so that you can take care of your plants effectively.
You will want to ensure that you have installed the water reservoir correctly and that it works properly. You do not want to waste any time or money on something that does not work correctly or is not going to give you the results that you want for your garden.
So let’s review some important factors to consider when thinking about how to use a water reservoir planter:
Step 1: Watering Your Planter
When you first fill the reservoir with water, it will overflow and spill onto the soil. This is normal and won’t cause any harm to your plants or the surrounding area. It helps to wet the soil before adding water to the reservoir because this can prevent overflow during initial fillings.
When watering your plants, always cover the planter’s holes with enough water before adding more. Doing so ensures that all your plants will get enough water without any remaining pools evaporating over time.
Step 2: Check on the Development of the Roots
After placing your plants in the planter, water the soil from the top port for the first month.
This is because it will take some time for your plant to grow roots long enough to reach the water from the reservoir. This type of watering aids in root development, helping your plants to grow strong roots that will thrive in the new planter.
Step 3: Checking for Signs of Dryness
After several days without rainfall or other sources of moisture, check on your plant’s soil level regularly for signs of dryness or moisture buildup around soil near the base of each plant (this may indicate that it needs more water). In general, a good rule for watering plants is to wait until about 30% of surface soil has dried out before refilling the reservoir again—but check with local experts for advice specific to your climate zone.
Step 4: Watering Your Plants From the Top Port
Once your plant’s roots have grown, you should notice that the water level in the reservoir pool will be significantly lower. This is because the roots suck up water from the reservoir pool.
This indicates that you can begin to water your plants from the top port. Fill this port up with water as per usual. The planter will automatically regulate how much water goes into the soil, feeding the plants as they require it.
Step 5: Draining the Planter as Required
Another thing to remember when learning how to use a water reservoir planter is that these devices are mostly set-and-forget installations. However, you need to know that at certain times, draining these devices of water is crucial. For instance, you must drain the reservoir of water when temperatures drop (winter) to stop the roots from freezing.
If you notice wet soil, your plants may not be getting enough light to process the amount of water they currently receive. Move your planter to a more well-lit area to resolve this. If doing so doesn’t work, fill your planter’s reservoir halfway to stop excess water from reaching your plants.
Contact Us Today for Water Reservoir Planter Installation
If you’re looking for a way to beautify your yard while saving money on water bills, consider installing a self-watering planter.
Lawnman is a family-owned business serving Sacramento, CA, and the surrounding areas. We offer a wide range of residential and commercial services, including landscaping design, irrigation installation, and lawn care.
One of our most popular services includes water reservoir planter installation and instructions on how to use a water reservoir planter. This offers an efficient way to create a beautiful garden without breaking the bank due to high water bills. They also make a great option if you want to beautify your yard but don’t have enough space for a large garden bed or want to avoid digging up your lawn entirely.
Beautify your yard today by installing self-watering planters in your home. Lawnman is here to help you achieve your landscaping and gardening goals.
If you’re looking for reliable and flexible landscapers to teach you how to use a water reservoir planter in Sacramento and the surrounding areas, contact the expert team at Lawnman Landscaping Company today.
