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How to make a self-watering pot

Lighten the load of watering too many plants by making your own self-watering pot. - by Graham Ross
  • 16 Nov 2020
How to make a self-watering pot

Tired of grubby old saucers under pots holding water for your plants? Or are your potted plants dying because not enough water is getting down to those thirsty roots?

This clever, self-watering pot solves both problems, as it allows the roots to reach the water storage beneath the soil. And the timber top means the pot plant doubles as an outdoor side table!

Gather your supplies

Ceramic pot (here it’s about 60cm tall)
Copper pipe off-cut (here 15mm-dia.)
Pebbles or polystyrene
Plant (here a standard fig, Ficus benjamina)
Tabletop timber
Dowel
Timber finish

You’ll also need

Drill; masonry drill bits, one smallish, the other same size as copper pipe; hacksaw; hammer; roof and gutter silicone sealant; waterproofing builder’s bog; paintbrushes; pond sealer paint; potting mix; jigsaw; wood glue

For you to note

For the tabletop, we used old floorboards glued to laminated plywood. You can use other materials, such as an old benchtop.

Here’s how

Step 1) Drill hole through side of pot with small masonry bit, then enlarge hole with larger bit.

Drilling a hole in a pot

Step 1

Brent Wilson

Step 2) Cut the copper pipe and hammer it through the hole.

Hammer pipe into pot
Brent Wilson

Step 3) Fix pipe inside pot with roof and gutter silicone sealant.

Step 4) Plug original pot drainage hole with builder’s bog.

Fill drainage hole in pot

Step 3-4

Brent Wilson

Step 5) Paint inside of pot to about 3cm above pipe with waterproofing pond sealer paint. Allow to dry.

Step 6) Fill pot to paint level with pebbles or broken up polystyrene. Fill rest of pot with potting mix, add plant and water in.

Put polystyrene in pot

Step 6

Brent Wilson

Step 7) Cut timber with circular saw about 3cm wider than top of pot, cut hole at centre wider than the trunk of the plant with jigsaw, cut timber in half.

Step 8) Drill 2 holes through both diameter sides, large enough to accommodate dowel and making sure holes match on each side.

Join tabletop with dowel

Step 8

Brent Wilson

Step 9) Coat timber top with finish of choice.

Apply timber finish

Step 9

Brent Wilson

Step 10) Insert wood glue in holes, insert dowel in holes of one side of timber top, then push 2 sides together.

Fig in a stone pot

Double the function by using your planter as a drinks table.

Brent Wilson

For more DIY projects, pick up a copy of the latest issue in newsagents and supermarkets or buy online today!

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  • Garden
  • Indoor Plants
Graham Ross
Graham Ross
Radio broadcaster and television gardening presenter, Graham Ross, has educated, entertained and inspired Australia’s gardening community and aspiring green thumbs during a career that has spanned more than 50 years.

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