Pop Bottle Planter: Over Watered Plant

This is a very common result of the inappropriate term "self-watering". Many who accept the widely used term believe that plants have the intelligence to stop drinking when they've had enough. Not true! Only animals have this type of intelligence. This plant is on the way to death by drowning (oxygen starvation). 

There are many sets of instructions on the web outlining how to make pop/soda bottle planters. Unfortunately most of them only tell how to make the planters but not how to use them properly. 

Add a measured amount of water only when the soil moisture calls for it, not just because the reservoir is empty. Used properly the reservoir will be empty most of the time. Tell a friend. 

More about sub-irrigated pop/soda bottle planters in previous posts. 

Comments

[graciela]

How do you know when the soil moisture calls for more water? I was thinking of making my own pop bottle planter but I admit I'm intimidated by it. I opted for an Earthbox instead since it sounds more "idiot proof". But at some point I'd like to make a repurposed planter.

[David in Kansas]

I believe the reason for the failure in this particular planter was the lack of a sufficiently large surface area and sufficiently large leaves on the plant for water to evaporate. Also, I fail to see the air holes for the soil to aerate. In sub-irrigated containers, air flow into the soil is paramount. None of my larger sub-irrigated containers perform poorly and when the weather turns hot, they positively shine.
The container is self-watering in the sense that the water travels from a reservoir to the soil. It is the container that is self-watering, not the plant, but I agree with you that the term can be misleading. I have switched and began calling these sub-irrigated containers, a term that I got from another blogger.
Last, I suspect that letting the dirt dry out completely in such a container, will break the capillary action effect. I need to test this out however.
Another thing people are building using 2 liter soda bottles are upside down tomato planters, which in my opinion, don't hold enough dirt for the plant to survive then again, I could be wrong.
Good post.

[Happy Hermit]

I had this debate with my husband. He asked why I kept 1 8oz mandarin orange can in our room. I told him it was just what my plants wanted waterwise. The exact amount for a 2 liter sub irragation planter.

Personally I found this amount works for most of my plants. I btw have created a few wonderful hanging baskets for my beloved ceropegia woodii

[Greenscaper Bob]

An 8 oz "packet" of water is in the range for a 2 liter sub-irrigation planter but it will vary significantly based on light level and species. I find it well worth the time to use a scale and know more precisely the amount of water the plant has been using. Using this method the plant has a means of communication. You might think of it as a form of biofeedback.

[Sandeep]

I honestly don't think this picture shows the normal state of the SIP. I sincerely think this picture was taken as soon as the plant was planted in the SIP and top watered initially till the water drained out of the lid hole. Otherwise, there would be absolutely no possibility for muddy water in the reservoir, with a clear view from the picture that the planter uses a wicking material other than just soil drenched in the reservoir. I agree that there are no aeration holes and that seriously blocks oxygen from entering the root system. I have been making pet bottle SIPs after learning a lot from this blog and I use split microfiber cloth (70% polyster and 30% Nylon) strings as my wicking material. When I use a wicking material, I find that it works well when you leave alteast 3 inches of spacing between the bottom of the bottle and its neck.Approx 1.5" from the bottom, I make drainhole/air passage hole on opposite ends(One on each end). Also, I make my areation holes in such a way that they begin at the drain hole level. This system works effectively as there is a 1.5" reservoir, 1.5" air space, aeration holes and air entry/drainage hole. The only problem I have with this system is the algae formation in my plants, both in the upper compartment and reservoir compartment, as I place these SIPs on a south facing window and since they are transparent, they allow sunlight to enter and form algae. I have to look ways to paint these pet bottles and make them opaque the next time I do it. Also, I am thinking of using some dark colored duck/insulation tapes on the outside of these PET bottles. Any suggestions from your end(Other than using news papers) would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

Cheers,
Sandeep