Is this 3D printed "self-watering" planter a killer solution for watering houseplants or is it yet another houseplant killer. Probably the latter. The majority of non green thumbs don't really know what sub-irrigation means or how it works. The writer of the following 3D article doesn't either. We can thank our rear-facing consumer horticulture education system for that.
There is always hope that a new year will be a time for change in many ways. Strangely enough hydroponic marijuana growing coming out of the closet may trigger modernization for growing all plants. Sub-irrigation is a very basic form of hydroponics becoming more family friendly by the day.
Maybe you could grow some basil to season a batch of Chloé's hors d'oeuvres.
via 3dprint.com
You have heard it many times: a green thumb exists allowing people to take better care of their plants. What if you like plants, but have a track record of letting them die? Is there anything that can be done? Proper sunlight is one main issue behind healthy plants. And another major tip for keeping them healthy is watering them. Some people get so busy in their daily lives that even watering plants seems like a chore. For those people, who are familiar with 3D printing, there’s a new solution. This Instructable for a Self-Watering Planter can take care of your plants watering needs, while also serving as a modernist decorative item for your home or office!
Before I go any further, I need to acknowledge that this planter was created by one of Instructables’ great designers, JON-A-TRON or Jonathan Odom. The last contribution of his covered here, the 6 Flask Coffee Cold Brewer, is an amazing device allowing for the cold brewing of 6 different kinds of coffee at one time. The Self-Watering Planter retains this design spirit that combines useful household and everyday items with exciting designs. If you live in JON-A-TRON’s world, you can awake to cold brewed coffee with your plants already watered. Sounds good to me.
The planter design, which was done in Fusion 360, emerges from the best way to water plants, as JON-A-TRON explains:
“Basically, it consists of a basin that keeps standing water and a cup with a perforated bottom that stays submerged in the water. The water in the basin wicks into the potting soil keeping it moist without drowning the plant. From what I gather, roots need water but they can’t be submerged in it for too long or the plant will die. The other danger with over-watering (I’ve heard) is that it can help propagate mold and fungus, which can also kill the plant.In my design, I created a sphere with two circular cutouts in it. A larger one holds the planter cup that snugly fits a 3” plant, and a smaller cutout is for a spout that keeps water from spilling everywhere when you fill the pot.” Read more...