Keeping the right amount of water in your pots and planters so your plants can struggle with thirds or over watering can be difficult.
This is because the roots of the plants can't grow deeper into the earth for water and are restricted to the space available to them in the pot or planter. so plants can die from just one day of watering neglect, especially on a hot summer or you forget to water in winter because you don't think it's that hot.
Catch and store energy (including water) is one of the permaculture principles. Saving and using water more effectively reduces water consumption by preventing evaporation and run off.
These are purely my recommendations and this isn't a sponsored blog post. I don't make any money from linking to companies.
Here are the various ways I keep the water up for my plants.
Self watering pots
Self watering pots are fantastic and a must if you growing on a balcony.
Self watering pots have a reservoir at the bottom which delivers water directly to the soil which means the plants roots can access as it needs. This works through wicking as there is a connection between the soil and the reservoir but does not let the reservoir fill up with soil.
This is especially useful on hot days as the plant can drink up and survive the harsh heat which can be made worse if the pot/plant heats up. This is very helpful if you need to go away for a few days.
There are two types of self watering pots.
One is where the reservoir fills up by the water seeping through the soil and into the reservoir. Sometimes this variety has an over flow outlet or water indicator, but these are hard to come by or much more expensive. This type is in my view, is the least preferable as you often cannot tell how full the reservoir is and could make the soil boggy and cause root rot.
The other type is where reservoir at the bottom has an opening where you add the water directly info. This is the best option as it takes the guess work out of it all and you can tell when you need to fill it up. There is no run off or evaporation issues with this variety. The only drawback with this variety is that mosquitos can use it as a breeding ground it if is a large enough reservoir. I glued some flyscreen over the outlets of mine so they cannot get in but I can still add the water.
Where to get self watering pots and planters
They are pretty easy to source. I got mine in Australia from;
Kmart
IKEA
Bunnings/homeware improvement stores
Flower Power/garden centres
Discount stores
Online stores. Shop around to get the best value as some a very overpriced, I love the ones I got from Green Life.
Discount stores like the Reject Shop.
Ollas
Olla is the Spanish word for pot. It is made from clay/terracotta which you bury into the soil, and the neck sticks out of the top of the soil which is how you fill it with water. As it is porous, the water slowly seeps out of the olla into the soil. They have been used for thousands of years.
The plants will draw water from it and over time, the roots will encase or grow around it. Just like self watering pots, this is especially useful on hot days or if you are away for a few day to a week.
This is really helpful for plants that do not like to get their leaves wet like zucchini/courgette which easily gets powdery mildew if it gets wet leaves. They work really well when dug into the ground but work just as well in large pots and planters.
If you want to read more about them, check out this article from the Permaculture research Institute.
The only issue with ollas is sourcing them. They are rarely sold and can be very expensive and often only available internationally.
I was originally introduced to ollas by Nevin and Linda from Under the Choko Tree as I went on a tour of their garden on Sustainable House Day. They show me the ollas in their garden
beds they had made. Nevin explains how to make them in this fantastic video on how to convert terracotta pots into DIY ollas which is did at my old home pictured left before I buried it. Nevin also has an great article about it. You can also watch this video from Lovely Greens.
The only problem with the DIY option is that you have to use terracotta pots which are usually too big for balcony pots or planters and so take up too much surface area space in the planters; planting space is precious in small a balcony garden.
Where to source ollas
Up on the Roof Top
I stumbled upon Up on the Rooftop who sell ollas at such a reasonable price and so I was ecstatic. I had been struggling to keep the water up in my large planters so I
just had to have them. I highly recommend them if your planter or pots are not self watering or not a wicking bed. There might be other local options for you if you are not in Australia or New Zealand.
You can make them yourself as above.
You can make them yourself with clay bought from a store.
Take a pottery class and make them.
Water spikes
Water spikes are just like ollas but only much smaller. They made of terracotta and are buried into the soil and have an opening at the top. This is a good option for small pots and indoor plants.
There are a few variations but normally they fall into two categories.
The first is a terracotta bottom with the rest being plastic.
The other being all terracotta. I prefer this option as it allows you to bury deeper and also you can invert an old soda or glass bottom to have a constant source of water which you can see when it needs to be topped up.
Where to source them
Up on the Rooftop
Bunnings/home improvement stores
Garden supply stores
Ebay
Wicking beds
Wicking beds are in theory very similar to self watering pots. There is a water reservoir filled with pebbles at the bottom and a porous layer for wicking to separate the soil from the reservoir with the addition of pipe or cylinder that goes from the reservoir to above the soil line which is how you add water into the reservoir. They are one of the basic things you learn in a Permaculture Design Course.
Where to source wicking beds.
Commercial wicking beds are very expensive and sold as niche high end products so I do not recommend buying them. I recommend the DIY option.
Many people make them out of old bathtubs, IBC tanks cut in half or styrofoam boxes. Below is the wicking bed I made with pebbles, porous weed matting and an old broken metal broom handle. I got the planter on tall legs from Bunnings for $20 which very cheap compared to the $300+ commercial options available!
There are so many articles and tutorials on making wicking beds so I won’t spell out how to make them in this article. There are heaps of tutorials on Youtube and on the web but here are my favourite video tutorials on making wicking beds.
Gardening Australia - build a wicking bed
Gardening Australia – portable vegie patch for renters with compost station and wicking beds
This video goes through making mini wicking beds using Styrofoam boxes and buckets. The couple in the story produce heads of food in a tiny patio area with no plants in the ground as they are renting. Very inspirational for the balcony gardener!
Mulching
One of the most basic options for saving water in your pots and planters. This prevents the sun from evaporating heaps of water from the surface of the soil. I mulch all of my pots and planters.
It's best not to use rocks as mulch on balcony planter or pot as they heat up and can burn the plant. It's best to use organic materials. These will also break down and provide some fertiliser for the soil.
I prefer smaller pieces of bark compared to things like pea or sugarcane mulch.
The only issues for the balcony gardener is storage. Mulch always comes in huge quantity and so you don't end up using it all and then have nowhere to store it. I am lucky that I can store it in a bucket in a corner of the balcony, a luxury not many balcony gardeners have.
Where to source mulch
For smaller soil surfaces on balconies, it is best to have mulch that is in smaller pieces which can be difficult to find.
You can source it in heaps of places but I prefer garden supply stores or home improvement stores as I am more likely to find bark mulch that is in smaller pieces.
Another option is to source it from around you. You can collect a bag full of already dry leaves in autumn from your local park or street, shred them into small pieces and place on the surface. The only risk with this option is can bring in diseases; rare, but it could happen.
Water saving crystals
Water saving crystals expand from tiny crystals into a large jelly like substance. You place them into the bottom of the pot when you first put soil in. They absorb water when you water the plant and then slowly release it back into the soil. This can be great for hot periods. They eventually biodegrade, most good producers say they last for about 5 years.
They are a good option for pots that are not self watering.
Where to source water saving crystals
You can buy them from home improvement and gardening supply stores.
Coir peat
Coir peat or coir is usually made from coconut husk. Not to be confused with peat moss (sometimes also called coir peat) which comes decayed bogs and is not environmentally sustainable as it takes hundreds of years to develop. I prefer the coir which comes in larger chips.
it work much the same a water saving crystals. It absorbs water and then slowly releases it back into the soil.
Coir is a good option for pots that are not self watering if you want a 100% organic option.
Where to source coir peat
You can buy it from home improvement and gardening supply stores.
Conclusion
Watering saving is very important for balcony planters and pots. Keeping water up to your plants can be difficult in hot weather, if you forget to water in the colder months or if you need to go away. Water saving solutions are important to ensure your plants can source water when they need it which can mean the difference between life and death for your plants.
Let me know if you have any other water saving solutions for your balcony pots and planters.
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