Can't keep houseplants alive? Use the self-watering pot wrong and you'll get root rot and yellow leaves

They say it takes ten years of practice to master watering plants, and many plant lovers are stumped by watering. So a batch of "self-watering pots" appeared on the market, claiming that if you use a self-watering pot, you don't have to worry about watering and the plants will still thrive. Is that really true?

self-watering pot

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Let's take a look at what the self-watering pot that the market claims needs no watering actually looks like. It's really just an ordinary flower pot with a hollowed-out inner basket.

The plant is planted in the hollowed-out inner basket, water is poured into the outer pot, and a thick cotton cord connects them to draw the water up. So does this mean you can relax once and for all and the plant will thrive?

Unfortunately, even with a self-watering pot, plants still get killed, and the main cause of death is still watering!

The drawbacks of self-watering pots

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1. Uninterrupted water supply puts great pressure on the roots

Normally, plants are watered once every 3-5 days, and you don't actually need to water too much each time. But some plant lovers use a self-watering pot and pour in half a pot of water at once, so the plant is in a state of "drinking water" every day. The roots hold too much water and slowly turn yellow and wither.

2. The water in the pot is not changed for a long time, breeding bacteria

The water in a self-watering pot goes unattended for weeks. A pot of stagnant water easily breeds bacteria. Plant lovers who use self-watering pots just top up the water, and when the plant dies and they open it up to look, the water has already gone foul.

Moreover, most plants like fresh water, such as the money tree (Pachira aquatica), orchids, Aglaia odorata, and the happiness tree (Radermachera sinica). Long-term use of a self-watering pot will definitely not keep them alive for long.

3. High summer temperatures cook the plant to death

Summer is already hot, and when water sits in a relatively enclosed self-watering pot, it quickly heats up and evaporates more, and then the plant is "cooked" to death.

4. Small space, too much water, insufficient oxygen

The capacity of a self-watering pot is small, and the inner basket is even smaller. The cotton cord guides water into the soil, which seems convenient, but keeping the soil moist for a long time reduces the oxygen in the soil. The roots have difficulty breathing, the plant grows slowly, and there are also problems with yellowing and dropping leaves.

5. It goes against the plant's natural growth patterns

The roots of normal plants are used to "dry and wet cycles", meaning water again once the soil is dry, and just water thoroughly. Long-term uninterrupted water supply goes against its natural growth patterns. If you want to grow plants big and strong, you still need to use a normal flower pot.

What kind of pot should you actually use for plants?

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For growing plants, it's best to choose a pot with drainage holes, and select the pot style according to the plant's growth state and root length.

1. Plants with thick, long roots are best in tall pots

If your plant's roots are relatively thick and tend to grow very long, it's best to use a taller pot, so it's less prone to root rot when planted (the water all collects at the bottom of the pot).

2. Plants with fluffy, fine roots use short pots

For plants with relatively fine, tangled roots like gardenia and jasmine, it's best to use a short pot. After planting, there should be at least a fist's distance from the plant to the edge of the pot.

3. Herbaceous flowers use large-diameter plastic pots

The very popular petunias, lobelias, moss rose, and so on this year are all small herbaceous flowers, suitable for planting in large-diameter plastic pots. This gives enough space for them to fill out the pot, and they can also be hung up, making them light and easy to move.

4. Succulents use small, compact pots

Succulent roots are small and afraid of waterlogging, so you should choose a relatively small pot. Generally, a pot where the succulent is planted 2-5 cm from the pot edge is suitable.

When planting a succulent arrangement, it's best not to use too deep a pot. Deep pots easily accumulate moisture, and if one rots it will spread to the others, so the succulents should also be spaced apart.

If even a self-watering pot kills your plants

Do you know the reason now?

There's no shortcut to watering plants

You'd better choose the right pot and care for them properly

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