All About SELF-WATERING Planters

Want to make plant care easier, either indoors or out? Planters with self-watering systems keep plants properly watered without constant maintenance. 

What is a self watering planter?

Self-watering planters offer a contained and consistent way for plants to automatically soak up needed moisture, which means it’s no longer necessary to keep a regular watering schedule for your plants to thrive. Just fill the reservoir with water when it’s empty and the planter handles the rest. 

cubico-color

Exclusive self-watering planter Color Options

If you’re looking for a self-watering plant pot (large or small, indoors or outdoors), ePlanters has a huge variety of planters in exclusive color options not offered anywhere else. Go bold with self-watering planters in blue, orange, violet, pink, yellow, orange, terracotta, green, red or silver, gold or bronze metallic options. Or, opt for neutrals in gloss or matte black, white, brown, or grey. Each ePlanters premium planter is hand finished with an automotive-grade paint that is UV-resistant and formulated to last.

Trade Discounts Available

Our ePartners program offers exclusive pricing and benefits—like free color swatches and custom RAL planter colors—for trade professionals. Create an ePlanters account, then register to become an ePartner to access unmatched pricing and professional perks.

Can self-watering planters be used outside?

Two grey plastic wicker self watering planters with tall leafy greenery sit outside on a lawn
Two rectangular white and wicker self watering planters sit on the edge of a porch with daisies

Yes! Some self-watering planter brands (like Lechuza offered through ePlanters) can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Some advice for using self-watering planters outside: Remove drainage plugs when using planters outdoors so excess water can drain. We strongly recommend using plant pots with a drain plug only indoors, as excess water from rain cannot drain off and can ultimately have an adverse effect on your plants.

Please note that when using Lechuza self-watering planters in an indoor environment, the red sealing plug in the bottom of the container must be hand-tightened before use. Please check the tightness of the drain plug screw before using, and tighten if necessary.

The Benefits of Self-Watering Plant Pots

No Regular Watering Schedule Needed

Simply fill the self-watering planter’s reservoir with water to keep plants properly moisturized.

Low Water Level Indicator

Some self-watering planters, like Lechuza  plant pots, have a red water level indicator that offers a quick way to see if the reservoir needs to be refilled.

Over 20+ UV Resistant Colors

Self-watering planters come in a variety of colors. Lechuza brand self-watering planters come in standard and premium UV-resistant finishes, including black, white, grey, brown, tan, beige, terracotta, blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, purple, teal and red.

Variety of Self-Watering Planter Shapes

Self-watering planters come in many shapes. Create stunning spaces with rectangular, round, square, cube, cylindrical, globe, and box-shaped self-watering planters.

Removable Liners

Select self-watering planters have removable liners and inserts. Plant greenery without mess in the liners, then transfer plants to their final spot for easy, quick plant designs.

Extra Large & Small Sizes

Find dimensions to fit spaces with self-watering planter sizes that range from large, small, wide, narrow, skinny and tall. Heights range from 7 inches to 41 inches and widths range from 6 inches to as large as 17 inches.

Indoor & Outdoor Use

Create stunning plantscapes with select self-watering planter pots in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Pricing

Self-watering plant pots can be affordable and efficient. Lechuza’s award-winning design and efficient construction offer affordable options for any planting project.

Durability

Lechuza self-watering planter pots are made to last. Constructed of plastic, their exterior will not break if dropped, and will handle hot and cold weather.

best selling lechuza planters

Two tall square taupe brown self watering planters with peace lilies in an office
Lechuza Cubico
Two round red self watering planters with greenery sit on the floor of a bedroom
Lechuza Classico
Two small black square self watering planters with decorative grasses sit on a table edge
Lechuza Quadro
A white rectangular wicker planter with pink flowers sits mounted on a porch railing
Lechuza Balconera

Buying for a business or placing a bulk order?

quality German engineering

 

The Lechuza award-winning sub-irrigation system helps give plants the amount of water necessary to thrive.

 

planting in a lechuza self-watering planter

Every Lechuza self-watering planter arrives with detailed planting instructions.

watering phase

For the first few weeks, water plants from above. This will allow time for the roots to grow and reach the water reservoir. During this process, use your fingers to manually check the soil for moisture and top-water when dry.

Once a few weeks have passed, fill the water reservoir half way with water. If the water level drops within the next few days, the roots have successfully grown into the reservoir, and you can now fill the water reservoir to “max.”

 

dry phase

Be sure to observe a dry phase. Once the water level indicator drops to the “min” position, you should not immediately refill it as there is still sufficient moisture in the soil.
 
The length in which a dry phase is observed depends on the type of plant, humidity and water requirements, as well as temperature requirements for the plant. A drying phase of 2-10 days is a general recommendation. However, for plants such as cacti and orchids, you may need to extend it further.

frequently asked questions

Properly assembled and appropriately used, self-watering planter pots should not cause root rot. However, if self-watering planters are over-filled the reservoir can overflow, deeply soaking the soil and plant’s roots and could lead to root rot.

Self-watering containers don’t necessarily need a special potting soil mix. However, every Lechuza self-watering planter comes supplied with a Lechuza PON substrate granulate that is meant to cover the reservoir separator. This specially formulated substrate is intended to help control the plant’s water supply. For best results, completely cover the reservoir separator with a layer of substrate. Then, cover the substrate with a layer of potting soil, add your plant, and fill the planter the rest of the way up with dirt.

Nearly any plant variety should be able to thrive in a self-watering container. However, extra consideration and care may be required for plants sensitive to too much water, such as cacti and orchids.

quality Self-Watering planters shipped safely

We take pride in every planter we ship. Each hand-finished self-watering planter is carefully inspected, painted, packed and quickly shipped to ensure our customers receive top quality products when and where they’re needed.

we take pride in every planter we ship

A tall round self watering planter with a green leafed plant on a white background
LECHUZA RONDO
A grey, wicker cube self watering planter filled with greenery with pink flowers on a white background
LECHUZA CUBE
A rectangular black self watering planter on rollers filled with alocasia leaves on a white background
LECHUZA CARARO
A grey rounded rectangular planter is filled with white orchids on a white background
LECHUZA DELTA20

READ MORE ABOUT DESIGNING WITH self-watering PLANTERS

A woman in a living room moves a large round white self watering planter onto a coaster with wheels

4 Easy-To-Move Rolling Self Watering Planters

Plants can be surprisingly heavy. Paired with a full reservoir of water that comes with a self-watering planter, moving a plant is a more difficult task. A rolling self-watering planter is an excellent way to easily move plants and keep them properly watered.

tall self-watering square planters create a green wall in an office

7 Tall Self Watering Planters Perfect For Your Space

Tall self-watering planters bring together the best of style and practical functionality. The extra height fills in space, draws eyes up, and adds an element of stature to interior and exterior designs. For those of us who forget to make sure our houseplants are adequately watered, self-watering planters let the plant’s roots draw in the moisture it needs, when it needs it.

Two large white rectangular wicker self watering planters with a trellis hold greenery on an outdoor patio

Six Extra Large Self Watering Planters for Easy Plant Care

Self-watering planters are perfect for people who love plants but can't stick to a watering schedule. Extra large self-watering planters make keeping the biggest plants properly moisturized easy. Consider six of our favorite extra large self-watering planters—with options measuring at least 15 inches in length—you should consider adding to your interior or exterior designs.