Trying New Self-Watering Containers That Will Be Out in 2024! 🙌💦💚 // Garden Answer 

I’m starting a new job today that I’ve been in the hiring process for, for over a month. And I’m NERVOUS. But I made sure I got up early enough to have time to watch a GA video because they always make me feel happy and peaceful. Thanks Laura and team for all you do.

Hey Laura! 👋 I worked with Jack down here in Florida using Aquapots, and, at least for the original style, you want to really compact the soil into the large reservoir tube down the center so it doesn't fall apart and down into the reservoir. 😊 Maybe this new design is different, but just thought I'd give my experience working side-by-side with the man himself! 😂 I'm VERY excited for the resin pots and inserts! Would have made hauling 300 pound planted pots up marble stairs into peoples' three-story mansions a LOT easier! 😅

I use a wooden dowel with a cork on the end as a water indicator. Mark the opposite end of the dowel with “full” and”time to refill” lines. Works great. I saw this on LDS Prepper video.

Who else is excited for a lighter weight (and hopefully more affordable) aqua pot! 🙋🏻‍♀️I’m so excited!!!!

Laura and Aaron, couple goals. They're so polite and kind towards each other. Love.

I have really been looking forward to these inserts. Can't wait to try them next year. ETA: The blue cap is so you can find it in the foliage when everything grows up. Paint all your garden tools blue, they will be easier to spot in the garden. Because you know how rare it is to find a true blue flower. Blue things stand out in the garden.

I love the heavy pots, but age and arthritis makes the lighter weight resin pots a more practical choice. Nice to see a "pretty" version of self watering pot out there!!!

❤good morning friends ❤

Hi Laura, That moment you had to guess how much water you have filled in (at 18:25) - we have a water volume counter in between the hose and the handle unit ... So that you can see the amount of water which is already out (it sets back to zero after each single use within no time) so you would be able to see the exact amount of used water per interval :) (helps a lot) greetings from Germany 😊🍀

I really enjoyed having Aaron in this video with you! I am excited to see how these aqua pots do for you guys.

The tone of your voice itself is peaceful I truly think your very talented towards your trade that you’ve been brought up to treasure I pray God continues to bless and keep your family!!!

Nice pots and great that you get to take them for a test drive! If you have some long-really thin wooden dowels, put one in the watering tube for just a few seconds, pull it out and check the water level. Kind of like checking the oil in a vehicle. (don't leave the stick in there, it will just wick the water up it and you won't know the real level)

It's going to be exciting to see how these do! I agree, they need a float so we know how much water they're using and needing to fill.

I think that someone already suggested getting a skinny plain wood dowel that will fit down your watering tube. Put some water down the tube, stick your wooden dowel down pull it up, kind of like an oil dipstick : )!! Add more water as needed : )!!! Easy peasy : )!!

I've been using the big 20"x20" square and 20"x36" rectangular self-watering containers from Mayne for a couple years now. They work great!

I am so excited for this. In eastern NC we have BRUTAL summer heat. Vacations are literal murder for my plants. If I'm not here to water every day/every other day, they are done for. Other self watering containers or devices that I have used are dry by day three. It would be nice to have something that I can go on vacation for you know seven days and not worry about all of my plants being black when I come home. Cant wait to see how they perform for you. Thank you for being our guinea pig. 😁

One tip I have found when planting my Aquapots, put the slow the release in the water reservoir before you put the soil in. Makes it easier to see and measure it in than dumping in the tube. Also I noticed Laura briefly mentioned removing the plugs but didn’t really explain why that is so important with the inserts. The inserts hold the water, you want to make sure that any excess water has a way to drain out.

Love the new containers! They don’t look like plastic. Love the flower combinations.

It’s so nice that they made a lightweight self watering container, and less expensive. You planted them up beautifully, and I can’t wait to see how they do. You’re right about having some type of indicator on how full or low the water reservoir is.😊

I like a spot where you have odds and ends but still are beautiful.

As much as I like the ceramic/stone containers, the lighter plastic is definitely the way to go for large containers! Anything that can also reduce your time watering is a huge bonus! 🙂

These are so much more attractive than the original ones. Looking forward to seeing how they perform. I don’t understand why some of these companies don’t ask you and other gardeners for suggestions when designing products? The superbells are cute! 😊

My eye went straight for the URN planter because we have similar urns in our garden already. Love the classy look!

Good morning everyone! ☕️🪴

Love these pots! Off topic, is that your new patio table behind you? Are you still going to put it by your kitchen brick area? It is so pretty!

I'm sure Paul or Bethany are already way ahead of you building those floaters for each pot. Amazing pair.

I LOVE self-watering pots, but these are SO pricey! Hopefully the lighter weight ones will be more affordable.

I am loving the idea of the lightweight containers for a couple of reasons…the older I get, the easier they are to move, plus the weight on my aging deck is always a concern, so the lightweight ones will be much better. 😅 Your plant selection is beautiful as always! The square one and the basket weave ones are my favorites too! ❤

Glad the rest of the country can get use out of these fun things! If you're in a zone that gets above 95 degrees, like AZ that gets to 118 to 125 during the summer, from what I'm researching, you can't pull that off, your plants will cook in the water. I've tried hydroponics in those temps and it just doesn't work. Maybe for Fall crops is the hottest areas. God bless you guys, these look so handy!

Have been using my own designed self-watering 5 gallon pickle containers thrown away by our local restaurant for three/four years. Trim lid to fit 6 inches from bottom held up by a center 6" sewer drain pipe and one drilled drain hole 5-1/2" from bottom of pickle container. Also lid cut out with a 2" space for fill pipe on one side. Easy to fill outside with hose until run out of drilled hole. Love them and would never garden without their wonderful qualities. Zone 5 so have to bring delicate ones inside for winter. Then I use a dip stick clear on one end, other end cover with thumb to hold an indicate 5 inches of water pot level to prevent drainage inside house. Could not find a place to include pictures for detailed explanation. Love your show and watch it every day. Thank you so much for all the helpful information that you provide us.

I am SO EXCITED for these!! Can’t wait for the progress you show this summer. Hope they are cheaper in cost too than the ceramic. With the removable inserts there is no weep hole to tell when the reservoir is full, bummer. I noticed you didn’t fill your pots with pool noodles, packing shipping materials or other junk before adding your soil 😂😂😂! Thank you for showing the PROPER way to plant a pot!

Our garden club plants flowers every year in bigger. Containers and set them around our village that are self watering we keep adding more every year I think we are done now it looks so pretty in our village plus they add hanging baskets on poles to match the flowers in the pot it looks so nice.

I’m excited about the light weight self-watering pots! All of them look nice! Thanks for testing things out for us! I’ll be watching for the progress.

I went back to your 2018 video to watch the 3 part garden tour, however because your property is so large it gets confusing. Can you do a series focusing on one area and a time lapse of the tranaformation.

Good morning, Everyone!!

My mother loves her containers, but as she gets up in years, she's not fond of how heavy they are to move around. These will make a wonderful gift for her. I hope they're out by next Mother's Day.

Those inserts are game changers!

Your are my garden goddess! Thank you for the vedios that explain each planter. Nice to view someone elses technique.

Thank you for demonstrating your preparation techniques. I would like to kindly request follow up videos to see how well your plants grew. Thank you

❤❤❤Arron’s humor regarding the “pots”!!

Thanks for the tip about the Dramm hose end sprayer. I didn't know I could unscrew the end to fill bottles!

Russell looks fine sorry for trying to alarm you, I should know better if something was wrong with Russell you would take care of it. The way you love your chickens, says it all. Thank you .

I've watched a few DIY videos for self-watering containers. A few of those videos used a thin wooden dowel with a wine cork on the end... insert into the watering tube. When the dowel cannot be seen, the cork has floated down and therefor the container needs water. When filling the container with water, the cork floats up.

Gorgeous planting, lov Ur color Eye, what a fun project and Beautifully 😊 Can't wait for next year's for ordering, great lightweight solution!! We hv been loving ❤ Ur videos,schooling and passing on Ur Gifts in Beauty's, Thank U!! Missed a few names of plants, we get spoiled with Ur extra added details into information of products in a listing format. Lov and Enjoying all Ur Beauty's 💖

They’re really attractive planters and great combination of plant selection for them as usual. Bravo!

Laura, one thing that I noticed you did not pack soil in the bottom of the soil tube Jenny at creekside always does that when she plants a new aquapot. Love these new pots.

Absolutely love these! Living in hot, sunny FL makes it a lot of work for potted plants. Love that they're light weight, hopefully at a decent price

Totally giggling about Aaron's Eco Grande Plus pot jokes. 😅

love my self watering containers. I use the ones that are self contained. One word of advice, use the containers just for annuals. I tried roses and other perennial plants and they ended up rotting since the soil is consistenly moist.

You can make a DIY float with a wine cork and small skewer stick. It bobs up and down with the water levels as it fluctuates and then you make marked indicators on the stick to indicate when to add water.

You could use a small fishing bobber with a string on it to help indicate where the water is water level

There's a brand called City Pickers that has a water level indicator. It's a plastic green stick, like a swizzle stick, that floats and as the level goes down the indicator sinks too.

Your hair looked so nice when you had it pinned back on the one side😊❤

Happy Monday! 😊

For next to no money you can make an indicator. Drill a tiny hole about halfway down the center of a wine cork, then insert a piece of 1/8 inch dowel. Pop it in your fill neck when the reservoir is empty, and make a mark around the dowel with a permanent marker where the top of the fill neck and the dowel meet. You can also mark it at the point where the reservoir is full. Paint it or color with markers or cover with duct tape if you want it to be decorative. Thanks, Laura and Aaron, for your enthusiastic and consistent efforts to make all of us better gardeners.

Garden Answer has a self water unit to adjust and fit in most pots. I have had good luck with that one. I may have to try one of these when I need to replace a pot.

It would be nice if they put either a vertical water level indicator up the side/edge of the container with the spout, Or, run a horizontal water level indicator along the top lip of the container. Possible use a color changing monitor in the pot, or something you can buy separately to keep manufacturing costs down. 😉

Yes still think those " climbing iceberg" roses need to go on the orchard back fence and the shrub style ones in the corners of the fence and maybe @ the posts 😁😁😁😁😁

Laura I also struggle with calabracoas so I feel your pain 😢

Gardener's Supply has an Adjustable Self-Watering Insert for Pots & Planters. removeable for different applications as well as cleanable. Has float for water level indication. It's a new design from the old one. I have 2 of their older versions and they work very well.

Yes, the self watering component is out there. Found it for $29 at Garden Supply. I believe the water base holder is adjustable to different size pots.

I like the look of the containers, self watering is definitely helpful - the price point may be the game changer🤷 I'm excited to see how they grow!

Get yourself a wooden dowel and stick it down the watering tube to figure out how much water is in it. Pull it out and look at the water stain on the dowel. You will need a seperate one for each container.

Love your new haircut!

I totally agree about the water level. I've tried self watering and never knew when they were full.

I was JUST about to go outside 🌱 The garden can wait

Would love to see a video of how the Aquapots are doing. Thanks!

so glad they are continuing to work on making these pots affordable and better.. anything the industry does to help us garden (and help them sell plants and pots) is worth the effort to me... need to look over their website and see if i can invest in any of these this year... great information on these, thanks!! and good luck to your superbells 🙏 🥰❤thanks for the video!! 🥰❤

I am working to create my own self-watering containers (thank you to Jack Barnwell and Garden Answer for the inspiration) so thank you for the feedback related to current issues. Including a water indicator is possible but it needs to be included in the original design in order to be molded. It is even more difficult with ceramic. I am struggling to implement a water meter that doesn't negatively impact the form or function. Coming soon! Hopefully Jack and his team figure it out first. They always present a great finished product

The containers are looking beautiful🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸💜👍😊

You have a dream place Laura, your amazing dedication and creativity is contagious and inspiring, your beautiful babies and kitties are an adorable additional joy

You already have the biggest plants in all the land! ❤ Each container was more beautiful than the last. I SO want to have a green thumb, but let’s just say I wouldn’t have a problem finding the spout if it was telescoped down to the soil! 😅 Aaron’s forecasted versioning of the eco pots! 😂

They all turned out beautiful .

My biggest issue with self watering pots holding a water reservoir in any pot: in my hot environment (9b) once the dirt starts mixing with the reservoir, then add heat, and it literally cooks/ rots inside at the base. Then it STINKS when watered. That is why there is a plug. Brilliant.🎉

Love Aaron being in the vids with Laura. Interesting experiment.

The dip stick tube from the Christmas tree water fillers would probably work in those tubes as well to check the water level.

I'm so excited for these lighter pots and to buy the inserts too.

I enjoy your garden center days and decorating ideas

I like your big heavy pots, but being old and not having a big man around, I prefer the new pots. Much easier for older people to move around. Beautiful planters.

Wonderful video🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Love the pot and how you planted them. My petunias are struggling this year . I my working on them . I think I watered them to much at first. And if your wondering Texas is hot this week... have a good one...💚

Really intrigued, I love that these are lighter containers and I am suspecting it will be a more accessible price tag.

I noticed the new bistro set in the background 😍

Totally off topic, but been watching your videos for several years and as the years keep going by your more beautiful and gorgeous. ❤ ❤

I can imagine a reusable dipstick tool for measuring water level - like for fluids in our cars!

I am excited about these pots. I saw the advertisement about them from Jack Barnwell. And Laura telling us we can buy just the inserts made my day! I have four pots I need those for here in 9b west central Florida. No more fried plants!

So excited about the AquaPot inserts!

Regarding superbells, have you ever tried a different potting soil like PW? Maybe try swapping your espoma for PW potting soil just for superbells see what happens?

I’d spray paint those plus flowers black.

*** Laura, simply put a dip stick in the tube. Do that when it is completely full of water and mark where that 'full' line is. Half way down from there is the 'half empty' water reservoir spot. Sometimes we have to make our own way instead of waiting on others.. Maybe you can sell them on the idea.. it may be a good idea to close that tube off anyway to prevent evaporation.. ha who knows. Anyway.. hope you try it. Curious to see what you can come up with as the stick.. something not wooden as it will possibly act as a wick.. YES I am Crazy Loving the Purple planted urn.. Are those plants available this year or are you just testing them out? crossing fingers.. I have to have them. =D

These are so much nicer!!!! I was never excited about colorful pots. These look way more elegant and something I would actually buy.

The plant combinations are beautiful 😊👍👏🌱🌿🌸 and so are the pots. Can't wait to see how they do

I’m going to watch for these. I have a balcony that I’m struggling with. Lightweight and easy to clean sound wonderful!

I have 2 tall ceramic pots on my porch and boy are they heavy it will be nice to have a light weight one. Good luck 👍

Vielen Dank für diese super Information ,ich liebe diese Übertopfe jetzt schon und wie wunderschön sie bepflanzt sind ...Dankeschön Ihr zwei ❤🎉

Absolutely beautiful!

They should have stoppers for the water spout so the water doesn't evaporate too fast.

Yes could use a cork and a length coat hanger also but a dowel rod is a great idea too. So glad they came out with the resin pots, easier to move and store in Michigan winters.

Laura - When you get to be my age anything lighter, and still with style, is a winner. If I can get my dolly under it and I can move it, I'm sold. It's only 4:09 into the video and I can't wait to see them available. The sooner the better! Thank you. By the way, I'm 80 and still doing all of my gardening and landscaping.

I would spray paint those caps green instead of blue.