Watering your indoor plants shouldn’t be a hassle.
It shouldn’t feel like a chore and it definitely shouldn’t be left undone for an extended period of time or during a vacation.
There are new, smart home technologies coming out just about every day, and like so many other things, indoor, automatic watering systems have various alternatives available that can be great products, worth your hard-earned dollars.
For starters, in the options galore, there are watering spikes, drips, globes, self-watering planters that come with drip trays, and many others. Here’s a compiled list of the best indoor, automatic watering systems.
Everyone’s needs are varied, and it goes without saying that based on the types of indoor plants you may have, the watering system you choose may also vary, or maybe use several different watering types to fit your specific watering and plant needs.
There is one certainty, you never want to purchase a vibrant and beautiful plant and return home only to find it resembles a green raisin.
And no matter what, any automatic watering system is just that, automatic.
Best Automatic Drip Watering System
Your automatic drip systems literally drip water into your indoor plants at scheduled times that you program into the control systems.
The systems are just like drip bags that are in hospitals and in the doctor’s office. There is a tube that comes from the motor and water reservoir into a specified number of plants.
Kollea Reliable Automatic Watering System
This automatic watering system looks a lot like a brick. It has an inlet and outlet like a brick, and a nice blue digital read-out display on top.
You can program the exact amount of water and duration between watering so with any number of plants connected to it, they get what they need.
Even if you lose power, the built-in battery keeps its memory going so when power returns you are back in business with all of your programmings intact.
One of the best features is the display, which provides an accurate read-out of anything you need to know.
Current time, remaining water level, battery status, and your programmed intervals, are accurate and visible at all times.
Your Manuel also includes loads of tubing, so you can cut off as much as you need and create intersections in the tubing or T-tube to carry the water to multiple plants, all from a single tube feeding from a single reservoir.
DIY Micro Automatic Drip Irrigation Kit
This 5V micro-kit is powered using a USB adapter, is rectangular—so it can fit nicely on counters or shelves, and has an upward-facing digital display.
The drip tubes end in watering stakes providing a more controlled water delivery system for each plant.
The stakes are also a great option to keep the tubes from easily slipping out of the pot and watering your kitchen floor instead of your plants.
Underneath the digital display are a bunch of water pumps that feed water one tube, where the inlet leads to your water reservoir, and outlet can have as many branches, cross-sections, and Ts you like.
Since you also get four; triple-A batteries, you can take it with you on the road, and if you lose power from the USB, the batteries will carry the load until the power is restored.
The watering stakes are also very efficient, especially since you can bury them into the soil, and displace your water delivery right where it counts, right in the roots.
Inshow Automatic Drip Irrigation Watering Kit
This water-delivery system has a lot more than just an inlet and outlet tube; there is a fold-out arm with ten, separate outlet tubes for water delivery.
There is no spike injection, but it does have stakes that you put directly over where the delivery of water goes.
You power this system with four, triple A batteries which are not included, but the LCD display is a nice feature, and you will appreciate the hatch cover to cover the display when not exposed.
Inshow claims that their water-delivery system is scientifically design to save about 70% of water.
Therefore, you will get as much water as you would like to deliver to each plant, without excess or not enough.
It has a small buzzer, so when the system powers up for water delivery, you will know when it’s time to check the system.
Also, it is completely programmable down to how much you would like to be delivered and what times.
RAINPOINT WiFi Automatic Watering System
Rainpoint’s WiFi irrigation system is the only smart home automation device on my list.
The reason there aren’t more, is, because some can be daunting to install, and also how you would use it all depends on your set up.
You can download the Rainpoint app in whichever store you find yourself. If you have Apple you’ll go to the Apple Store, if you have the blessed Android phone, go to the Google Play Store.
When you have completed all the steps, you will have full control of your water irrigation system anywhere you are!
You could nail your watering down to the exact second you want your plant watered, how long you want it watered for, what times of day, and how many days of the week.
There is an LCD display on the front, but the majority of your time with this will involve the phone app.
The option allows you to set it to automatic or manual, whatever way you prefer.
KiKiHeim Plant Watering System Automatic Plant Waterer
KikiHeim is the final drop system in our lineup, and it is just as impressive as the previous ones.
It does have a design difference, as it is triangle-shaped with rounded corners.
It does make it seem more in line with modern, smart-home devices.
It has an excellent, wide-format, LCD display on the front that covers all the information needed, with an inlet and outlet port above the display at the tip of the triangle.
It also includes a battery and a USB power supply, so it will keep delivery while there is a power failure.
It is also, like the other releases, 100% programmable.
You can specify the time, and the exact amount to bring in.
Best Automatic Watering Globes
The cool thing about watering globes is that they’re just watering globes; they aren’t anything special. There’s nothing cool in them like wireless signals, plugs, batteries, or blue tooth, wi-fi, or any other smart home features, for that matter.
But, they do their job well in being a reliable and consistent water delivery system for your plants. They are also just about the most fun and decorative option you can find for your indoor plants.
Mushroom Terracotta Watering Globes
If you have a little bit of a Super Mario Bros theme to go along with your indoor plants, these mushroom terracotta watering globes are perfect for you.
Again, you can get more than just the mushroom shape, they have hearts, ice cream cones, and many more shapes to choose from.
The watering globes add color to the plants and, like spike irrigators, they fit right down into the soil bed where they will slow-release clean water for up to five days.
They have little holes in their crowns so you can add more water when needed.
Other than that, they are completely maintenance free. It’s a very simple system, but it also is so very attractive.
You will want to get more just for the fun of it, or to collect the different shapes you can use one at a time.
Blazin Bison Watering Globes
These water globes last for ten days without a refill, and they are made entirely out of blown glass.
You will see them in every color that you can imagine. All of their selections are filled with bright and vibrant color schemes that will make you want more.
They add so much color to your deep and light greens and they are big enough to run solo for twice as long as the mushroom terracotta.
This delivery system was painstakingly designed to only release water from the bowl once the soil is dry to start releasing it.
Blazin also provides a 100% lifetime guarantee when you buy them.
If you do not like them you can return them anytime for a full refund, no questions asked.
Glass And Ceramic Plant Self-Watering Globes
This is another distinct watering globe that comes in ceramic or glass, twisted to look like a flame, and available in several vibrant shades.
The globes can last for two weeks depending on the type of soil they’re in, and they’re refilled easily from a side reservoir.
Don’t let the spiral design throw you because most of the water reservoir (the globe) is situated lower in the spiral at the base of the device.
While it doesn’t differentiate itself in terms of what it does, it’s yet another representation of the unique aesthetics you can attain when automating your water delivery methods.
Best Automatic Watering Trays
Automatic watering trays are another great way to automate your plant watering system for your indoor plants. Even though they are automated, they will still need to be refilled every so often, just like watering globes.
The best thing about watering trays is they are usually large enough for you to fit several pots on, so you can sustain and water multiple plants with this automated approach.
Tierra Garden GP70 Large Self Watering Tray
The Tierra Garden GP70 can manage up to 2 gals. of water at once and has enough footprint area to easily cover several potted plants.
Make sure your pots have drain holes in the bottom most pots do because you will put your pots on the Tierra Garden’s “capillary” matting that absorbs the water that is underneath it and causes the water to move into the pots through the drain holes in the bottom of the pots.
With the tray and the capillary mat, it prevents the problem of overwatering and is easy to replenish every two weeks.
It’s an effective method because the plants don’t get too much water or have trouble retrieving water.
The self-watering tray also sits fairly low and blends in in terms of color too.
It looks just like any other tray as it sits underneath a number of your potted plants without catching the eye or looking out of place.
Garland Watering Tray With Capillary Matting
The Garland watering tray is definitely going to enhance the longevity and sustainability of your plants.
The Garland Watering Tray doesn’t completely distance itself from the Tierra Garden version, it uses the same capillary mat system.
But it has a significantly larger base, which means you’ll have plenty of space to lay your favorite potted plants.
The capillary mesh will keep plants hydrated, without providing too much water, and it’s simple to refill every 14 days.
It does have a more ridged looking base, so it’s more obvious than the Tierra Garden, but definitely not gaudy. The price is attractive, indeed.
To get the same capillary mat and generally the same base with a 2-gallon reservoir for $9.99, is unheard of.
Gardener’s Self-Watering Windowsill Tray
What’s the use in having all of those cute, potted flowers if you can’t show them off?
That’s the point Gardener obviously wanted to make and they brilliantly used the Garland and Tierra Garden concept, but just scaled it down a self-watering tray to suit a windowsill.
This windowsill tray can hold enough water to keep your plant’s happy for two weeks, and there’s a as easy refill method to.
There is a hole in the capillary matting on the side, which is conveniently accessible, and you simply refill it with water for another fourteen days of effortless watering!
The only difference from this one and the two trays above is its narrow feature to fit on a windowsill – which makes this the best tray simply because it allows you to give your plant water, sunlight and show it off.
All Things Considered
Just because you’re automating your inside watering systems, doesn’t mean it has to be a pricey proposition, and you can easily avoid ugly setups.
There are so many types and devices to select from there should be something for everyone!
However, these are some of the greatest systems available and you can’t really go wrong with any of the choices above regardless of how you’d like to water your plants.