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Editor’s note (September 2021): I’ve been getting some messages regarding the availability and affordability of buying this self-watering terracotta planter. The planter is made and sold in Norway, so it’s hard to ship to the United States. It can also get quite pricey to ship such a fragile item.
A lot of the products that I feature on Green with Purpose are small-batch, hand-crafted and high-quality products designed and sold by small businesses. Often, all of these attributes lead to pricing that makes the product unaffordable for most of us. And this self-watering terracotta planter is certainly a great example of good design that comes at a steep price. That’s why I’ve been researching online and put together a list of self-watering planters that are more affordable than the ones featured in this post.
And here’s another gorgeous alternative terracotta planter from Art Department Store – a small business owner who sells on Etsy.
Please keep in mind that it’s not the planter featured in this post, but rather an affordable alternative for my US readers. While looking for this alternative, I also noticed that a lot of planters for sale online just look like terracotta, but they’re actually made of plastic. Read the product description carefully before you purchase anything online, so as to avoid disappointment.
We’re quite obsessed with self-watering planters around here.
Exhibit A – Livana, the self-irrigating planter
Exhibit B – Boskke sky planter
They’re easy to work with, practical to upkeep, and just make a lot of sense when it comes to letting plants take as much water as they need from the planter.
And here’s one that is combined with another one of our obsessions: the elegant yet down-to-earth terracotta. Inspired by the nature surrounding her native Narvik, Norwegian artist Ann Kristin Einarsen designed the Oasis two-toned terracotta planter as a reflection of the beauty of the natural world.
The planter is made of two interlocking containers, with the one on the bottom acting as a stable base and integrated reservoir.
Here’s how the Oasis works: you add water to the terracotta base from the side – either using a watering can or a just a bottle; it’s a simple process, and due to the spout, it doesn’t require moving anything. The bottom container is glazed, which means the water will be retained inside it. However, the top container is not glazed, which makes it porous and absorbent. The water is absorbed by the top container from the bottom container, according to the needs of the plant.
The bases come in green, white and dark brown, highlighting the earth tones of the top terracotta container as they come together in a subtle blend of tones.
This type of container is perfect for plants that need to keep constant humidity (yet are prone to suffering from overwatering and root rot), such as ponytail palm trees, peace lilies and some types of ferns.
Photos via Northern
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