Vergrowth Products
Watering system for house plants: automatic, versatile, no power needed.
Houseplants Thrive with Our Innovative Watering System
Croton: Codiaeum variegatum 'Petra"
Hydrator and wicks
Patented: U.S. #11570957
Automatic Watering for Your House Plants
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The watering rate is set by the wicks, not by the planting medium, reservoir or hydrator
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Unlike other devices, the hydrator watering rate can be changed easily - without re-potting
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Once set up, watering your plants is simple - just refill the reservoir
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Reservoirs can be changed readily - just swap them, no fuss, no bother
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You can use a decorative reservoir daily, and a higher capacity one when away
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Watering your plants is automatic -> less water stress on your plants from lack of attention
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The reservoir is more stable than reservoir placement directly in the planting medium
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The water is spread out over a greater area by the wicks vs globes, terra cotta stakes or drippers
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Hydrators can be placed anywhere within the pot & still provide more uniform watering across the pot.
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The pictures above show a higher capacity long neck glass bottle reservoir - such as oil, wine or other beverage bottle
Comparisons with other approaches:
Other Approach Limitations of that Approach
Watering can, etc. Must have someone to water manually; Cannot be done remotely or automatically; Prone to spills & overflows; Not usually consistent - more dependent on attendant's schedule & dependability, since watering is required frequently
Water globe alone Watering rate cannot be controlled - depends on the porosity of plant growth medium & often empties too quickly, especially with a porous growth medium; Likely to become clogged with a denser medium; Globe often sags to one side because of poor support from the moist growth medium; Limited capacity of the globes limits the time the plants can be left unattended; The water enters the plant pot at one location - causing less even water distribution
Wicks entering the Limited watering capacity, since most saucers are shallow; Difficult to see how much water remains pot from the remains; Often leads to longer term saturation of the plant medium with water, leading to sepsis bottom (saucer) and killing the plant's roots; Watering rate cannot be controlled, except by changing wicks, which enter through the bottom of the pot - requiring re-potting
Terra Cotta or Watering rate cannot be controlled - it depends on the porosity and size of the receptacle;
other porous The water enters the plant pot at one location - causing less even water distribution; If the water
receptacle source is "hard" (having dissolved calcium), the pores will gradually clog up, reducing flow; Usually expensive
Drip emitter {Adjustable rate drip emitter attached to the top of a reservoir such as a drink bottle, inverted and inserted into the plant medium}; The watering rate will decrease in use, since the height of water in the bottle reduces as it empties and the water pressure reduces, until the bottle is refilled; The water enters the pot at one location - causing less even water distribution
Separate container Takes up space and is unsightly due to the tubes or wicks leading to the plants; The tubes can slip with tubes or wicks out of the house plant pot, causing spills; The water usually enters the pot at one location - causing to water the plants less even water distribution; The tubes, that work by siphoning, do not provide adjustable flow rates
Powered pump [Container outside the plant pot that transfers water by small tubes or wicks to the plant pot];
Takes up space and is unsightly due to the tubes or wicks leading to the plants; The tubes can slip out of the house plant pot, causing spills; The water usually enters the pot at one location - causing less even water distribution; Separate system needed for each group of plants; Expensive
FAQ: How can I adjust the watering rate for my plants? Because water distribution is controlled by the wicks, the rate can be changed to accommodate the needs of the plant(s) by changing the number (or size) of the wicks. If water comes out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, try removing one wick at a time. You can test this by pulling up a wick from the planting medium (easily done since the wicks are near the top surface of the soil), rinsing it off and stuffing it into the hydrator where it will no longer be in contact with the potting soil. If the watering rate is now more appropriate, you can remove that wick completely by untying it or cutting it off at the retainer or just leaving it in the hydrator.
If, on the other hand, the plant is not getting enough water, you can add a wick or substitute a larger wick. Polyester or acrylic yarn makes good wick material because they do not decay in the soil and come in a variety of thicknesses.
For more information about the product, its advantages, use, or to order, click the following links: Operation, Succulents, About, Shop, Hydrator Product Page, Contact, FAQ, Installation, Terns and Conditions, Support.