Irrigation for containers and hanging baskets

Containers dry out faster than borders. A 30cm terracotta pot in full sun can need water twice a day by July. Hand watering works until you have ten pots, or a holiday looms, or you simply forget one evening and come home to crispy basil.

Self-watering pots solve this. They have a reservoir in the base that wicks water upwards through the compost. You fill the reservoir every few days instead of watering from the top daily. Plants grow faster because the moisture is constant. Brands like Lechuza and Elho make excellent versions, but you can retrofit any large pot by adding a false floor of upturned smaller pots, a layer of capillary matting, and a fill tube reaching down to the reservoir below.

For hanging baskets and wall-mounted pots, drip irrigation is the only realistic option. Use 4mm micro-tubing branched off a 13mm supply line. Each pot gets one or two adjustable drippers — twist the cap to control flow. Run the system for 10–15 minutes every morning. In a heatwave, add a second cycle at 6pm.

Capillary matting is the overlooked hero for windowsill pots and greenhouses. Lay the mat on a tray, saturate it, and stand pots on top. The compost draws water up as needed. Refill the tray weekly. It keeps seedlings and houseplants perfectly moist without any fuss.