Hot take: I spent $80 on a 'self-watering' planter insert that just rotted my basil roots

The reservoir never drained right and the soil stayed soggy for weeks... has anyone found a better way to keep herbs alive while on vacation?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnflores1mo ago

My neighbor uses those terracotta watering spikes you stick in a wine bottle. He left for ten days and his mint looked fine. The key is using a really porous potting mix with extra perlite so it doesn't stay wet.

kim7271mo ago

My friend tried those spikes with her rosemary and it still dried out in five days. Honestly I think the bottle size matters more than people say, because a full wine bottle just isn't that much water. She switched to a two-liter soda bottle and it finally worked.

torres.sage1mo ago

My basil died the same way last summer. I mean, I switched to those cheap plastic wicking spikes and a big jug of water, and it worked for a week. @johnflores is right about the soil mix, though. I had to add way more perlite to mine so it wouldn't just stay a wet mess.