apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I was too cheap to buy pretty self-watering planters. So I tried to make my own to try and grow basil. Hopefully, self-watering capabilities will keep my plants from dying under my black hand (not just thumb).

Just bought the baby grobal by Karim Rashid. Looking good so far. Has a cute "Nutriport" door to add the water:
http://www.delight.com/Baby-Grobal-The-Cutest-Self-Watering-Plant-Pot-Ever

I was looking at those exact pots but ultimately they were too expensive.

It's not a self-contained self-watering pot, but I do use a self-watering system. I take a gallon milk jug, fill it with water and set it at a level higher than my plants. Then I take a strip of fabric or length of cotton rope (like clothesline) and soak it in water. One end of the fabric strip goes in the milk jug, all the way to the bottom. I push the other end into the soil about two inches below the surface, and pack the dirt around it so it stays put. Capillary action draws the water from the milk jug to the plant to keep it moist. I can water several plants from one milk jug by using more than one length of fabric. I've tried different types of fabric, but the one that's worked the best for me is an old terrycloth sock cut into a long strip. My parsley is loving it!