When the temperatures are climbing, and it’s a struggle to keep up with plant watering, or you have travel planned that takes you away from your plants, anything that can help keep plants hydrated is a welcome addition, right?

Cue the Whimsy Watering Collection and the Trickle Watering Tubes. These slow-watering accessories are an easy way to prevent soil from drying out too quickly and add a dash of charm to your plants.

How do slow-watering accessories work?

Slow-watering accessories work in a few different ways, depending on the material they’re made from.

Terracotta

Accessories like the Whimsy Watering Collection are made from porous terracotta clay, which, when filled with water, allows it to slowly seep out into the soil. Dry soil will wick water from the terracotta quickly, but once the soil is moist, water will seep out more slowly, preventing the soil from becoming over-saturated.

Glass

Glass slowing-watering tools like the Trickle Watering Tubes work through a weak vacuum that forms when the tube is filled and inserted into the soil. This prevents the water in the tube from all coming out at once. As the soil dries, air pockets form and the vacuum seal is broken, allowing water to trickle out until the soil is moist again.

When to use slow-watering accessories:

Similar to self-watering planters, slow-watering tools work best for plants that prefer evenly moist soil, or when you’ll be away from your plants and are worried they’ll dry out before you can water them again.

Plants that do well with evenly moist soil:

• Alocasia
• Asplenium (Bird’s Nest Fern) Caladium
• Calathea
• Ferns
• Maranta
• Selaginella (Club Moss)

I don’t recommend using these watering tools for plants that prefer their soil to dry out thoroughly, like cacti and succulents. The soil will stay too wet and cause problems for the fine, shallow roots that are adapted for long, dry periods.

How to use slow-watering accessories:

These tools are easy to use, just:

Fill 3⁄4 full with water

If you have access to it, distilled water will limit the amount of mineral build-up that forms in the slow-watering tools and can create a clog. If you need to use regular tap water, that’s fine- but if you notice excessive build-up (which will look like a white, crusty layer), you’ll need to remove it by soaking in white vinegar and then scrubbing well.

Gently insert into the soil

Any slow-watering tool will work best if you start with fully hydrated soil. This will prevent the water in the watering tool from flowing into the soil too quickly, possibly hydrating only one area.

If your potting mix is very chunky, the Trickle Watering Tubes and other similar styles may not work well. Chunky soil has many air pockets, so the water will likely just gush out since the air pockets prevent the vacuum seal from forming.

Monitor, refill, and adjust as needed

If plant leaves start to yellow (and the plant is getting adequate light), or the soil seems soggy, just remove the slow-watering tool and allow the soil to dry out. If no further leaves turn yellow, you’ll know that the soil was overly moist and the plant isn’t a great candidate for these tools. If the plant seems to be healthy, just refill the tool when it’s empty and continue to monitor.

Whether you’re trying to keep up with some extra thirsty plants or need to keep your plants hydrated while you’re traveling, slow-watering accessories have you covered!

To shop Accent Decor’s wholesale pots and planters including self-watering planters, plant accessories and garden planters including all new and flower, plant and home products, visit accentdecor.com. 

About the author: Danae Horst is the founder of Los Angeles based plant boutique and plant styling studio, Folia Collective. Her life-long love of plants and interior styling, paired with her desire to empower people to keep their plants happy and healthy, led her to start Folia in 2016. In her past work as an interior photo stylist and plant care columnist at the Jungalow, and in the years since starting Folia, Danae has guided tens of thousands of people to the right plants for their space and lifestyle. Danae’s work and plant advice have been featured in the Wallstreet Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Gardening, and more. The Folia Instagram feed was called a “Plant-Filled Instagram That Will Turn Your Black Thumb Green” by Domino Magazine. Danae’s book, Houseplants For All is available anywhere books are sold. Danae, her husband Bill, and their rescue dog Homer live in a little plant-filled bungalow in Pasadena, California. 

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