3D Printed Watering Spike Reservoir for Indoor Plants

Do you have the kids at home and looking for a project? Fairy gardens are fun container garden projects that kids can make and then grow all summer. Watering is the hardest part, but we have a great watering spike that helps solve that problem. You can make your own customer 3D printed reservoir that will allow your child to water their garden and have great results grown their fairy garden this summer.

Plant (purchased or on-hand), Grow Kit, Seeds, or Moss Suitable soil (if not already supplied)

Container(s): Most any container will do. Upcycled and recycled containers like ceramic bowls, cans, bottles, vases, plastic containers, wood boxes with a plastic liner, baskets with a plastic liner may be used.

Watering System: IFusion Watering Spike available from IFusion Technology. For 3D printing a custom reservoir get the bare spike.

ABS-PVC Cement or silicone adhesive.

Reservor design. Use the supplied design in Step 2 or a design of your own using TinkerCAD or other 3D modeling program for your 3D printer.

Use a plant you already own or prepare a container or grow kit according to instructions. The example in this instructable is a Forget-Me-Not grow kit.

Print a reservoir to glue your watering spike into. A reservoir can be designed in a 3D modeling program, such as TinkerCad, or you may use the file supplied to make the one shown in the pictures to import into your favorite slicing program. The opening in the socket that the watering spike is glued into should be 0.5 inches deep and about 0.635 inches diameter for a snug fit, but this value may need to be adjusted based on your material choice and printer settings. Running a test piece or two for fitting purposes is highly recommended.

3D Printing is recommended to be done in ABS, but most any printing material that can form a water tight wall can be used. A print that leaks from the reservoir walls can be solvent smoothed to seal it up, but please read up on which solvent to use for your printing material and the dangers associated with it.

To glue the watering spike to ABS printed reservoir, commercial ABS-PVC transition cement can be used. For a reservoir printed in other material, a water-proof silicone adhesive is probably your best option. Run some adhesive around the outside of the very end open end, then quickly push it into the socket made for the spike and give it a bit of a twist.

Place the watering spike into the soil. Can be placed in the middle or side of the container depending on if its multiple plants like a herb container or single larger plant.

Add water to the reservoir. The watering spike slowly releases water into the soil to keep it damp, but not wet. This allows to the plants to uptake water as they need it. The reservoir in the 3D file provided lasts 1 to 3 days depending on the size of the container and how much water the plant(s) need. Printing a larger reservoir can water your plant over a longer period of time.

Water can be added to the reservoir whenever there is space as the watering spike prevents overwatering.