Self Watering Planter & Tabletop Greenhouse

This is a two part project, in part one you will learn how to make a self watering planter with some simple supplies you probably already have at home. The planter uses a 2 cup system, one large cup to hold the water, and a smaller cup set inside that holds the rocks and soil. A small piece of fabric is used to bring the water up into the soil, keeping your plants moist and happy.

To make the tabletop greenhouse in the example, you will need access to a laser cutter or a Cricut Maker machine with the knife blade. We have included the file to use and the instructions on how to assemble it. Here are a few alternatives if you do not have access to these tools:

• Use wooden skewers and either clay or string to connect the corners
• Use square dowels and some wood glue
• Find some nice straight sticks and use clay or string to connect the corners

Self-Watering Planter

• Large plastic cup - if you don't have a cup, use a plastic bottle for the large container. Cut off the top to fit a smaller cup or container inside.
• Small plastic cup - if you don't have a small cup, use a yogurt tub or any small plastic container for the planter.
• Fabric strip 2" x 10" - use cotton or other natural fiber, old-t shirts, rags, fabric scraps, shoestrings, and rope work well.
• Small rocks
• Soil
• Knife
• Seeds or a small plant

Greenhouse

• Template for laser cutter or Cricut Maker - I will note that these files were created for a Dremel Digilab Laser Cutter with a bed size of 20" x 12". They will work with other laser cutters, but you may have to adjust the settings (like colors) accordingly. These files also only work with wood that is 1/8" thick, but, we labeled and grouped items in the file, so you can easily change the slots to work with your material's thickness.
  • https://drive.google.com/file/d/13D3quMuA4ZOWhBq7t...
  • https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l5W2-VF9dIVgpBKuW...
• 1/8" x 12" x 20" B/BB Baltic Birch Plywood or Balsa, or a size to fit your cutting machine
• Small clear trash bag or any clear plastic bag that will fit over the greenhouse
• If you are making your own from scratch here are the sizes we used to get you started:
  • 4 - 4" pieces
  • 4 - 10" pieces
  • 4 - 12" pieces

Cut 2 slits in the bottom of the small cup. They should be about an inch in length, with about an inch between the slits.

Cut a piece of cotton fabric about 2" x 10". Then fold the fabric in half lengthwise, so that it is 1" wide. Start from the bottom of the small cup, thread the fabric strip up through one slit. Thread it back down through the opposite slit. Keep a loop of fabric ¾ of the way into the cup. The ends of the fabric strip will hang 3” past the bottom of the cup. The fabric will soak up the water and keep the soil moist.

Add rocks to the cup for drainage. Keep 1” of the fabric loop exposed above the rocks.

Add the soil, covering the rocks and fabric. Save 1-2 TBSP to cover the seeds or top of your plant. This is your planter. If you are planting seeds, sprinkle the seeds over the soil and cover with the remaining soil. If you are planting a small plant, place it over the fabric strip and make sure it is well covered in soil. You can add less rocks and more soil if you have a larger plant.

Fill the large cup approximately halfway with water. Place the planter into the large cup. The water will slowly climb up the fabric, adding moisture to the soil. The process can take up to 48 hours for the soil to be saturated. Place your planter in a well lit area and watch your garden grow!

Using the template provided, cut all your pieces out using a laser cutter or Cricut Maker. Separate your pieces by size.

Make an interlocked rectangle. Take two A pieces and two B pieces. Connect each A piece into the outermost notch on each B piece. Repeat with the remaining pairs of A and B pieces to make the second interlocked rectangle.

Take one interlocked rectangle and the four C pieces. Connect the C pieces into the open notches of the B pieces.

Take the other rectangle and notch the C and B pieces together, creating a cube.

Position the greenhouse in any direction. There is no right or wrong way!

Find a safe spot with some sunlight and place your plants inside the structure. Gently cover with the plastic bag. Happy growing!

Here is a quick video to show you all the steps. Happy planting!