Debate: $80 on self-watering containers or just stick with basic pots?

I dropped $80 last spring on two fancy self-watering balcony planters for my cherry tomatoes. The water reservoir seemed great but my roots ended up rotting because I didn't check the drainage holes weekly. Meanwhile my neighbor used simple $5 terracotta pots with saucers and her tomatoes outgrew mine by June. Was it just the brand I picked or are self-watering systems a scam for small balconies? Has anyone else lost money on those fancy containers and gone back to basics?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly6329d ago

Read they work great if you check the water level EVERY week.

angela19129d ago

Every week" sounds like a full-time job, @holly63. I can barely remember to water my houseplants that often, let alone check some gadget's water level. That kind of regular maintenance would be a dealbreaker for me.