A well-intentioned yet somewhat misguided waterer of houseplants, I’ve been known to inadvertently drown struggling sprouts, kill off cactus, and neglect the familial ficus. Fortunately my roommates are gardeners and their green thumbs manage to trump my own black one in matters botanical. Even so, a perennials klutz such as myself can’t help but get excited about these self-watering planters. Built from my favorite reusable material — castaway 5-gallon buckets — these garden containers are easy-to-build and are a triumph of lo-technology and high efficiency.

What You’ll Need:

2 5-gallon buckets

1” PVC pipe cut to approximately the length of the stacked buckets (optional)

Plastic funnel, or used water bottle with bottom cut off

Power drill and jigsaw

How To:

1) Cut a hole in the center of the bottom of bucket #1 to fit funnel or water bottle.

2) Drill smaller holes (10 or more) around it.

3) Cut a hole to fit the PVC pipe along the perimeter (optional—see below).

4) Drill a drainage hole in the side of bucket #2. If you decide not to use a PVC pipe, drill a larger hole right where the bottom of bucket #1 will rest when placed inside. You can fill the water reservoir through this hole instead of through a pipe.

5) Place the funnel or water bottle in the hole in the center so that the open “spout” sticks through the bottom, about an inch above where the bottom of bucket #2 will be when stacked.

6) Place bucket #1 inside bucket #2.

7) If you’re using a PVC pipe, insert it into the 1” hole in bottom of bucket, it should stick out a couple of inches from the top rim.

8) Fill bucket #1 and funnel with moist potting soil and organic fertilizer.

9) Fill reservoir between buckets with water via the PVC pipe or watering hole. Check level every other day or so and refill when necessary.

10) Plant something and watch it thrive!

For a good visual primer on planter-building, go to howtohomestead.org and check out the informative self-watering container video, by Erik Knutzen. Homegrown tomatoes never had it so good!