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The Best Watering Bulbs of 2024
Last updated: Mar 27, 2024No matter where you grow your plants, greenery needs proper care and attention, both indoors and outdoors. You’ll need to maintain a consistent amount of moisture for all of your plants, and this can be challenging if you travel often or simply find yourself forgetting to water them on a regular basis. Thankfully, there’s a solution to this predicament, and it’s a watering bulb! I know I love watering bulbs because they hold onto water and slowly release it over time. The best watering bulb is technically subjective, but if you’re looking for recommendations, we would highly suggest purchasing the Wyndham House Watering Bulbs.
Show contentsThe Best Watering Bulbs- Wyndham House Watering Bulbs - Best Overall
- Cotswold Homeware Watering Bulbs - Another Top Contender
- Blazin’ Bison Watering Bulbs - Runner Up
- Aqua Watering Bulbs - Honorable Mention
- Brajttt Plant Watering Bulbs - Contender
- Altom Plant Self Watering Bulbs - Also Consider
The Best Watering Bulbs: A Buying GuideThe Best Watering Bulbs: A Buying Guide
This guide explains all that you need to know before getting a watering bulb:
How Do Watering Bulbs Work?
Aqua globes or watering globes is a round or oval piece of glass that is especially blown to store water. They are usually colored and are attached to a long glass stem at the bottom. The stem or neck goes into the soil and the bulb gets filled with water.
Watering bulbs or aqua globes release water at a slow pace into the soil without over or under watering it. You can go off anywhere without any worries of starving your plants to death for a week or so.
Almost all plant watering globes have see-through or permeable glass that lets you check the water level from afar and refill it before it gets empty. An average automatic watering plant bulb can carry around one or two cups of water when completely filled. This is enough for the normal water intake of most of the indoor plants.
For succulents such as a cactus plant that don’t really need a constant water supply, watering bulbs don’t really work. This method is ideal for plants that require well-soaked soil throughout the year.
All in all, watering globes do work. They eliminate the danger of dry or overly soaking your plants.
How Long Do Watering Bulbs Last?
Generally, an average-sized water bulb will last nothing more than two weeks. However, many factors can define how long can watering globes last. These factors include the size of the opening of the watering bulb’s neck or stem, the soil type, plant type, and the size and design of the glass bulb itself.
Every plant has a different water absorption rate and how you position the globe into the soil has a direct impact on the water absorption. The angle at which you place the bulb inside the soil may change every time you take it out.
This will change the period the bulb lasts each time. It can get longer or shorter depending upon the position and angle of insertion. The angle impacts the water flow, the steeper it is, the easier it makes for water to flow.
Small-sized plant watering bulbs last around seven days whereas the large ones can last about two weeks. The drainage rate depends mainly on the texture of the soil, plant type, and the draining hole size.
All plants are different. While some plants adjust when they get inundated by water, some hate it. So, if you have a sensitive plant, using watering globe will be helpful as they are excellent in keeping the moisture content of your plant. For more ways to use them, check video below.
Are Watering Bulbs Good for Plants? Are They Safe?
Watering bulbs are designed to water plants automatically. They are also called self-watering globes or bulbs for the same reason. They work great not only for plants but also for plant owners. It is a simple, affordable, and genius solution to keep a robust hydration system in place for your plants while you’re busy.
The best watering globes can soak up your indoor plants for up to two weeks. You can change the placement and angle of the bulb to cater to the specific water needs of your plants. If you’re wondering how watering bulbs work to keep water from draining out all at once, here’s how.
Glass watering globes have a narrow neck or stem at the bottom of the round bulb. This stem goes into the soil around the roots of your plant and the opening is covered with the soil itself. This soil impedes the passage of water and slows down the incoming rate.
All you have to do with these self watering globes is refill the bulb timely and clean it up periodically.
How To Maintain a Watering Bulb
If you expect that a watering bulb, which literally has one end of it into the soil, will need no maintenance from you at all, you’re wrong.
The open end of the bulb will get dirty from the soil and compost in the pot/ground. The key to a long-lasting and perfectly working watering bulb is to keep it clean. You can simply do it whenever you’re replacing water or every alternate time you do so.
All you need to do is use warm water to wash the self-watering bulb. You can use a pipe cleaner, put on some dish cleaner, and put it inside the globe. Rub it around and remove all the dirt you see. Mold and mildew are common for any container that holds water for long periods. Remove any you see and rinse the bulb with warm water thoroughly.
You don’t have to throw away your watering globe after a single use or if you see mold growing inside. It’s normal and easily washable. You can use a mixture of baking soda, lemon juice, and dishwasher liquid in the bulb and shake it well. Rinse and you’ll see no suds anymore.
Conclusion
Watering bulbs give all plant owners a margin to be human, to be forgetful, to live their lives without constant guilt or worry of leaving the plants behind. Self-watering globes are a great way of maintaining well-soaked soil for your plants when you’re away from them.
It is however advised that you spend the due time and care for your plants by yourself. They still need attention and monitoring. Make sure that you regularly clean the watering bulb and learn the what’s the right insertion angle for your plant and soil type.
The Best Watering Bulbs
1Wyndham House Watering Bulbs
– Best OverallWyndham brings you the best water bulb for plants of all kinds with a system that never fails. It’s a three-piece set that looks the most elegant and decorative in plant pots. All three watering globes are constructed with hand-blown glass and in three different striking colors. Each watering bulb is 12-inches in length and has a three-inches diameter.
Moreover, Wyndham takes care of responsible packaging and packs the glass bulbs in Styrofoam so they won’t break during delivery. The globe regulates a worry-free irrigation system for your plants where they can draw water through their roots according to need and at their own pace, making it our favorite option on this list.
Pros- Easy hands-free watering system
- Works indoors and outdoors
- Can keep plants moist for one week
Cons- Neck might get clogged with soil
2Cotswold Homeware Watering Bulbs
– Another Top ContenderThe fully automated watering gadget is ideal for outdoor and indoor plants, hanging plants, and lawns. It retains moisture, reduces watering time, and makes plant care a breeze. It also keeps your soil perfectly balanced, saving you time predicting your plant’s soil’s water content and PH. It measures approximately 11.8″ high by 3.34″ in diameter and is very easy to use; simply fill it with water, place it in the soil, and allow the watering globes to keep your plants watered while you are away. Each watering planet is unique and comes in various bright colors, adding a fashionable touch to your home and garden.
Pros- Large and convenient
- Beautiful and vibrant look
- Easy to use
Cons- Glass is delicate
3Blazin’ Bison Watering Bulbs
– Runner UpThese water bulbs operate an automatic irrigation dripping system that spares you 10 days off of watering or micromanaging your plants. The 6” high bulb and 2.55” diameter bulb takes up water and automatically release water at a slow pace into the soil. These watering globes work well even in sunny, humid, and extreme weather conditions.
Blazin’ Bison watering globes are easy to use. Just fill the bulb with water, flip it and insert the aqua bulb into the soil and keep your green buddies hydrated. It works on a simple mechanism, whenever the soil dries up, the bulb releases water itself and stops when it senses the appropriate amount of moisture has been released.
Pros- Comes in three different colors
- Hand-blown and durable glass
- Ideal length for all plants
Cons- Some complaints about fast-draining globes
4Aqua Watering Bulbs
– Honorable MentionA set of two plant watering bulbs by Aqua is perhaps one of the best plant watering bulbs in 2021. These watering globes can keep your plants hydrated and moist for almost two weeks. You can enjoy your vacations and time away from your house without having to worry about your dying plants.
You can use these with hanging plants, houseplants, and patio plants as well. The set is fairly easy to use as well. You just simply have to fill the glass globe with water and insert it into the soil. It will automatically sense the moisture level and release water slowly into the soil.
Pros- Stained hand-blown glass in two colors
- Up to two weeks of unattended hydration
- Holds up to 1.5 cups of water
Cons- Won’t stop water from evaporating
5Brajttt Plant Watering Bulbs
– ContenderThis set of 6 decorative glass water bulbs for automatic watering stand amongst the best plant watering globes today. You no more need to worry about over or under watering your indoor, outdoor, small or big plants, this set will do it for you. These self-watering bulbs will slowly release the appropriate quantity of water into the soil according to its moisture levels.
They are very easy to fill and are capable of keeping your plants hydrated for about two weeks. This is the perfect choice when going on a business trip or a vacation out of town. The watering glass bulbs are made up of high-density, durable glass that is hand-blown. They are colorful and elegant to look at.
Pros- Suitable for basin
- Works with hanging plants
- Strong and high-quality design
Cons- Neck might be too narrow
6Altom Plant Self Watering Bulbs
– Also ConsiderAltom brings automatic plant watering bulbs that will irrigate your plants in potted plants, hanging plants, patio, and garden plants thoroughly. These bulbs can provide water to your plants for almost two weeks. They are made of strong PVC material that is non-friable and permeable. The bulbs clearly show the water level so you can refill it timely.
These watering bulbs are easy to insert into the soil without clogging the neck. The best part about Alotm watering bulbs is that they come in two size variations. You can choose according to your plant’s water needs and the size of your pots.
Pros- Adjusts to the moisture of the soil
- High-quality bulbs that don’t break
- Easy-to-fill flip system
Cons- Water might drain too quickly
People Also Asked
Q: Can you use watering bulbs for outdoor plants?A: Yes, you can use watering bulbs for outdoor plants. You will just need to refill the bulb more frequently because the sun makes plants drink more water than they would indoors. That said, water bulbs are not ideal for succulents.
Q: Are watering bulbs worth it?A: If you are a forgetful plant owner or a busy person in general, you absolutely need a watering bulb. This will save your greens from dying prematurely.
Q: Do you need a special pot if you’re using a self-watering bulb?A: No, you don't need a special pot because self-watering bulbs will water your plants automatically in the same way you would manually water you plants.
Q: What is the best watering bulb for plants?A: The best watering globe for plants is one that has a sufficiently big globe that can hold plenty of water. Watering bulbs should be easy to clean. Make sure they have a wide stem opening as well.
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