I needed a self watering plant pot but the ones I could find didn't meet my needs so I designed this one myself.

• Bigger reservoir than most of the ones out there, this one fits a 1.5L soda bottle easily, so that I can go on holidays without having to ask someone to water the plants. Might even fit a 2L soda bottle.
   
• Fits bigger plants (base 15cm, top opening 17cm)
   
• Can be used with EU pet bottles with bottle cap retainer thingy (has an inside rim that fits in the bottle opening in order to prevent leaking)
   
• Fertilizer can be added in the small reservoir in the base next to the bottle opening
  (edit: Don'do this. Adding fertilizer to the small water reservoir causes algae and bacteria to grow underneath the shell  in the capillary cloth. If you need fertilizer, just add a time release fertilizer to the soil in the pot, it will be absorbed naturally).
   

This version of a self watering plant pot is based on the premise that the plant itself is planted in a thin-shelled inner plant pot like the ones that plants are sold in by stores. You can place the plant in it's original shell on the self watering base and use the accompanying shell to hide the ugly inner plant pot.

You'll need a PET soda bottle (1.5L fits, don't know about the 2L ones) as a water reservoir and ideally a piece of capillary cloth (or whatever that's called in english) to put underneath the inner plant pot in order to prevent the roots and soil to rot and to distribute the water under the whole inner plant pot. The soil itself serves as a wick that transports the water up throughout the soil.

!! FOR THOSE WHO NEVER CHECK PRINT SETTINGS: DO NOT FORGET TO ENABLE SUPPORTS  !!

Apparently, some people just download and hit print without checking print settings. If your slicer doesn't warn you of floating sections or if your slicer doesn't support horizontal overhangs without supports ([https://hackaday.com/2026/04/28/new-slicer-enables-horizontal-overhangs-without-support/](https://hackaday.com/2026/04/28/new-slicer-enables-horizontal-overhangs-without-support/)), enable supports or don't complain about spaghetti.

(youtube short below this line)

(there's supposed to be a youtube short above this line but it doesn't always show up): [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/menv9CavbQw](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/menv9CavbQw)

If you don't like the shell, just make one yourself :) Inner diameter of the base is 150mm, rim diameter is 3mm. The rest is up to you !

The one in the photo's was printed with Bambu PLA Matte Green. There's a little bit of an elephant foot which I did correct in the print profile but you'll have to select the best settings for your own material and printer yourself.