These Self-Watering Plants Are So Low-Maintenance, I Can Go a Month Without Watering Them

Growing up in the Arizona desert, the views outside of my window were mostly filled with sun-drenched mountain ranges, dry shrubbery, and little to no splashes of green anywhere in sight — except, of course, for the occasional cactus or two (or 20). Naturally, what I lacked in lush, evergreen landscapes outside of my home, I then tried to make up for in bedroom — emphasis on the word "tried" here, folks.

Despite my best efforts to develop a green thumb and transform my home into a plant haven, I always struggled to keep even the most low-maintenance houseplants alive. Floral arrangements wilted within a week, rubber plants crumbled before my eyes, and even the tiniest succulents would lose their color over time; this is perhaps the biggest testament to just how unnatural of a plant parent I am, considering succulents are seemingly the easiest thing in the world to keep alive (or at least they should have been).

Fast-forward to today, and while my botany skills haven't improved too much, I have managed to find a way to sustain plant life throughout my home with the help of Easyplant's self-watering planters. For years I've heard about the benefits of self-watering plants, but I've always been skeptical about just how effective they could really be. But Easyplant promises consumers they only need to water their plant once a month to keep it alive and healthy — the product's built-in water reservoir system is designed to do the rest of the work. Easyplant was kind enough to send me its Easyplant Fresh Starts Vital Trio Collection ($309, originally $333) so I could test out the low-maintenance houseplants for myself. The trio includes the small Easyplant Money Tree ($55), the Easyplant Anthurium ($89), and the large-size Easyplant Fiddle Leaf Fig Bush ($189), so I've been able to test a variety of the brand's plants and size options.

After a month of having the plants incorporated into my apartment, the stems still (rather miraculously) look as fresh as the day I got them. Keep reading for the full product details and why I think these self-watering plants are an essential for any wannabe plant parent.

Each plant has a built-in water reservoir in the actual pot, which relies on a self-watering system to distribute water to the lower portions of the soil and directly to the plant's root. In simpler, less technical terms: the plant waters itself, so I don't have to worry about keeping up with it as often (say less). Per instruction from the brand, I can simply pop off the protective cap that's located on the edge of each pot, fill the water reservoir up to its max line, close the lid, and plan on repeating the process again in a month; each Easyplant only requires that users water it on a monthly basis. My past forays into plant parenthood have taught me that I definitely don't have a green thumb or the makings of professional gardener (despite my best efforts to become one), so it's been a relief not having to guess whether or not my plant needs water and run the risk of overwatering them each week (as I usually do). Easyplant takes all the stress out of having to maintain plants, so I can go about my life and still enjoy the benefits of waking up to fresh stems in my home each day.

I also love Easyplant's wide array of greenery. In the past when I considered investing in a self-watering planter, I always found myself underwhelmed with the available options. Typically the plants were on the smaller side — think tiny succulents and potted flowers that could sit on an office desk or dining table, rather than large, lush arrangements that could fill up an entire corner of your home. Until I discovered Easyplant, I just assumed this was the norm and that perhaps it was too difficult to design effective self-watering systems for larger, more nutrient-heavy stems. But a quick scroll through Easyplant's site proved me wrong. The brand's offerings are divided up into several size-specific categories — small, medium, large, and huge — as well as a page of collections, so you can shop out multiple plants in one seamless transaction. From a fiddle-leaf fig bush and a mistletoe cactus to a bird's-nest fern and a colorful anthurium plant, there are so many different types of plants that shoppers can incorporate into their home, with prices that range from $49 to $1,714.

Finally, I was really worried about the idea of ordering a plant online because of how much room there might be for damage or destruction to the plant through the shipping process. Easyplant simplifies the process by packaging the plant into an easy-to-open box and expediting it so that your stems arrive quickly. My plants arrived immediately, and when I slid them out of the box, they still looked like they were in pristine condition — no broken branches, damaged pots, or wilting leaves in sight.

My biggest critique with Easyplant is that, at least as of this publishing, users are not able to replant other stems into the existing pots or simply buy the self-watering pots on their own — when your Easyplant does eventually begin to wilt or die, you'll have to order an entirely new plant. According to the brand's website, most Easyplants can last for as long as 12-18 months, which is pretty impressive in itself. Because these plants are a bit more expensive than the regular stems you might buy from your local nursery or grocery store, I wish there was a way to repot them and make use of the existing self-watering system, rather than having to discard it entirely in favor of a new one.

These self-watering planters are perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy the benefits of having fresh plants thriving throughout their home without having to carefully maintain them on a weekly (or even daily) basis. Whether you're someone who is constantly on the go, has a lot on their plate (like the stress of a full-time job, kiddos, or even pets), or is just anticipating a busy season of summer travel that'll keep you outside of the house often, you'll still be able to having a flourishing plant collection with the help of Easyplant's self-watering systems.

These home planters are available to shop exclusively at Easyplant.com.

Rating:

★★★★★