Botanium Automatic watering Hydroponics Planter
Hydroponics can often seem very intimidating, and a complicated way to grow. Hydroponics uses Nutrients in water to grow plants of all types from edible to decorative, and in the last few years Hydroponic systems have been getting more and more stylish, and much more accessable to a wider audience. The Botanium Self watering Hydroponics Planter is no exeption here, and they have created an incredbiely easy to use and beautiful looking hydroponics system, that anyone could set and up and grow in.
After a successful kickstarter in 2017 Botanium AB, based in Stockholm Sweden, went on to produce their first product the Botanium Self Watering Hydroponics Planter. This sleek stylish modern design, can grow anything from herbs to vegetables, and is also well suited to Orchids, and other house plants.
The use of Hydroponics, and SoilLess Grow Medium is what attracted us to this system, and we have not been disappointed.
Hydroponics at home, with Botanium?
Botanium is one of the easiest and most stylish ways to get into Hydroponics at home. Easy to setup, maintain, and care for.
Fitting seamlessly into my kitchen, the Botanium has almost silently been growing 2 tomato plants on my window sill. I say almost silently, because the small pump in the reservoir (bottom section of the Botanium does make a small sound, and the trickle of water can be picked up. Mostly because it is a new sound we have added to a room we spend most of our time in.
My children love to watch it, as the small outlets pump water/nutrient solution out and around the base of the plants, before allowing the water to trickle past the roots of the plants, and then back into the reservoir to be used again during the next watering cycle.
How long will the water last before I have to refill?
The Botanium waters the plants every 3 hours from the first time that you plug it in, and the results in mine have been brilliant. I plugged in after setting up, and planting my seeds on the 5 th of April 2021, and I am about to add water for the first time now on the 3rd of May 2021. That is an astonishing 28 days without doing anything to this hydroponics self watering container. Please note that this length of time can and will vary depending on lots of things. Type of plant, temperature of the Botanium etc. Mine has been in a south facing window for 28 Days with 2 Tomato plants in. (Note: I have since removed on of the plants to allow room for one to produce fruit)
Will I have to prune or Support the plants in the Botanium?
This depends on which type of plant you are growing. When it comes to Chilli Plants (Pepper Plants), I would suggest removing the tops when they start to become tall, or have 3-4 sets of leaves on, this will help keep them low, and tell the plant to produce more shoots, and therefore more Fruit. Tomatoes need less pruning, but they might need help standing up after a certain amount of time. The Cherry Tomato seeds from Botanium are a Small variety, and should not get to tall before producing flowers and fruit. See the full range using the link below. (Link opens in a New Tab)
After you start to see signs of fruit forming toward the top, you can start to think about removing some lower leaves, to allow the plant more power to produce fruit further up. Take note of the advice and instruction on the back of your Botanium seeds packet or other, and prune herbs and other plants accordingly. Botanium recommends removing the top part of your plant after around 30 days, so that you can get the maximum growth from your Coriander for example. See all the details on our Botanium page.
It is also important to remember that on some varieties of plant, such as the Chilli and the Tomato, Botanium recommends that after your seeds have grown a little, you should choose the plant you want to keep and remove the other one. This will allow the remaining plant to grow fully and produce a good harvest.
I have had to add a small stake (day 27) to my tomato plant, as it is very tall now. This is not a problem for me as I have never met a tomato plant that I have not had to support at some point. It is looking very healthy, and starting to think about putting out flowers already.
Plant – Enjoy – Harvest
As Botanium say themselves, it is a true Plant – Enjoy – Harvest system.
There are a few ‘Self watering’ Hydroponics systems on the market, but none of them are so beautifully designed as the Botanium. Coming in 3 colours allows you to match it with your decor, and have fresh herbs, or vegetables on your countertop with hassle/maintenance free growing.
I have been documenting the progress of the Tomato seeds I have growing in my Botanium, and have added a gallery below for you to see. The gallery below starts from Day 4, and finishes just before I needed to refill the nutrient solution on Day 28.
How to Refill your Botanium Planter
This process is very simple, and you only have to complete a few steps, and check that everything is intact. I’ll add the steps below, or you can just check out the video.
The steps are as follows:
- Unplug the Botanium planter from the wall.
- Carefully remove the top section of the Botanium, and place to one side.
- Carefully wash the bottom section of the Botanium with warm soapy water. Rince well.
- Check to see if the small rubber gasket is in place at the top of the tube coming from the pump. This is important to stop any leaks.
- Add 1 litre (1000 ml, 1 dl) of water to the bottom section of the Botanium
- Add 5 full pippettes of the nutrient solution provided.
- Carefully replace the top section with your plant in. Be sure to align the small knotch with the fill line on the front of the Botanium.
- Plug in the Botanium.
Details of Botanium and it’s Accessories
We like the Botanium Hydroponics Planter so much that we made it it’s own page. See the link below for all the details, and how to buy yours. (link opens in a New Tab)
Botanium Self watering Hydroponics Planter and Seeds Overview
