Japanese company Peropon has a line of self-watering miniature planters made in the likeness of cheerful animals that are too cute to resist. These pots take the hassle out of manual watering and make a charming addition to your living room, home office, and bedroom; and make a spectacular gift for your plant-lover friend. The animal planters are also a great way to entice kids to start gardening and start learning about plant science, while also accommodating their school and extracurricular schedules thanks to its low-maintenance design.
Using capillary action, these ceramic critters simulate drinking with a felt “tongue” attachment that absorbs water from an included “drinking dish,” and then releases it to the flowerpot that sits on the animal’s back. This eliminates the need for watering by hand on a fixed schedule, which makes it perfect for busy adults and kids. You only need to pay attention to the drinking dish and replenish it once the animal has lapped up all the water, so children can still learn the lesson of responsibility when it comes to caring for a plant.
Starting at C$10 on Amazon, these animal planters are an affordable product for your home garden and make an engaging novelty gift for youngsters and adults alike. Some customers have, however, criticized the price for the size of the planter (measuring 4″ l × 2.75″ w × 3″ h) but it depends on where you purchase the product.
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Others have reported difficulty and even failure in plant yield, despite how user-friendly the product purports to be. Reviewers have also advised patience and consistency when caring for the animal planter to lead to successful growth. The planter is indeed a miniature one — small enough to fit into the palm of your hand — so it is not designed for large-scale vegetable growth but rather decorative planting.
Imported from Japan, the ceramic pots come in a cat, dog, frog, and giant panda option. The set also comes with various seeds, depending on the animal — clover, strawberry, mint — and peat growing soil so they are ready to use upon purchase with minimal assembly.
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