The Wise Planter

The Wise Planter is a post-smart planter. No gadgets, no sensors, no batteries. Basic physics lets you visually assess the needs of your favorite desktop plants.

Update! 12/15/17 In celebration of being featured as 3D Printing Today's thing of the week I've uploaded the Voronoi Base! It can be swapped out with the Wave Base to offer that extra-special 3D print-y geometry. Check out the 3D Printing Today podcast!

The inner pot sits on a spring which rests against the outer base. As the soil loses moisture, the pot slowly rises while the base remains in place. Eventually an adjustable indicator ring is revealed to remind you to water.

The inner pot is a little over 4"x4"x3.5" (LxWxH). The planter total is 4.75"x4.75"x6" at maximum height. You can print all parts in PLA, PET, ABS -- pick your favorite rigid polymer!

If you'd like to learn more about the design process used, I blogged about it extensively! Start with the first post, here.

I designed for (and use) Century Spring #12420, but you have to order a $50 minimum! Challenge to you all -- please find a spring readily available that works!! Click here for the 12420 product page. The 12420 is perfect, but a little stiffer would work, too. I'm working on finding a more available spring, but I got sick of waiting to get the design perfect before I published it. :-) Moonshot -- print a spring!

Post-Printing

Step 1 -- Remove from bed, test fits, and coat if desired

Once printed, put everything together. Does the pot slide up and down in the base with little resistance? Is the band tight on the pot but loose enough for you to adjust it?

You can also coat the bottom of the base to prevent water egress. Wax, plast-i-dip, conformal coating, epoxy. You pick!

Step 2 -- Add a plant!

If the parts go together well, fill the pot with soil and put a plant in it! I like to sift the potting soil at first to catch little bits of pumice/rock in the drain holes. This approach minimizes weight -- if you add a layer of stones/gravel, you risk adding too much weight. Once you plant the plant -- DON'T water it!

I like to sift a bit of potting soil to get a thin layer of chunks at the bottom.

Step 3 -- Adjust indicator band

You should have a dry plant. Adjust the indicator so that it is clearly visible. This is probably dryer than you want your plant to get in the future.

Step 4 -- Water, wait, repeat

Water your plant and watch it settle. Pour out excess. Now over the days to come watch as it rises slowly! Monitor your soil moisture carefully for the early weeks to get the indicator set properly.

How I Designed This

The mechanical design process...

I blogged extensively about the design process behind this product. Check it out on my website! www.openfabpdx.com/blog

Digital design done in Fusion 360.

System diagram

Functional Decomposition (part of a mechanical design technique)

Early system architecture

Version one -- the indicator band is on the outside.

Cross-section of the current version.

Bill of Materials

Printed Pot

Printed Base

Printed Inner Band

Purchased Spring (I use Century Spring 12420, see note in Summary)

Potting soil

Plant

Category: Decor