How do Plant Nanny products work?
Choosing the right Plant Nanny
How to install a Plant Nanny
Finding the best plastic bottle for my Plant Nanny
Finding the best wine bottle for my Plant Nanny
Using Plant Nanny Fluted Glass Globes
How often should I refill the reservoir?
Plant Nanny for hanging plants
How to install a Plant Nanny
Established plants
Choose a spot toward the center base of the plant rather than at the edge of the pot. The plants roots will tend to grow toward a reliable water source. Insert the stake with gentle pressure while slowly rotating the stake. The faceted shape is designed to push roots aside. Make sure the stake is vertical.
Into loose potting soil
When you are transplanting an established plant into a larger container set the Plant Nanny in the new and looser potting soil right next to the soil mass of the plant being moved. This method avoids any further root disturbance. Push the stake into the soil with gentle pressure. Make sure it ends up vertical when seen from both the front and side.
Stability
When using larger reservoirs be sure that the pot with its Plant Nanny stake and reservoir filled with water is stable and will not tip over. To prevent this, insert the stake into the soil so it with its plastic or wine bottle reservoir ends up vertical when viewed from both the front and side.
To adjust a misaligned stake simply pull the stake vertical, and then compact the soil at the base of the stake so that it stays in position.
Finding the best plastic bottle for my Plant Nanny
For threaded adapters
Many plastic bottles will fit your adapter, but not all. Look for a shape that appeals to you. When you find ones you like, you will know which brands to look for next time. Avoid extra thin water bottles as the bottle thread and the wall thickness will be a problem.
These are some brands that usually have the correct thread, and a shape that lends itself to being attractively recycled as a water reservoir:
- Poland Springs tm water bottles (including 2-liter bottles)
- Smart Water tm bottles (including 2-liter bottles)
- Essentia tm water bottles
- Dasani tm water bottles
- Fiji tm water bottles
- Pepsi tm (2 liter) beverage bottles
- Coke tm (2 liter) beverage bottles
For Quick Connect adapters
Quick-Connect adapters are designed to fit a very wide range of bottle openings. The shape of the rubber seal is stepped so that the bottle will make a friction fit when pressed onto the rubber seal. Simply push until the connection is firm. The drawing below shows how this works:
For adjustable adapters
This unique Click & Set adapter design lets you adjust the watering rate. Besides giving you this extra control, this product also features our Quick Connect adapter which fits almost all plastic beverage bottles.
Finding the best wine bottle for my Plant Nanny
The correct bottle shapes and sizes
Avoid wine bottles that have sloped shoulders because they can wedge inside the stake and damage it. Use wine bottle that have a shoulder that rests on the stake comfortably.
Plant Nanny Add a Wine Bottle stakes will work with both 750 ml and 1500 ml wine bottles if the neck diameter is similar. Just check that the wine bottle fits into the stake fully so the bottle shoulder sits on the stake. 750 ml bottles are by far the more common, but 1500 ml can be found. A good source is a friendly restaurant that serves wine by the glass. They often have the larger wine bottles.
Using Plant Nanny Fluted Glass Globes
Location
Avoid using the globe in direct sunlight as it will require cleaning more often and may generate excess heat by concentrating solar energy. When used outdoors a shady location is best. When used indoors indirect sunlight or ambient light is best.
Cleaning
Clean the globe when it needs it following either of the two methods detailed in the usage booklet that is included.
How often should I refill the reservoir?
When you begin to water with a Plant Nanny pay attention to the plant before you refill the reservoir. Does it look healthy? Has it wilted some? Does the soil feel too wet or too dry when you push your finger below the soil? Based on what you see at the time you refill, if the plant seems to need more water than it has been getting, water the soil some when you refill the reservoir. On the other hand, if the plant seems to need less water, you can leave the reservoir empty for a short period of time.
Plant Nanny for hanging plants
The key issue with hanging planters is that the space above them is limited due to the 3 or 4 “wires” that come together at the apex. Plant Nanny stakes and reservoirs with a low-profile work best. The one we find that works best is the Easy Fill stake. This product has an integrated adapter build into its shape. Because of this it works with open topped reservoirs.
We use 2-liter plastic bottles for their added width, but cut them to have a low profile as shown in this photo. Note why Easy Fill stakes have their name! They are not only easy to fill, but in addition, there is no need to remove the reservoir to replenish the water supply.