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!