I seriously doubt those work, and they look too stupid to make it worth it anyway. They just sound like a huge recipe for rot, honestly.

Don't waste your money or your time. I saw that ad and I also had an opportunity to see the product in Walgreens. Trust me it's a gimmick.

Brief thought: I usually water my plants about once a week. Filling an aquaglobe probably takes about as long as watering a plant. Are you really saving yourself that much time?

Second, I'm assuming most people here, if they were to use these, would be spending well over 45 dollars just to get enough globes to keep themselves covered.

Third, I do not keep plants as a form of decoration, which is what that commercial seems to imply.

Hi -

I grow almost all my houseplants on a wick watering system. This works great for my African violets and most plants that enjoy staying evenly moist (most of them). They are cheap and easy to make. The main requirement is that the potting soil has got to be very light and porous to keep plants from being too wet and rotting. I use a 1-1-1 mix of perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss. To this mix, I add about 1 tsp. of dolomite lime per quart of peat moss. Some folks just buy a bag of the lightest commercial mix and mix it half and half with perlite to lighten it further.

For wicks, you can use synthetic material - something that is absorbent. I use 1" wide strips of nylon knee-high socks. Some folks use polyester yarn. Thread the wick through the pot so that it hangs out the bottom drainage hole. Pot the plant in the wicked pot using the light potting mix.

You are now going to dangle the wick into some kind of reservoir. I use plastic freezer jars or deli containers with snap on lids. These are available from African violet suppliers. I make my own by buying the plastic freezer jars at the supermarket and melting two holes in the lid with an old knife I heat on the stove top. One hole goes in the center of the lid for the wick to pass through, and one hole goes near the edge of the lid -- this is your fill hole to pour water in.

Then, you moisten the plant soil, fill the container with water, and thread the wick from the bottom of the pot through the center hole so that it dangles into the water in the container. Stand the pot on top of the closed lid. This will keep the plant watered for two weeks to a month. For years, I have grown the violets, ferns, a ming tree, ivy, fittonia, and arrowhead plant this way. They do great. Many serious AV growers use this method. Try the African violet forum for more info.

Best,

Barbara