I take a gallon can from food, punch some holes in the bottom with a nail, put the lid I removed to open the can over the holes, then fill a plastic bag with water and put it in the can. I have never found a plastic bag that would not leak, but if you do, poke a hole or 2 near the bottom of the bag with a pin so it will leak slowly. If your plants are in large pots like mine are (cut-off plastic barrels, usually), there is room to put one of these in the barrel. It will water your plants for almost a week if the pinholes really are pinholes.. If you want to decrease the amount of water your plants will need, such as during really hot weather, make some kind of simple shade over them before you put the self-waterers to work.

I am not sure what kind of cactus you have, but I don't know of any that would like that kind of pot and those conditions. Those pots are meant for African Violets and other things that like constant moisture. Cactus don't! I would transplant and then follow the direction on the cactus foood. I use the Schultz stuff but I hardly ever fertilize and they are fine without. Most don't require a lot of food. If you are going to keep it in that pot to see if it will survive, I guess you could put the fertilizer solution in the pot every 3-4 months and let it leach in like the reg. water does. A lot of the nutrients may get trapped in the ceramic though. Another options would be to get those house plant fert. sticks, cut them in thirds and put 1/3 in every 3-4 months. That way your not pouring water into it that can't get out. I still think your plant won't survive long in a pot like this.

maimiti, I don't think that would work well. Clivia's have thick fleshy roots, and they can't take much water, or sitting in water anyway. I sit mine in a bowl of water,(only in the warm months and when they are in a growing period), and let them soak up water all night. This is they are throughly watered. Then I take them out, and sit them in a fairly sunny window. I just give them a "tad" of water in the winter, while they are dormant. :) Arum

Nice Plants! I just recently took a trip to another town and found a big beautiful African Violet plant with white blooms. Once it spotted me, it somehow managed to follow me all the way back home. After it went thru all of that trouble, I just had to find a spot for it in my collection.