At first glance, the Waterworks Bulb looks like a lighting element, ready to illuminate a room once screwed onto a live socket. Until, of course, you see it planted on the soil in the same pot as a growing plant. What the heck?
Made by House of Thol, it’s actually not a light bulb. Instead, it’s a hydration tool that makes watering your plants an automatic affair, removing the need to take time off every morning to water the plants yourself. That way, you don’t need to upgrade all your existing pots into one of those self-watering affairs – just fill this up with water, stick it on the soil, and go about your day.
The Waterworks Bulb consists of a glass head attached to a terra-cota cone that you stake into the soil. The bulb holds the supply of water, with pores on the cone slowly releasing tiny amounts of it to the soil in a consistent manner. A hole near the top of the bulb (which is plugged by a cork) lets you refill it without removing the whole thing from the soil, allowing you to replenish the water supply in seconds. Do note, you’ll have to specify what kind of glazing you want on the cone during ordering (the more it’s glazed, the smaller the amount of water that will be released), so you’ll have to know exactly what plants you’re using it with and what their watering requirements are.
Designed by Thomas Linssen and Jana Flohr, the bulb measures 11 cm in diameter, making it very noticeable when staked right next to any houseplant. Seriously, this is quite the attention-getter, apart from adding a unique aesthetic to your potted flora.
Available now, the Waterworks Bulb is priced at €35.