Most self-watering planters use a large reservoir of water below the plant that's absorbed from the bottom-up, slowly over time. Water is translocated to the soil by either a cotton rope or a narrow column of soil. If there is always water in your planter, your soil can stay wet and without oxygen (anaerobic) for weeks, risking root rot.

So Naked Root acts more like a fabric grow bag, suspending the soil in the air. Ventilation slits allow water to penetrate to all roots (not just the bottom ones) so water is absorbed more quickly. Once water is absorbed, oxygen rushes in to facilitate a water-oxygen exchange, replicating the process that happens in nature.

A little at first. When potting up your plant for the first time, some soil will fall through. And for the first few waterings, a small amount of soil will continue to spill into the outer pot. Simply rinse out the outer pot to clean it. After the first few waterings, the soil will settle in and will stay in place.

Most indoor houseplants will need to be watered about every 2 weeks with the Naked Root planter. You simply fill up the reservoir and let the planter do the work. Some plant types (like succulents) will need water less frequently. Check out our how-to-use directions for detailed watering instructions for specific plant types.