Growing Systems — AutoPot

Everything AutoPot makes turns on the same component: the float valve in the bottom of the tray. While there is water in the tray it stays shut. Once the plant has drunk the tray dry, it opens and lets more through from the tank. Gravity does the rest. That means no pump, no timer and no power, and it also means your tank has to stand higher than your pots.

The four families, and how they differ

The 1Pot is the basis: one pot on one tray, expandable to twenty-four. The 1Pot XL is the same layout with larger pots and trays, for plants that run on longer. The Easy2Grow puts two pots on one tray and is therefore more compact per plant. The Tray Systems, Auto3 through Auto9, use a continuous table rather than separate trays, which is easier to manage once the numbers climb.

Smartpot or rigid pot

Several systems come with either rigid pots or Smartpot fabric pots. That is not a price tier but a choice about root behaviour: a fabric pot lets roots dry back at the edge instead of circling. Both are here, and the systems are otherwise identical.

Extending rather than replacing

AutoPot sells extension kits for nearly every family, which is the reason to think about tank size at the start. Going from four pots to eight is a kit; switching from 1Pot to Easy2Grow is starting over. We stock the tanks and FlexiTanks under Water and Irrigation, where the larger sizes are.

Frequently asked questions

How high does my tank need to stand?
Higher than the trays, because the system runs on gravity. Thirty centimetres of rise is enough in practice; too high puts excess pressure on the valve.

Can I use any nutrient?
Liquid feeds are fine. Thick organic mixes can foul the valve, so flush the system between cycles and check the valve each time.

What happens if the tank runs dry?
Supply stops and the trays dry out. Nothing warns you, so size your tank on the number of days you will be away.