Spanish for owl, Lechuza (pronounced le-choo-za) is a line of German-made planters with self-watering irrigation systems designed to watch over your plants and keep them adequately moist throughout the year, whether indoors or out.
We’ve become fans of their products after we featured the Delta 10 planter back in 2020.
Out of the box, the system is easy to set up (via a simple step-by-step user manual). Included is a planting/watering guide.
Last year, we transplanted a young aloe vera plant into the Delta 10 and over time, it’s outgrown its home! It was time to search for a larger Lechuza planter to move our sprawling creature to.
Made of 100% recyclable products (primarily of polypropylene PP), Lechuza planters, accessories, inserts and irrigation systems are easy to assemble and provide your plants with the right amount of water, so they’ll last and keep fresh throughout the seasons.
The stable plastic won’t break, and is weather-resistant to both UV radiation and frost, making for an investment well spent.
Due to Lechuza’s built-in wick irrigation system, your plants will receive exactly the right amount of water.
[The Separator forms the water reservoir (approx. 3 liters/0.8 liquid gallons)]
The Cube line contains an insert with handles on both sides to lift the plant out as needed. It’s suggested to get the roots down to 20 cm (8 in) below the top of the soil when planting.
The illustrated manual is relatively easy to follow, but the online PDF is better detailed for further guidance.
The plant is watered from above for the first few weeks until the roots reach the water reservoir. Following that time period, test the reservoir by filling it halfway with water. If the water level drops in the next few days, the roots have properly grown into the reservoir.
[Cube 30 with transplanted Aloe Vera]
Once this happens, fill the water reservoir to the max level indicated and Lechuza will take care of the plant going forward.
One important thing to note is that every plant requires a dry phase. This can last between two to 10 days, depending on the type of plant (cacti and orchids can take up to two weeks).
Caring for the planter is easy: Simply wipe clean with a soft cloth and/or mild detergent.
LECHUZA-PON
Included in the box is a packet of LECHUZA-PON, a mixture of high-quality mineral stones (German-washed pumice, light lava) and premium-quality fertilizer, free from contamination and pollutants (and suitable for allergy sufferers).
This unique mixture has an ideal moisture balance for plants (45% water/55% air) that reduces a plant’s vulnerability to diseases and blocks fungi that can attack the roots.
LECHUZA-PON is ideal for all plants (foliage, flowering plants, citrus, herb, tomatoes, fruit trees, cacti, etc.) and can be used for years without needing to be replaced. Even following years of planting, the structurally-stable plant substrate won’t condense — and keeps its air-permeable structure.
The Cube 30 measures 28 x 28 x 28.5 cm (11.6 x 11.6 x 11.8 in) with a plant volume of 12 liters (2.7 US dry gal.) and retails for CAD $139.99/USD $97.99.
The Cube 40 measures 39 x 39 x 40 cm (15.4 x 15.4 x 5.7 in) with a plant volume of 31 liters (7 US dry gal.) and retails for CAD $279.99/USD $195.99, while the Cube 50 measures 49 x 49 x 49.5 cm (19.3 x 19.3 x 19.5 in) with a plant volume of 61 liters (13.8 US dry gal.) and retails for CAD $402.99/USD $287.99.
They’re available in White, Charcoal Metallic, Silver Metallic, Espresso Metallic, Scarlet Red High Gloss, Black High Gloss and Shiny Taupe.
Lechuza products are available online as well as at fine retailers in your area.