This inside-out planter eliminates the need for soil

by KENYA FOY

This approach to indoor gardening literally turns the concept of plant-growing inside out. Touted as an “innovative solution to growing plants indoors,” the TerraPlanter works in the exact opposite way of traditional planters in that it holds water on the inside and diffuses the liquid to the outside, allowing the plants to grow on the exterior of the container. Think of it as a fancier Chia Pet.

In addition to its creative method of sustaining plants, the TerraPlanter—which has currently raised over $1.3 million on Kickstarter—only requires water and completely eliminates the need for dirt or soil. 

On what it took to execute the fresh hydroponic design, TerraPlanter creators explain, “We wanted to design a piece that was aesthetically beautiful but it also needed to serve a function; it needed to be a good home for plants. For this we needed to produce a complex shape for the surface of the terraplanter to meet the needs of the plants.” 

This resulted in a porous ceramic surface that holds seeds and water for the plant roots while allowing the roots to easily intertwine themselves with the planter’s surface.  This design allows the plants to slowly absorb the water, which means they don’t need to be watered as frequently as with a standard planter, making the TerraPlanter an ideal choice for new or inexperienced plant parents.

It’s made of a ceramic material and terracotta in color, so it goes with any type of decor. The TerraPlanter is also reusable and makes a perfect home for various plants, including the Venus Flytrap, moss, chia, grass, begonias, silver lace ferns, and more.

TerraPlanter is still available on Kickstarter starting at $59 for a single unit and $99 for two. They are expected to ship in October 2020.