Modular Self-Watering Propagation Station

A modular self-watering propagation station designed for growing rhizomes and seedlings

→ tested and proven with Alocasia rhizomes over a 2-month growing period with great results.🌿

💡 How it works

Each module holds 3 plants and uses capillary action to deliver consistent moisture to the roots. Simply fill the reservoir with water (fertilized water works great) and the system does the rest. A built-in min/max water level indicator lets you keep track of the reservoir at a glance.

📦 Parts per module

• 1× Base (reservoir + holder)
• 3× Pot (removable individually)
• 3× Greenhouse Cap (optional, print in transparent filament)

Each pot can be removed individually from the base, giving you full flexibility — check on a single plant, swap substrate, or remove it without disturbing the others.

📐 Pot dimensions (at 100% scale) 

Inner volume: 37×37mm, height 38mm (tapers slightly toward the bottom). Scale up or down as needed for your plants.

🪨 Substrate

Seramis or any other fine-grained mineral substrate works well.  ⚠️ Avoid regular potting soil.

☀️ Greenhouse caps (optional)

The transparent caps create a humidity dome effect, speeding up propagation — especially useful for tropical plants like Alocasia. In already humid environments (e.g. a greenhouse or grow tent), the caps can be skipped entirely.

⚙️ Print settings

• No supports required — designed for clean, easy printing
• Layer height: 0.2mm
• PLA recommended; PETG and other materials work too
• Print caps in transparent filament
• Infill: ~15% (mostly walls and floor, infill has minimal impact)
• Min. 2 perimeters (4 lines inner + outer worked well)
• Base at 5× 0.2mm walls — watertight without post-processing in my case, but a sealant coat won't hurt for extra safety

🗂️Files

The 3MF includes 3 pre-configured plates (1× pot, 1× base, 1× cap). All parts are also available as individual STLs so you can easily reprint just what you need.

📈Scaling up

Need more capacity? Print multiple modules and arrange them as needed. If there's interest in a 6- or 9-slot version, leave a comment — I'm happy to design one! 💬