Product test
Houseplants alone at home: does automatic watering work?
by Darina Schweizer
Flowers in bloom with Boum: this smart watering system is impressive
19/7/2025
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
Boum was really getting on my nerves with its non-stop advertising and big promises. But after testing it for two weeks, it really has proved to be worth the investment.
Boum! No matter which social media app I open, the brand is always shouting at me. Boum! Smart pots. Boum! Amazing growth.
But do balcony plants actually flourish in the self-watering troughs by this Bern University spin-off as demonstrated in their promotional videos? I put the system to the test this during my holidays and used several parts of the Boum balcony set: a 35-litre tank with a solar panel, a 30-litre and 15-litre pot and a 15-litre balcony box.
Tutorial videos are helpful
I certainly had my doubts about the kit. After all, I’ve only recently been let down by Gardena’s automatic indoor watering system.
Some things are already looking better with Boum, I think to myself as I open the package. The irrigation system consists of a few, seemingly stable parts. «Easy, I can manage without watching the tutorials,» I think somewhat cockily and start to stick the tubes into the pots.
That was a mistake. You have to push the hoses in as far as they’ll go, which makes them fit so tightly, you can’t pull them out again without using the removal tool. I suppose that’s a good thing, as it means they’re tight. Unfortunately, I hooked up one hose the wrong way. In a ham-fisted attempt at getting it out, I snap off a piece. If only I’d watched the video tutorial on YouTube or in the app, I would’ve known that there was a removal tool. So make sure you watch it.
Do. It.
Second time lucky
That’s what I did after I got the spare parts from Boum. And this is how I connected the pots:
- I put a T-piece into the 35-litre water tank and each pot.
- I lead the first hose from the tank to the T-piece of the first pot.
- I lead the second hose from the first pot to the T-piece of the second pot.
- I lead the third hose from the second pot to the T-piece of the third pot.
- I close the T-pieces of the last pots (beginning and end of the system) with an end piece on each side.
Everything’s tight now, securely fixed and can no longer be pulled out by hand. I know, I know, I’ll need the removal tool to do that.
Irrigation: Gardena put in the shade
Gardena’s a different story. You can plug and unplug the hoses as often as you like. The automatic watering also works differently with Boum: not from above, but from below.
Good to know: you’ll need special Boum pots and can’t use your old containers with this system. The reason for this is that each pot’s equipped with eight wicks on the underside. The wicks draw the water from a reservoir on which the pot stands. It’s fed from the tank via the hoses, which, frankly, aren’t the prettiest.
A float valve on the water surface monitors the level. The plant can get the amount of water it needs itself.
As with Gardena’s indoor watering system, the watering interval can only be set to a specific time once a day. However, Boum merely fills up the reservoirs – in other words, the exact amount the plant has absorbed. This means, the plants are never flooded.
I’m still a bit sceptical when I look at my two large pots. I’m not convinced the wicks will transport enough water up to the roots of my olive tree. I supposed this wouldn’t be so bad, as the Mediterranean tree can put up with dry spells for weeks. So I connect the control unit to the app via Wi-Fi, pack my suitcase and leave for Sardinia.
A nice welcome: everything is flourishing
From Sardinia, I monitor the water and battery status of the tank via the Boum app. Even when it’s cloudy, the solar panel provides enough energy. Thanks to the sensors, I can also track the water and outside temperature, the weather, humidity and wind speed. Before I left, I also created a kind of plant inventory and recorded every pot with the corresponding plant in it. This means I can get information on various species, such as my foxglove, the Mediterranean herbs and the olive tree, as well as on their water requirements. If I want, Boum can also remind me to fertilise.
Two weeks and two days later, I’m back. I’m amazed. The plants have shot up in height and width. I hardly recognise the bushy foxglove and the lush sage, which previously slouched more than it stood. All I can say is Boum!
In a nutshell
This system bears fruit
Boum makes a lot of promises – and keeps them. The solar-powered, high-quality irrigation system is reliable and energy saving. Even though the watering interval is set to once daily, it provides plants with the exact amount of water they need. This sets it apart from irrigation systems by well-known competitors including Gardena.
The Boum app is user-friendly and provides useful information about the needs of different plants. The price of the irrigation system is comparatively high, but the investment pays off in the long term. Boum is blooming impressive.
Pro
- High-quality, aesthetically pleasing finish
- Secure sealing
- Irrigation adapted to requirements (despite the daily watering interval)
- Saves water and energy
- User-friendly app
- Useful information on care
Contra
- Hoses on the ugly side
- Only works with Boum pots
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
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