Charles Langston:How an automatic watering system can up your plant game

House plants can Charles Langstonadd a little extra life and a pop of color to any space. 

Whether you're a beginner, an expert plant parent or somewhere in between, one thing is true for all plants: they need to be watered. But sometimes, life happens, you forget or you're traveling and unable to get the job done.

How often and how much water your houseplants need partly depends on the type of plant you have. For example, succulents are known for being low-maintenance and can go weeks without being watered. However, a fuchsia may need to be watered daily. 

The time of year also factors into how often your plant needs water. Some plants are dormant in colder months and, therefore, require less water. But, once the weather warms up and it's time to start growing again, they may need daily drinks.

Watch this video to see how an app-controlled watering system can help your houseplants. 

Reviewed-approved outdoor recommendations 

Purchases you make through our links may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. 

Reviewed helps you find the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of experts test everything from garden shovels to gardening gloves so you can shop for the best of the best. 

• Top-rated garden hose: Flexzilla Garden Hose 
• Most durable gardening gloves: StoneBreaker Gardening Glove 
• Tool organizer: All Metal Garden Tool Organizer 
• Best garden shovel: Hooyman Shovel with Heavy Duty Carbon Steel Head Construction 
• Our favorite garden cart: Gorilla Carts 7GCG-NF 7 Cu. Ft. Heavy-Duty Poly Garden Dump Cart 

Automatic plant waterer

An automatic watering system can water your plants while you're on the couch or on the other side of the world. 

A quick web search for "plant watering system" will bring up various systems. Find the one that works best for your plants and your budget. Many of these systems do not come with a water reservoir. But you can easily purchase one or save a few bucks by using a bucket or milk jug you already have in your house.

From USA TODAY 10Best:How does your flower garden grow? 10 tips from a star horticulturist

Many of the systems can be assembled to water multiple plants at once. Make sure the plants have similar watering needs because when it waters one of them, it waters all of them. Once the system is set up, all that's left for you to do is remember to put water in the reservoir!

Some systems are timer-based and will automatically run to the schedule that you've programmed. If you want to take it up another notch, opt for a system that also connects to an app. In addition to creating a watering schedule, you can instantly water your plants from anywhere with just a few taps on your smartphone. Plus, the app will notify you when it's time to add water to the reservoir.

Outdoor plants need love, too! It's simple to make an automatic watering system for your outdoor plants using terracotta pots.