Aqua Balance Plant Watering Spikes and Globes with Weather/Temperature Controlled (4 Pack), Garden Green, 1.25 Litre

Product arrived quickly and was well packaged. It was easy to set up and does the job. Set up the water spike before a few days away, came home to find our flower beds well hydrated and plenty of water left in the spike. Really useful product for peace of mind when having to leave the garden unattended for some time.

I’m glad I bought these some considerable time before I needed them, and that I gave them a trial run before our 17 night holiday. It took several goes to work out that the little mechanism that fits inside the bottle needs to be half-in and half-out (I defy anyone to understand the instruction booklet, and my email to the supplier brought no clarity.) Even then, and I’d bought 12 of these, a couple of them either drained the bottle immediately or didn’t drip at all. On the point of giving up and giving a bad review, I persevered with my trial and, satisfied that I’d mastered their operation, left my 12 geraniums at their mercy. I was delighted to find all alive and thriving on our return - and there’d been an exceptional heatwave in our absence. It’s true that our balcony is shaded, but, even so, the bottles were extremely effective and had obviated the need to ask neighbours to come in and water the plants.

Bought a couple of packs of these to spread around garden in planters and individual pots. Monitored them a couple of weeks prior to going on a week’s holiday and with hot weather (temperatures late 20s-30s) water in bottles is lasting 2-3 days even with dripper set for direct sunlight. However would recommend for cooler weather and still useful to have as constant drip watering in high temperatures especially for fruit and veg plants. Also tried the terracotta stakes where you use your own long necked bottles ie wine bottles filled with water and these last longer than the plastic water spikes - up to a week or more in hot weather.

I've just placed my second order, they seem pricey but I'm so pleased with them. I use them in my greenhouse for when I am away as it keeps the tomatoes (and other plants) watered with a regular supply instead of me coming home and sloshing them after they have dried out. I'm not sure I'd use them in my garden as on a hot day they would likely drain really quickly. It's saving my greenhouse plants a lot of stress as it sits in direct sunlight. As they are set up in a hot place they do empty quite quickly but they did last the week while I was away and still had a small amount left in them when I got back. Once the spike is in position you just take the bottle out and fill it with water (I use mine with liquid plant food also) and then pop it back into the spike so the roots are never disturbed by removing the spike in and out of the soil. I would definitely recommend this product.

These are very frustrating. The bottom line is that they will not keep plants watered for two weeks. Install one of these, go away for 14 nights, you'll almost certainly come back to dead plants. The premise of these is simple: fill the bottle with water, fit the dripper cap, upend into a hollowed spike and leave to drip. Water goes directly to the roots of the plants, and thus is delivered more efficiently than with a watering can, irrigation system or hose. The mechanics of the system are two-fold. The first is that the dripper speed can be adjusted by pushing the dripper needle in or out: for a slower drip, push the needle further in, for a faster drip, pull it out. The second part of the story is that these will react to temperature: on a warmer day, the dripper mechanism is supposed to expand: hot day, more water; cool day, less water. It sounds brilliant, and perhaps with better manufacturing control it might be – but it doesn't work. Regardless of settings or ambient temperature, the bottles empty themselves in a period of time between six and 48 hours. I have eight of these in window boxes. I've been experimenting with them over the last two weeks and, despite many adjustments, have been unable to get one to last more than two days. Within that range, the actual drip-rate of any bottle is random: two bottles adjusted the same (or as near as I can get it without resort to callipers) will drip at different rates. I've done this experiment in full sun, partial shade, shade, and – just to be certain – in a cupboard. In short, they don't work.

Sturdy product but just simply will not last. Adjust the copper wire and water will still completely drain out in under 2 days. Followed instructions to ensure did right so disappointing and expensive for little use

These are brilliant! We had a long, dry, spring and summer, this year, but these beauties kept my newly revamped garden looking healthy and flourishing throughout. I need more, but they are currently out of stock, I'm gutted. But no other watering spike works as well. I first purchased these in a smaller size back in the late 1990's and those ones are still going too. I hope I'll get to find out when more becomes available as some of my bigger pots could do with two.

I bought these to water my potted plants in a very hot spell whilst I was away for a long weekend. They remained upright and kept my plants watered. I very much doubt if they will last as long as it is claimed but they made sufficient difference for the weekend.