Growing your own vegies and herbs can be so satisfying, and because wicking beds only use 1/5 the amount of water, they're a great way to grow vegies in tough conditions. Here's a quick read on how to make a mobile wicking bed that can be lifted by 2 people, even with the soil and water on board. Simply buy the few parts at a local hardware store and follow these instructions to set up your own wicking bed. Not long and you'll be picking and eating your own produce. If you have to be on the move, you can simply take your wicking bed along with you and keep right on enjoying your home grown vegies!
MATERIALS (see pictures below)
1x 70 Litre plastic tough crate (even better if it's BPH free)
4x 125mm high plastic growing pots
1x 20mm female tank fitting
1x 3/4 inch poly utility tap
1x PVC poly pipe elbow fitting
1 piece geo-fabric, cut larger than container internal size (see pictures)
1 piece galvanised mesh, cut to size and shape (see pictures)
Water
Soil or compost (we use organic mushroom compost)
INSTRUCTIONS
Collect materials ready to build the garden (cut mesh to shape)
Use drill and hole saw to cut hole for tank plug
(plan hole for tap to be at same height as mesh when inserted)
Insert Tank plug and tighten firmly (has left hand thread)
Insert tap and tighten firmly upside down, leave tap open to allow excess water to drain if rain occurs or tub is overfilled
Place growing pots into tub corners and lay mesh on top
Insert poly pipe into elbow and place in one corner with elbow at base
Fill tub with water to level of mesh (we use rainwater)
Insert geofabric with sides folded upward
Place mulch or soil on top of geofabric
Now you're ready for planting!
HANDY HINTS
To drain water, simply turn tap right way up and open, then lift other end until tub is empty
Fill water through the top of poly pipe
Flush water and change every 6 months to prevent it becoming anaerobic
When finished any cropping, turn soil over well and add in fertiliser or required minerals
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For this to work don't you constantly have to keep topping up the water? Once the water level drops an inch or so I guess there will be no contact to the geofabric so no way to wick moisture up to the soil . If you turn your plant pots the right way up and line them with geofabric then fill with sand your design will wick water all the way to the bottom of the container cutting watering down and creating a cycle , ie the first lot of water in is the first sucked up so it doesn't get anaerobic . This way does work and I use 145 litre plastic storage trunks with wheels which are ligh…