What is a wicking bed?
A wicking bed help you use less water over summer time, as it is basically a raised bed with a built in water reservoir.
You only have to fill up the reservoir once every two – three weeks – which means you can go on holiday and not worry about your garden dying while you are gone.
As the water comes from below the plants, they develop stronger and deeper root systems – this in turn produces stronger healthier plants.
Less nutrients and minerals are lost – compared to top watering.
You prevent salt build up on the top soil.
How to build your own:
- buy enough wooden planks, wood screws, plastic pipe, pond liner and sand.
- build the frame with the wooden planks and wood screws.
- On the underside of the frame, put some chicken wire (or smaller) to prevent moles, mice and other animals creeping in.
- Rip up the grass where you are going to put the wicking bed
- Put the frame in place
- Add a thin layer of sand to the bottom of the wicking bed – just to protect the pond liner.
- put the pond liner in place.
- drill a hole through one side of the wicking bed and the pond liner; and add a plastic pipe covered in weed mat to act as a drainage hole.
- assemble the plastic pipe, drill loads of holes in it, and position along the whole length of the bottom of the wicking bed. this helps with water dispersement when filling up the wicking bed.
- fill the wicking bed with 30 cm sand
- place a weed mat on top of the sand – to stop the sand mixing with the soil.
- add 30 cm of soil on top of the weed mat.
- Fill the wicking bed up until water starts to run out of the overflow hole.
- Plant your plants!
- Top up with water every couple of weeks. The top 2 cm of the soil should remain dry – which helps prevent weeds.
