Wicking Beds. How to make IBC Self Watering Garden Beds MKI
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2012
- How to make an IBC wicking bed.. An easy & water efficient gardening system for veggies & herbs.. Will be making up a few more of these for our front yard so we can maximize the food production from our plot..
The original Idea belongs to Colin Austin...
waterright.com.au/wicking-bed-...
Scarecrows garden blog is another place that sold me on the idea..
scarecrowsgarden.blogspot.com
Wicking Barrel MK II • Wicking Barrel... Self...
Feel free to pick me grey bits about how it has gone for us... 
Хобби
i live in the US and love your videos, thanks. i recieved my first IBC container couple of weeks ago and i think i will try your method. thanks for the videos.
Boy I thought very easy and thought it was store bought mechanism.And Rob it was really nice seeing you do all this work even though I totally underestimated the human effort in cutting/painting, etc.. Thanks for widening my narrow viewpoint.The best thing i liked is the finished product -very creative,neatly packed and delight to watch.
rob, you always have good stuff for us.
+rowdy hansen
Thanks Rowdy.
There is an updated version of this clip that has a few extra pointers if it helps any.
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
Cheers & have a great one.
It's so good to hear that more and more are getting into bee keeping I'm keen on starting one myself but would like some land first and that's slowly in the works. You have a smart enterprising young lady there, a decline in bad bugs is always a plus to a gardener :) I'll be checking that other site out very soon now thanks again.
this is a great video thank you for your time.
What a great idea. We do self watering planters, and never thought of doing it with larger containers, but now I'm gonna have to try it. Cabbage butterfly - too funny!
Hi there Amy... Have found that they grow some great produce like the Aztec corn we have just started to harvest :)
If your interested in trying a larger bed out have a look at the updated IBC clip... Have improved the reservoir a bit so it holds a bit more water.. Self watering Wicking bed, IBC beds with a few modifications.. Hope that helps some..
Found a few of the cabbage caterpillars on the daikon this morning :/ Made a nice snack for the fish ;)
Cheers & have a great one..
Thanks for the tip.. I don't even recall seeing it in stores around here but from all the clips I have seen it looks interesting & versatile..
Have a good one..
Great video Rob, I think you could teach a blind man to drive.
I really appreciate the fast forward bits, you're right, we got the picture mate.
I have three IBC's and planned a small AP system but winter temps get to -10C occasionally here in Arkansas USA. Besides, no electricity needed for these beds.
You've made an old disabled hippie gardener happy! Thanks
Very creative, They look nice and neat!
Mate, what a great video. I've never gardened in my life but I'll have a crack at this.
Hi Ross. I'd suggest you check out some of the updated videos I've posted to this playlist,
ruclips.net/p/PLBcWprMIwYYgCL4xDq6qcTQqDfW2tSdxF
Have made a few improvements since this build, in particular, I don't recommend the simple shade cloth drain hole configuration anymore.
Hope that helps some.
Good one mate, I like your commonsense manner of explaining your project...keep up the good work.
Morning Brain & thanks..
Have an updated version of this build with a few modifications if you're interested..
Self watering Wicking bed, IBC beds with a few modifications..
Cheers mate & have a great one..
Thanks for the ideas, Rob Bob! Using cold galvanization paint and using an old Venetian blind slat for drawing the cut lines on the tank are both new ideas to me.
Cheers mate.
I don't recommend you use the drains that I used in this build. They clogged up too easily.
This video will give you some better drains to play with,
ruclips.net/video/hL7PgoTlImE/видео.html
Hope that helps & the build goes well for you. 👍
Glad you liked the clip & watching the beds get built.. I find it a lot of fun to build them... Have to make a few more for my parents soon...
Have a good one...
Rob
Best directions I have seen, thanks!
Thanks, yeah i recognized instantly, im in bris.
Thanks for the help, me and my partner are building a house soon and we're going to fill any available yard space with food crops.
Awesome mate. My friends son has been earning a few dollars at my place sanding and painting my ibc's. Even with my thumb out of action I really don't want to miss spring!
Thank you & glad you find the clips useful..
Have a great one :)
Thank you... the thought of aquaponics has been my focus for next spring. But these beds look like much less work and should do the job. You make gardening look easy.
Very easy to maintain as well..
Have great one :)
I'm in the United States. Love your Aussie "Righty-o" :D I bought a used IBC tank that's still sitting in my driveway. I was going to use it for collecting rain water but I think I'll use it for this purpose instead.
Nice one mate.
I have some updated video build versions of this bed that includes better drains & water reservoirs if you're interested.
IBC beds with a few modifications that's similar to this one,
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
IBC build with a lager water holding capacity,
ruclips.net/video/InQW7838HrM/видео.html
Hope that helps some & the build goes smoothly.
Cheers.
**waves back over the fence from Ipswich SE Queensland..**
It certainly is glorious winter here for another week..
Thanks for watching :)»
Great garden. im in alaska I built 3..8'×8'×2' beds their still Frozen 6weeks into farming season.. good video sir..
VN Dustoff Have a newer clip that has a few modifications that might interest you too..
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
Hope they help to give you a few useful ideas..
Cheers..
First off love your videos .... I am going to make these for next spring. They look as they will be perfect for the desert climate. The first time I grew Okra and harvested it w/o gloves on was the last time. Love okra hated the experience. My hands itched for hours afterwards.
nice cheers for the reply really appreciate it, have been planning to make a aquaponic garden for a while now, and i think the IBC way would be the easiest and cheapest to start with, and its amazingly functional, thanks alot!
No problem..
I think they make great planters... I plan to put 7 or more across our front fence to boost our food production..
Have fun building them & planting them out Tawana..
Rob..
Tanks for the tip.. Shall try it out next time :)
Have a great one...
Thank you for the video mate! Will be doing this at home! 😁
Nice one mate. 👍
I changed the way I did the drains after this so you might want to suss out these 2 clips,
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
& this one isn't an IBC but features a better drain system that will allow you to raise the water level,
ruclips.net/video/hL7PgoTlImE/видео.html
Hope they help some.
Cheers.
I will try one of those, thanks much.
Hi Claudia..
Have since posted another clips that might give you a few pointers if that helps
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
Cheers & hope they work well for you..
No problem & thanks for watching..
:D»
Have a great one Miss Doing..
We tried that a few seasons ago.. We cut out little white plastic butterflies then put them up around the garden..They didn't work but the girls had fun making them & decorating the patch :D»
I have seen little solar powered units that have a butterfly jiggling around that are supposed to work.. Koo really wants a net so she can hunt them down.. Her & her grandfather spent about an hour chasing them down with my fish nets last weekend.. Thanks for the suggestion & have a great one..
cheers for the insight :) looks like a great way to do it :)
I'm glad the clip has helped you out & hope they grow well for you.. Not many fish could handle -10 methinks..
Off to give Mr Magoo a driving lesson now ;)
Have a great one..
Thank you for a perfect video
Glad you liked it Desmond. Just a note, I don't use this drain method anymore as I had issues with it blocking up. 😉
I have a playlist that has some other builds in it that may give you some other ideas on reservoir & drain arrangements,
ruclips.net/p/PLBcWprMIwYYizRYZra6RRbe_mrPdnXu4G
Hope that helps & have fun with the build mate.
Probably should of mentioned that :D»
During summer we tend to top them up weekly but over winter every week & a ½ to 2 weeks.. I have never **knocks on wood** had a large bed dry out to the point that the plants were wilting & collapsing..
I have missed filling up a barrel or 2 & they used to suffer a bit.. I changed the way the reservoirs were made up in the barrels & don't appear to have that problem now..
Shall add that info to the clip..
Thanks Brendan & have a great one...
nice job rob,i am figuring out a practical way to manage the wicking bed to the aquaponic setup and have it fill automaticallly
+Willy Taylor Hey Willy.
Search online & on YT for Earthan beds ;-)
Paul van from Earthan group has been using them in same small display set ups for a few years now.
Cheers mate.
Thanks Steve..
Not a recovering engineer but my farther is one so some of it probably rubbed off ;)
The paint was to tie it in with the aquaponic beds but it also helps stop algae growth around the reservoir area in the base as there is always some moisture down there.. Hope that helps & have a great one Allen...
Thanks for watching & I hope the clip helps.. Hamish has some great clips on all sorts of things.. I am waiting to see how his barrel top bar bee hive goes as I think that is the next project I would like to get my teeth into..
Our youngest wants us to pay her per Cabbage moth so we might see a decline in numbers soon..
Take it easy & have a great one..
Nothing like some fresh sweet potato.. I like to roast it with some garlic, tasty :)
I used purchased soils in ours to start our with & had a fairly poor yield the first season... Always find it takes a while to build up the nutrients in the beds to get better crops in..
Cheers..
nice job
Shall go check out your duckponics set up.. Can't fit one in here but love the idea..
Have a great one Gordon..
We have been buying them from a local landscaping mob.. Bianca & I did a quick calculation on 1 bed & think that that it paid for it self in 3 growing season dollar wise but when you consider the quality of some of the veggies compared to store bought & the convenience I think it would be much sooner.. Hope that helps some... Have a good one..
I found with the barrels that the water will overflow from the outlet pipe before the reservoir is full if it was situated beside the fill pipe.. Further away means the more likely the "res" becomes full before overflowing showing that the bed is full..
Thanks for asking the question as next few beds I make will have the hole situated on the far "long" corner of the fill pipe side if that makes sense..
Thanks again for asking & helping...
I plan on using chop 2 the water doesn’t sit in the bottom of the bed but flows through and out the other end obviously it would be beneficial to have the AG pipe to weave around a bit. I’m currently doing an experiment with duckqauponics and all is looking good, but in a couple of months will be doing more with Aquaponics, a little stalled at the moment while I develop an off grid power supply
The original wicking beds designed/made by Colin Austin included worms & feeding stations as part of them. There is a link in the description to his site with further info there. I did have feeding stations in mine as well but found the worms were more interested in eating the mushroom compost added when making the beds & later the sugarcane trash/horse manure mulch I have started to add to the top.. I know others that have added the feeding pipes & they work great.
Hope that helps some.
Cheers.
I mark the plastic for cutting before pulling it from the cage. I just run My marker along the cage. It misses 1 inch spaces at the perpendicular supports but that isn't a problem.
:-)
Hey there.. I get a bit pedantic & place the IBC on a flat surface & measure up ½ way on the IBC & cage for my cuts as there isn't a bar where it's needed.. ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.htmlm43s Have found that the cages do vary a bit..
For the aquaponic grow beds I use the cage though as the bars are where in the right spot fo the way I like to cut them..
Cheers & have a great one..
I never change the soil in our beds other than when I had problems with the first few I made or when I renovate the Barrels to make the reservoirs larger. I find the soil level falls every year as the organic matter breaks down so just top up with what ever is at hand. Normally castings or a soil blend with composted manures & always try to add some rock dust & chook manure pellets.. TBC
I plan to do just that.. Will probably water it down a fair amount so as to spread the goodness out though.. Was planing to turn off the water supply to the filter, stir up all the muck in the base of the drum & use that over 4 or so wicking beds. I think that should be watered down enough & ok if applied on top of the mulch layer. Shouldn't burn the plants roots I think. Charley carp & the like would be much more concentrated by volume than anything we would draw from a small filter like ours.
I like to water them in for the first week or so, 2 weeks if sown from seed then let the beds take over John..
Glad you like the clips :)
Have a good one John....
Certainly am in Australia, SE QLD..
I used Gumtree to find some & others were given to us.. Most I have paid in $150 for opaque ones intended as fish tanks.. Most that have been used for food stuffs go for about $100-120 around here if that helps..
Cheers,
Rob.
The end of the pipe is left open as the weed cloth covers the end stopping any sand in to clog it up.. I do like to put a cut bottle over the filling end to stop any mosquitoes laying larvae in there..Hope that helps..
Have a great one..
A good straw would be fine I think Ian.. A lot of people also use shade cloth or weed matt/cloth as their divider between the layers..
Hope that helps :)
Good video Bob. They look easy to do. Maybe a will do a few one day. I just have to convince my wife that they dont look ugly lol.
WHERE :O
Been called a few other things but that's the first time I have heard "Earl" :D
Cheers & have a great one..
Thanks for the good info 👍
No problem Lion Fan.👍
Some of the videos in this playlist may give you other ideas as I've set these beds up a few different ways.
ruclips.net/p/PLBcWprMIwYYizRYZra6RRbe_mrPdnXu4G
Hope that helps some.
@@RobsAquaponics i was wondering. Do you think your most recent design is the best or do they all work about the same? 🤔
@@lionfan9518 I like the most recent using the bread crates as it increases the water holding capacity a lot. 👍👍
We always put worms in the beds so they can help break down the organic matter further.. Even if that runs out there is always the mulch for them to feed on.. We are subtropical here so water freezing isn't an issue as we only have a month or so where we get a low of 0°C/32°F & that's only for a few hours at night.. We paint them so they will last longer as the plastic isn't UV stabilised & will break down in the sunlight.. I also dont thin the roots would like direct light.. TBC
Left a few bits out so going back to add annotations.. There is always something someone asks or you remember that jogs your memory after the fact..
Thanks for watching Larry & take it easy..
Does the moisture in the bed wick up to the level of seedling roots or do you have to supplement with surface watering for a period of time?
Thanks for your excellent videos Rob.
Just a quick tip when silliconing piping, I use simple trick - after putting the silicone, I screw things together, BUT NOT THE WHOLE WAY, leave some quarter to half turn. Wait for silicone to harden, and only then try to put the final pressure, and tighten the thread as much as you can. That will compress the silicone, and it won't even leak under pressure
Hi I had the thought of doing this as I’d tried with old fridges, but then thought why not combine the Aquaponics principal with wicking so what I’m imagining is water being pumped in to the bed at just below top of the through the gravel and having it flow then allowing the water to through bed in sleeved AG pipe to the should no dirt get into my water and back to my sump
Thanks Rob. These are interesting and I can see how they would be very worthwhile having in your climate. However, much as I would like to try them, they really aren't necessary here...a Sun machine would be useful if you have any ideas for that.
Nice video! I wonder if an air bubbler were added in the reservoir if it would help bring lots of air into the soil.
+Tim Burrows
Hey Tim.
A lot of O2 is drawn into the soil mix as it dries out like what would happen in normal in ground beds. Would be interesting to see if air stones in beds that have float vale auto top up units connected would benefit from the extra O2 though.
Cheers mate.
Hi Ian... We bought the IBCs from a guy that sells second hand ones he collects from beverage makers.. People often list them on sites like Gumtree (don't know if you have that in NZ) & Ebay..
Hope that helps some..
How often do you need to fill the beds with water and how do you assess when water is required?
Great video Bob.... and thanks for the link to Hamish's channel, just subscribed him too :D I wonder how long its going to be before you get some bees, lol.
Native bees would be very cool to have around :)
Blast from the past? Was looking into these, have watched your Aquaponics videos for years.
Question about your pipe, do you use the drain tile (black pipe) that has the holes in it (perforated) ?
Hope that helps..
Have a good one Trevor..
I now have 3 wicking beds thanks to your videos...and they are doing great! I am considering a larger bed and wanted to pass a thought by you. Would packing pellets... the little foam kind. be an acceptable replacement for the sand or stone thats used in the bottom?
They are easy to make up yourself.. We built them to conserve water so it is just a matter of whether you have a decent enough rain fall.. 2 of our recently flooded with a storm that was the result of a dying tropical cyclone..
Hope that helps some..
Hi Bob, just wondering what your thoughts are on adding the waste from a radial flow filter to a wicking bed (poured over the surface not down the fill pipe), cheers mate
Thanks for another great video. Just one question though, Is the reservoir hose at the bottom of the bed closed at the looped end or is it just left open?
first IBC harvest of sweet potatoes today. also grew tomatoes, squash, zucchini and cucumbers in with them also. i don't think sweet potatoes like rich soil, harvest was tiny but REALLY good. i had them from the IBC to the pressure cooker with in 30 min. i have never had them that fresh before, makes a difference. my yield overall in the containers was minimal but i think that was because of insects. i don't use pesticides but going to put some around the outside next year to keep bugs out.
AWESOME!! I have been trying to think of a way to do a wicking bed. I love the ideal of using this you get two beds with each IBC you cut in half. Great! I will only need about 6 IBC now which are not really that cheap. Do you have to change your soil every year? I have noticed that my wicking tubs only seem to work for 1 cycle then I have to change out the dirt. I have been using potting soil mixed with coconut husk 50/50 and adding more castings, Azomite and Myco.
They are made of HDPE2 & are said to not release BPA from what I have read on the issue... I like to go one step further & give them a coat of paint to help protect against UV rays..
Hope that helps..
I don't think I would use them for a large bed but a smaller pot or container would be ok.. My big concern would be what they are made of.. We get pellets made from corn or other grains & think they would decompose in the reservoir.. Hope the beds are growing well for you... Sorry for the slack reply time too..
have a good one..
I was wondering if there would be any advantages if an air stone was inside the water supply tube to oxygenate the water. Or would that encourage the roots inside the pipe and clog it.
Another way to 'draw' a cutting line at mid-height: take a length of sewing elastic, join ends by knotting, slip over cube and adjust on all 4 faces to same height - can check by eye, or by set square - then cut by eye, adjacent to the elastic band. Or use a texta-maker, then cut.
Thanks found them on trade me in NZ. Ww dont seem to have the suger cane you used to seperate the sand from the soil. Any ideas as to what else to use?
Any chance of another update soon Steve ??
Hey rob I was wondering if you have any idea about how far water can wick in these wicking beds. If I had a 50 cm flooded section with sand + aggregate and 50 cm of soil on top would the water be able to wick this distance? Or do these systems rely on the distance not being to far? Hope you can help. Thanks!
+Billy Matthews Hi Billy.
How far the water will wick depends on how much organic matter/compost is in the soil blend you use I've found. Generally it's only around 300mm/1'. Some plants have very deep roots so they would do OK in a deeper beds. I have had eggplants & tomatoes that send their roots down right to the base of these beds. Shallow rooted crops like some salad greens may not do as well though.
Hope that helps some mate.
Rob.
Hi! Thanks for showing us how to make the wicking bed. Lovely. I am going to make 4 garden beds . I am wondering whether we should put the bases under the wicking bed? What is your suggestion please?
Thanks.
You don't need to if the ground is firm & flat Helen.
I have a few more recent wicking videos that might give you a few other ideas to play with,
ruclips.net/p/PLBcWprMIwYYgCL4xDq6qcTQqDfW2tSdxF
I'd recommend the top 3 in this list.
Hope that helps some.
It's called "slotted ag pipe" here... I think it is called "slotted drainage pipe" in the States..
It is a drainage pipe with holes along it that is buried behind retaining walls & the like to help take water away.. Landscape supply stores normally sell it over here...
Hey Rob I bought 50mm slotted drain pipe but looks far too small compared to your one what size did you purchase can only find 100mm in a 20 metre length for $117 at Bunnings which is abit more than I want to spend! Thinking maybe get storm water pipe and cut my own holes for a cheaper alternative
@@lukedusina4319 I got the 100mm slotted ag 👍 Had a few beds to build so the bulk coil works for me.
The 10m roll is $49 according to their site.
www.bunnings.com.au/vinidex-100mm-x-10m-slotted-draincoil_p4770252
Hi Rob, I am new to making wicking bed with IBC. Can you please point me to your latest and updated video? Thanks so much. Also, wondering if dwarf fruit trees would do well?
Hi Shannon This playlist has them listed from most recent to oldest with the 4th one down being the most recent.
ruclips.net/p/PLBcWprMIwYYgCL4xDq6qcTQqDfW2tSdxF
Am working on a similar build to that clip but using pallets at the moment. Hope to have it ready for upload next weekend all going well. 👍
Hi Rob, great videos. I’ve gone from looking up aquaponics to now wanting to start other projects.
Question, do you need to water seedlings in the wicking beds due to their root system not being large enough to reach the water seepage?
Hey Jacques. Is great to hear the clips have inspired you some. 👍
I top water the seedlings & seeds for a few weeks until I think their roots are around 15cm/6" deep & can take water from the damp zone.
Cheers & all the best with your up coming projects.
Ha ha ha.. I have had a few comments that they look "industrial"..
B doesn't mid the look but then again we are both practical people..
Maybe a mural painted onto them might help..
Have a good one John..
I really don't think there is a need to add an air stone as when the beds dry out a bit air would be drawn into the soil to replace the space filled with water If that makes sense..
HTH
where do you get those ibc's?
Ive got a couple that i use for rainwater tanks but id love some more for garden beds.
By the way, australian, right?
I think that maybe the nutrients in your tubs might just need a boost with some castings & other fertilisers rather than getting a complete change out.. Maybe you could decrease the coconut coir in the mix to a 25:75 mix & see how they go then..
Hope that helps some...
Have a great one..
Rob..
Hi just wondering, is there a happy medium between an IBC having a small wicking bed and also topping up with a soaker hose on a timer from the top?
I top water ours with liquid fertiliser but that's about it An.
I do know others that also top water but I don't think it's really needed once the seedlings are established & their roots hit the damp layer below.
My father overwatered his first beds from the top (2-3 times a week😕) & ended up with fairly compacted soil. Am not sure if soil selection could have had something to do with it as well though.
Cheers & have a top one.
Great video, thank you! Question? Why do you need the coiled pipe when you can just fill straight in to the container?
The coil pipe running up to the surface allows water to go straight into the reservoir. If you were to fill by watering the top of the soil it would become compacted over time + some of the nutrients would end up settling in the base of the bed.
Hope that helps.
We are reading that plastics for underground usage is not a good thing to use if it has holes drilled into it as it contaminates the soil and the food. My question - is this true for ag pipe?
Hi there..
The pipe is made from HDPE2 plastic & it shouldn't leach at all as long as they are in a low acid environment & out of direct sunlight according to the what I was told when I rang the manufacture..
Is about all the information I can give you but would suggest you ring the manufacturer if you have concerns..
Cheers,
Rob..
Planning on doing this with 6 inc's so will get 12 beds. I'm going to put them on concrete blocks so I don't have to bend down so much, getting old.
Nice one Bernard. This clip probably isn't the best to follow. I did a later one that shows a better way to make them up if that helps any.
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
Cheers mate
Hey Rob, been watching your vids and I really enjoy them. But I was wondering how the mushroom compost worked out for you? I live near a mushroom farm and they give way the compost for free so I wanted to know if I should use it or buy a different kind of compost. And ya I've been by there and it dose have a strong smell.
***** Hey Walter.
I found it went well but does need to be mixed with a bit of top soil & other compost I've found.
Think I'd make up a small batch using one third of each just to see what it looks like. A wheel barrow is a good size for that purpose & the small volume will make it easier to adjust the amounts until you're happy with the ratios. Is a lot easier to adjust a small batch than a whole beds worth as I've found out a few times.
I ran out of top soil in one of the IBC beds out the front so used a lot of aged horse manure & mushroom compost, about 2 parts of each to 1 part soil. Ended up with a massive worm farm that grew a few so so plants for the first 18 months as the worms chewed through all the manure & compost. It's growing some great broccoli at the moment now that it has aged a bit.
Sorry for taking a few weeks to get back to you.
Cheers.
thanks for these videos. Why is the ag pipe open at the other end (assuming it is)?
The end was covered by the weed cloth (from memory) so didn't need to be sealed off. I had issues with the drainage in these so went back to using the drain pipe. I show it in another clip if you want to check it out.
This link will take you right to the spot I talk about the drain pipe to save you some time. 😉
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.htmlm49s
Also just posed an updated version that includes a larger water reservoir if that interest you.
ruclips.net/video/InQW7838HrM/видео.html
Cheers & happy growing.
I made a few beds similar in design. How do I know if the bed is actually wicking or not? The top drys out and that worries me. so even though I am a few weeks into having plants in it, I keep feeling like I need to top water. how far down should the soil be moist?
I've found that ours is generally fairly dry down to about 100mm/4" when they're not mulched Jon.
The roots will grow down to the damp zone fairly fast so I tend to only top water for a week or so.
Rob, Does it make any difference to the system, once the mulch has been eaten by the worms and the soil starts to mix with the top of the sand?
+Annemieke Pieters
Hi Annemieke.
I haven't found any issues in the older beds where this has happened. The water comes out of the overflow clear so I don't think the soil settles into the reservoir too far.
Hope that helps some & have fun with the build.
Rob.
Do they need to be painted? Also does the water in the bottom freeze in the winter? One more question ....do you put worms in the beds?
where did you get the cages and big plastic boxes to make your IBC wicking bed?
Great beds! Do you need to water from the top? How does the water go up to the higher soil if you have it running off?
+Farida Grewal
Hi there.
I water from the top to establish seedlings or when I add compost teas to feed the plants.
The water that sits below the overflow wicks up through the sand into the soil. The overflow is only there to stop the whole bed becoming waterlogged if there is a torrential downpour.
Have posted an updated clip showing a few modifications that might help explain it better.
ruclips.net/video/vAFyB35yVeA/видео.html
Hope that helps some,
Rob.