Wicking Beds: Watering from the Bottom Up
What if you could water your vegetable garden from below instead of above?
Wicking beds have a built-in water reservoir beneath the soil. Water moves upwards through capillary action, supplying moisture to plant roots.
In this episode, Steven Biggs talks with Alberta permaculture designer Rob Avis about how wicking beds work, how to build them, and where they make sense.
Rob shares lessons from building wicking beds in his own garden and for community projects. He also talks about their limitations, including the risk of keeping soil too wet and the extra attention needed to maintain soil fertility.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn into the bigger picture of water management, soil health, and soil carbon.
In this episode:
How wicking beds use capillary action to move water upwards
The advantages of watering from below
Where wicking beds make sense, including small urban gardens
Why it's important to let soil dry out between waterings
Building tips, including reservoirs, liners, fill pipes, and overflow drains
Soil mixes, compost, and maintaining fertility in raised beds
Lessons from a large community-garden wicking-bed project
How water management and soil carbon are connected
Resources
From the Bottom Up: A DIY Guide to Wicking Beds by Rob Avis, Verge Permaculture. Includes diagrams, photographs, and construction guidance.
Fifth World: Rob's landscape design and ecological restoration work.
Rob also offers a data-based Land Inspection service through 5th World, using maps and environmental data to help property owners and prospective buyers understand drainage, soils, sun exposure, and other site characteristics.
About Rob Avis
Rob Avis is a permaculture designer and co-founder of Verge Permaculture. His work focuses on designing productive landscapes, managing water, and restoring ecological systems, from urban properties to larger rural landscapes.