Building Basics Of A Wicking Bed

COMMENTARY

• On top of the pond liner, the medium used to fill water in the reservoir
• Quarter minus rock
• Shade cloth for moisture to travel thru
• 10-11 inches of raised bed planting mix
• Containers can be wash beds, stones, pine 2×12 with deck screws
• Filling the reservoir

More Tips For A Wicking Bed

COMMENTARY

• Little more cost to build than a standard garden bed
• Different construction than a standard garden bed
• Adjusting to different garden maintenance
• Methods to determine when to add water when needed or for flushing
• Ray explains his garden orientation planting larger plants to the north, smaller plants to the south for proper sunlight and keeping the garden cool as possible

RESOURCES

• Ray Jess articles on Wicking Gardens
  • Wicking Garden Bed 1.0
  • Wicking Garden Bed 2.0
  • Wicking Garden Bed 3.0

Planting From Seed

COMMENTARY

• No concerns for spacing seeds in a wicking bed
• Plants can grow closer together with less nutrients
• Covering planted seeds with a wet bed sheet or frost cloth pros and cons
• Planting during 3 growing seasons: Spring, Fall and Monsoon Season
• Advantages of succession planting

RESOURCES

• Planting Calendars
• • Urban Farm Planting Calendar
  • Farmer’s Almanac
• Rosie On The House Urban Farming podcast:
  • Foliar Feeding HyCreations