Thoughts on this experimental rainwater fed wicking beds design...

Hi permie friends,

I'm interested in your thoughts on this experimental design. Do you foresee any issues i haven't? Any thoughts and feedback welcome. Thanks for your time and input

I am a big fan of wicking beds. 105 degree weather yesterday and even with fans and shade cloth those beds in greenhouse that are non wicking suffered. My outside wicking beds displayed the same, wicking bed plants standing tall non wicking a little sad. Same weather forecast for today, I'll upload some photos tonight to show the difference. My Kratky barrel experiment seems to be the same as the wicking beds resistant to the heat.

Robert Ray wrote:I am a big fan of wicking beds. 105 degree weather yesterday and even with fans and shade cloth those beds in greenhouse that are non wicking suffered. My outside wicking beds displayed the same, wicking bed plants standing tall non wicking a little sad. Same weather forecast for today, I'll upload some photos tonight to show the difference. My Kratky barrel experiment seems to be the same as the wicking beds resistant to the heat.

Cool Robert, woo wicking beds are great aye. Yeah post ya pics mate. Cheers!

I  have been doing this for about 6 years.     I make a wicking bed that is for my worm bin, the nutrients from that were set to run to my wicking beds.

Things you have to allow for is excess water has to have a place to go.


Too much water can dilute nutrients  and slow down the growth.

I have found that pond liner is cheaper than IBC's for me and holds up to the sun much better I use it to form my wicking beds.

I have put 1/2  55 gal barrels in fish ponds with good results for starting figs.     Some trees like wet roots others do not.

I use 1000 gal tanks of goldfish,   I pump each day about 500 gal into the tanks and 500 gall of that fish water goes to water my beds,   Also rain water is channeled to my fish tanks which then waters my plants.     Makes fish happy to have clean water and makes plants happy to have fish water.

Hi Matt,

Some great tips thanks. Appreciate the input. Hadn't thought about diluting the nutrients. Thanks heaps.