Wicking Worm Beds

How to construct garden Wicking Worm Beds
Water once a week in summer and less during the rest of the year!

"The wicking worm bed is a highly productive growing system which not only produces more food from limited water, but also recycles waste organic material to provide plant nutrient and capture carbon. The essence is to form an underground reservoir of water or pond contained by a waterproof container or liner below the surface of the soil. Plants are productive because they have a continuous supply of water and nutrients." Colin Austin

Water doesn't evaporate in the bottom of the wicking bed it 'wicks' up to the roots, and, the top soil will stay soft, under the mulch. Now, we'll only need to water once a week in summer, and less during the rest of the year.

DIY eBooklet now available (USD$4.50): http://www.maireid.com/wickingbeds.html
Purchase my fully illustrated instructional eBooklet.
"Water for Food: The wicking worm bed revolution"
This booklet provides detailed information, including exact measurements and lists of materials needed for constructing timber-framed Wicking Worm Beds, plus everything you need to know about adding compost worms to the wicking beds.

Step 1: The Box

Step 1.
We removed the soil from our existing 5x3 meter garden bed and then leveled and terraced the ground for the two new beds, which must be completely level for even water distribution. We put a layer of soft-sifted soil on the bottom for cushioning, and created a waterproof bed for the plastic sheeting (make sure no sharp objects can cut into the plastic sheeting).

Step 2: Plastic Lined Water Reservoir

Step 2.
We added the agi-pipe, stretching the full length of the bed. (agi-pipe or agricultural piping has holes along the ridges to allow water seepage.)

Step 3: Adding Agi-pipe and Screening Rocks

Step 3.
We covered the bottom of the bed to just above the pipe with the screening rocks, then placed the PVC pipe into the 'mouth' of agi-pipe, and then we covered the rocks with the shade cloth, to separate the soil from the rocks and pipe.

NOTE: When we finished the beds, we cut the pvc pipe down close to the top of the bed. Someone suggested covering the pvc pipe opening with a net - good idea. BTW, you can see the reservoir water level via the pvc pipe

Step 4: Sifting Old Soil Back Into Bed

Step 5.
Then we sifted the old garden soil into the bed, removing stones, seeds, weeds and roots.
This was backbreaking, tedious work,bending, and reaching out with a heavy tray of soil, then shaking it to sift it out, so we put new soil in the second bed. Easy!

Step 5: Renewing Old Soil

Step 6.
We turned in a generous mixture of our own organic compost, mushroom compost, lime, and blood & bone, leaving a space at the top for mulch.

Step 6: Adding Mulch

Step 7.
We filled the top with a layer of organic sugarcane mulch, and drilled drainage holes. (see letter, below, from Colin Austin re. options for placement of drainage holes.) When it was finished, we added the water through the pvc pipe - testing how long it took to fill the bed to the drainage hole, and measured the water level in the pvc pipe, so we can know in future, by looking into the pvc pipe, when the water is low.

Step 7: Planting Winter Crops

Step 8.
Next, after a couple of days break, (to heal our sore bodies and attend to our work in the studio) we built the second (terraced) bed on top of the old garden bed soil, (no more digging for us! :), using the remaining screening rocks to make a gravel pathway between. We waited until the waxing moon to plant above ground winter veggies, using a combination of seedlings started in our glass house, and seedlings from the local nursery.

DIY eBooklet now available (USD$4.50): http://www.maireid.com/wickingbeds.html
Purchase my fully illustrated instructional eBooklet.
"Water for Food: The wicking worm bed revolution"
This booklet provides detailed information, including exact measurements and lists of materials needed for constructing timber-framed Wicking Worm Beds, plus everything you need to know about adding compost worms to the wicking beds.