Wicking Beds

Helping you grow more produce, with less water.

What Is A Wicking Bed?

A wicking bed is a water efficient garden, and are becoming increasing popular with our Perth clients – as they water plants from below, rather than from above, saving time and water.

Wicking beds have a waterproof lining which holds a reservoir of water under the soil, water is then drawn upwards acting like a self-watering pot – meaning you only need to water your plants one to two times a week.

Advantages of A Wicking Bed System

Easy Grow Low Care System

Wicking beds are low maintenance. Little watering is needed making it possible to go away for two or three weeks at a time without your wicking bed drying out.

Save Water

Wicking beds use a quarter of the water needed for a conventional garden bed. Watering from the bottom up prevents evaporation of surface.

Reduce Carbon Emissions

They also reduce the amount of nutrients lost or leached from the soil by re-distributing them again and again for the plants to use. What’s more, Wicking beds enable the plants to absorb carbon from the air and in doing so, create less carbon emissions.

Easy Pest Control

Wicking beds make it much harder for weeds to establish as the soil on the surface is drier. They’re also ideal for gardens that have trees with invasive roots or are infested with Couch grass as its very hard for tree roots and Couch runners to penetrate into a wicking bed.

Our wicking beds

We have specifically designed a wicking bed system, not only assisting with reducing weeds and grasses, but also ensuring the nutrients are not leached out of the soil like with conventional garden beds.

Our hand-crafted, wicking beds are designed in such a way the soil nutrients are re-distributed back into the water and used again – water and nutrient smart. All of our locally sourced, sustainable materials come from recycled wood and will be installed for you by our team of friendly experts.

These low maintenance products can be custom made to suit your living space and needs – another reason they are so popular amongst our customers.

Wicking Bed System Packages

All inclusive of raised bed, quality premium organic soil, plants, mulch and installation!!

Large or Custom packages are also available, contact us for more information.

$439.00

Wicking Bed Steel

130 x 80 x 40 cm
Specially Formulated Vegetable Mix
Three Types of Vegetables
Two Types Of Herbs
Training Session
Delivery and Installation

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$539.00

Wicking Bed Wood

120 x 100 x 50 cm
Specially Formulated Vegetable Mix
Three Types of Vegetables
Two Types Of Herbs
Training Session
Delivery and Installation

Order Now

Package Options

Wicking Bed Maintenance

The great part about wicking beds is that they are low maintenance. That being said, if you need us on hand we can provide maintenance and coaching services to ensure a successful harvest.

Custom Wicking Bed Systems

Custom sizes, shapes & colours are also available. We can apply the wicking bed concept in a variety of ways for you. From an old bath, freezer or unused containers – provided they are at least 60cm deep we can make it work for you!.

Would You Like To Speak To An Expert About Wicking Garden Beds?

Wicking Beds Gallery

Wicking FAQ'S

What is a wicking bed and why is it better than a conventionally watered vegetable garden?

A wicking bed is a self-watering garden bed, built in a container at least 40cm deep. It is lined with plastic to create a reservoir that allows the plants to draw the water to the root zone where it is needed most. Conventional vegetable gardens beds are actually watered in an ineffective and wasteful manner. The plants require moisture most under the subsurface of the soil, conventional watering methods usually water the plants themselves and the top soil, leaving the plants susceptible to fungus and diseases. Wicking beds allow the water to be distributed to exactly where the plants need it most, without any waste.

Who came up with the wicking bed concept?

Wicking bed systems were designed by Australian engineer Colin Austin. They are a permaculture concept which imitate the natural way in which plants receive water in nature, using the water table underneath the ground and the natural ‘wicking’ effect of soil. As in all permaculture concepts it attempts as closely as possible to recreate mother natures, Gaia’s, flawless methods for growing plants effectively.

How do wicking beds reduce carbon emissions?

Plants need carbon (CO2) to survive and to return oxygen back to us, but did you know that the soil can also store carbon? The argument here is that as we deplete our soils of nutrients we are also reducing its ability to hold and store carbon, which in turn can be redistributed back to the plants as nutrients. The wicking bed is the perfect environment to allow this natural symbiosis to occur as they are high in the organic matter which allows that locking and storing of carbon emission to occur.

How often will I need to water my wicking bed?

This will vary depending on the size and material used to make the wicking bed, as well as environmental factors such as weather conditions. Generally speaking, in summer you will only be watering your wicking bed 1 or 2 times a week. Water your wicking bed until you see water coming out of the overflow pipe. It may take a week or more for the wicking to work effectively on this period top watering is also recommend. Also in a Perth midsummer, on those really hot 35 plus days a slight top watering in the early morning is also advised.

How often do I need to fertilize my wicking bed?

As a wicking bed is a closed watering system it is possible to over fertilize and create poor soil or salinity. Organic Foliar fertilizers only need to be applied monthly, and You only need to dress the soil with organic matter and mulch seasonally. It is also a good idea to fork or turn the top 30cm of soil to ensure it does not do sludgy or slimy at least once a year.

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We are very happy with the wonderful vegetable patch and fruit orchard that Gaias Organic Gardens did for us. Carla is so enthusiastic & explains all about the plants and how to use them. The whole family loves picking our produce and it’s saved us lots of money too. Would highly recommend Gaias Organic Gardens to anyone looking to grow their own food.

Mairead O’Reilly