How to build a wicking bed

[Maursie]

it all started with a large cleared area in my small backyard and the purchase of an "L" shaped Raised Garden bed.

[Africanaussie]

@Maursie 

I dont see where you have added a drainage pipe?   I am inserting two wicking beds at the moment and wondering about the drainage pipe.  Thinking of digging a channel where the drainage pipe will be and just having the pipe come under the side of the bed instead of going to the trouble of drilling a hole through the side.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Africanaussie,

In the last picture of the series, I believe @Maursie shows the drainage pipe in the lower left-hand corner.

Mitchell

[Maursie]

@Africanaussie sorry for tardy reply, bit busy, but as @MitchellMc mentioned there is a photo of overflow tap which is placed just above the drainage stones. Hope this is of some assistance.

[Poyda123]

Drainage gravel needs to be small as possible. The smaller the gravel, the better the "wicking" effect .

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Poyda123. It's fantastic to have you join us and many thanks for contributing to the conversation.

It sounds like you are particularly knowledgeable about wicking beds, and I trust our members will appreciate any advice you have for them.

We look forward to hearing more about your projects around the house and garden, and we'd encourage you to let us know if you ever need assistance or would like to share them with the community. I trust you find loads of inspiration here as our amazing members are contributing their projects all the time.

Mitchell

[Poyda123]

Thanks Mitchell, yes I've built a few. A recent project was to build seven out of old bath tubs at the Southern River Community GardenWicking Beds awaiting soil.

[Annea]

Hi Poydar123, 

Wow, that project looks really interesting! I’m just in process of designing area in our back garden and want to use wicking beds in it. Could you please provide some more information on how you made wicking beds out of the bathtubs? Thank you. 
Anne

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Annea. It's fantastic to have you join us and many thanks for jumping into the conversation.

Let me mention @Poyda123, so they are alerted to your kind feedback about their project and your question.

We look forward to hearing more about your wicking bed plans, and we'd encourage you to let us know if you need any assistance or would like to share them with us. I trust you'll find loads of inspiration within the community as our creative members are sharing their projects here all the time.

Mitchell

[Annea]

Hi Mitchell, thanks. I’ll keep posting as we go along. Anne

[MrCee]

I appreciate the question too - its a a crucial part of the process. Putting in the draining pipe means drilling through the iron sides and the plastic. What size of drainage pipe? At what height? Its hard finding instructions for that - for instance, what’s required to drill through the metal?