Wicking Beds

Water From the Bottom Up.

The most water-wise raised bed possible — steadier plants, fewer chores, and a lot less water.

Cutaway of a wicking bed: 2 to 4 inches of mulch over 12 inches of soil, above a water reservoir about 10 inches deep. Water wicks up through the soil to tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and basil. A fill tube reaches the reservoir, and an overflow and water-level tube on the side pivots down to drain it.

How It Works

A Reservoir Under the Soil Does the Watering.

A wicking bed stores water in a reservoir beneath the soil and draws it upward on its own, so roots stay evenly moist while the surface stays dry.

1
A hidden reservoir at the base holds the water.
2
Capillary action pulls moisture up through the soil to the roots.
3
A layer of mulch keeps the surface dry, so you get fewer weeds and fewer fungal problems.

Why Grow This Way

Better Results, Less Effort.

Tomatoes without the drama

Steady moisture helps prevent blossom-end rot and split skins.

Healthier leaves

A dry soil surface helps prevent powdery mildew on cucumbers and melons.

Cooler roots, sweeter greens

Constant moisture keeps lettuce and chard from turning bitter or bolting early.

50%

more produce per gallon of water than best-practice surface irrigation, in a University of South Australia study of wicking beds.

What Grows Best

Know What to Plant Where.

Thrives in a wicking bed

Tomatoes
Cucumbers & melons
Leafy greens
Peppers & eggplant
Basil, parsley & cilantro
Broccoli & cabbage
Zinnias & milkweed

Better in traditional beds

Rosemary, thyme & lavender
Carrots & parsnips
Potatoes & sweet potatoes
Garlic & bulb onions
Succulents & natives

Built, Not Just Drawn

From Our Own Builds.

Real wicking beds, layer by layer.

Overhead view of geotextile fabric lining a raised bed before the rock goes in — Fabric and liner in place before the rock goes in.

Corrugated perforated pipe and lava rock filling the reservoir around the standpipe — Perforated pipe and lava rock fill the reservoir.

Landscape fabric laid over the lava rock to keep soil out of the reservoir — Fabric over the rock keeps soil out of the water.

Standpipe fitted with a fill valve and hose connection above the rock layer — A fill pipe and valve make watering simple.

The Class

Build Your Own Wicking Bed.

A three-week class that takes you from planning to planting. Here is the plan.

Coming soon — dates to be announced

Week 1

About 1 hour

1
Is a wicking bed right for your space?
Sun, size, access, and where the bed should go.
2
Building the bed
The frame, the waterproof liner, and protecting the liner so it lasts.

Week 2

About 90 minutes

3
The reservoir and plumbing
Perforated pipe and rock below, plus the fill pipe, valve, and water-level tube that let you fill, check, and drain the bed.

Week 3

About 1 hour

4
The soil
Mixing the growing medium, why depth matters, and keeping soil out of the reservoir.
5
Mulch and planting
What thrives, what doesn't, and how to lay out your bed.
6
Watering and care through the seasons
Filling, reading the water level, draining, and keeping it going in Utah's climate.

Price

$125 per person. Bring a guest for $50 more.

Format

Three weekly in-class demonstrations with slides, photos, and drawings, plus time for your questions.

Class size

Four to six sign-ups, up to twelve people. The class runs once four sign-ups are in.

Who it's for

Beginner and intermediate Utah gardeners.

Optional Add-On

A Personal Site Visit

After the class, book a visit to your own yard. We spend about an hour and a half working with you on your site. Schedule it within four to six weeks of the last session.

$175Flat · travel included

The class is still being planned. Dates, prices, and details may change before the first session.

Ready When You Are

Learn It, or Let Us Build It.

Join the mailing list to hear first when class dates are announced, or have us design and install a wicking bed for you.

Get Class Updates Have Us Build Yours