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How to make a wicking bed

Overview

A wicking bed is an innovative and efficient way to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers, especially in hot or dry conditions. By creating a self-watering system, you’ll conserve water, encourage healthy root growth, and enjoy a thriving garden.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Steps

1Choose a sunny spot

Find a location in your garden that gets 6–8 hours of sunlight each day. This will ensure your plants get enough light to thrive. If the ground is uneven, level it by digging or adding soil to create a flat base for your raised garden bed. Construct the frame and then check that it’s level before moving on to the next step.

A neat garden features raised metal beds filled with soil, surrounded by plants, shrubs, and trees

2Line the bed with pond liner

Line the inside of the garden bed with pond liner or a heavy-duty plastic sheet. Ensure it covers the entire base and sides, with a bit of an overhang that you’ll use to secure later. This will create a waterproof reservoir at the base of the bed, which is essential for the wicking process.

A vibrant garden scene featuring garden bed with a pond liner, surrounded by soil-filled beds ready for planting.

3Install the agi pipe

Next, prepare the agi pipe, which will distribute water across the base of the wicking bed. Measure your agi pipe to fit the length of the bed, then lay it along the bottom. Attach a vertical PVC pipe to this using a PVC pipe elbow joint, so that the pipe extends just above the soil level. This will be used to pour water into the bed once the bed is filled with soil. Cap one end of the agi pipe to ensure the water flows evenly through the pipe system.

A Bunnings Team Member is installing a vertical PVC pipe with an elbow joint.

4Test the system

Before moving on, it’s a good idea to test the system by pouring water into the PVC pipe. Watch as water flows through the agi pipe and begins to seep out at the base. If everything is working well, you’re ready to add drainage gravel.

A person in a red T-shirt uses a hose to pour water into the PVC pipe, testing the system

5Add drainage gravel

Cover the agi pipe with a layer of drainage gravel, filling the bottom of the garden bed up to about 300mm below the top edge. The gravel forms the foundation of your water reservoir and ensures even water distribution across the base of your garden bed.

A Bunnings Team Member is adding the drainage gravel to the garden bed.

6Install an overflow outlet

To prevent your wicking bed from becoming waterlogged, you’ll need an overflow outlet. Drill a hole at the top of the drainage gravel layer and screw in a drainage pipe. This allows any excess water to flow out of the bed, keeping your plants healthy and preventing oversaturation.

A person in a red T-shirt is installing an overflow outlet on the side of the garden bed.

7Add geo-fabric

Lay a sheet of geo-fabric over the drainage gravel. This fabric acts as a barrier to prevent soil from mixing with the gravel, which keeps your reservoir clean while still allowing water to move up into the soil.

A Bunnings Team Member is laying a sheet of geo-fabric over the drainage gravel in the garden bed

8Fill with potting mix

Once the geo-fabric is in place, add high-quality potting mix to the bed, filling it until it’s about 50mm below the top of the garden bed frame. Choose a mix that’s rich in organic matter to give your plants the nutrients they need to thrive. As you add the soil, gently compact it to remove any air pockets and create a stable planting surface.
A Bunnings Team Member wearing mask is adding high-quality potting mix to the garden bed.

9Trim and secure the pond liner

Once the soil is in place, trim the excess pond liner that’s hanging over the sides of the bed. Use waterproof tape or adhesive to secure the liner to the inside of the garden bed frame, ensuring it stays neatly in place.
A person uses both hands to apply tape over the sides of the garden bed, securing the liner edges.

10Plant your garden

Now that your wicking bed is ready, it’s time to plant! Dig small holes in the soil and place your chosen plants (vegetables, herbs, or flowers) at the appropriate depth, following the recommended spacing on the package. Dig small holes in the soil, plant each one at the appropriate depth, and gently press the soil around them to hold them in place. Make sure to space them out to allow for healthy growth.
A Bunnings Team Member wearing mask, planting leafy green vegetables into a raised metal garden bed.

11Water and fill the reservoir

To help your plants settle in, water them lightly from above. Then, fill the reservoir through the PVC pipe until water begins to flow out of the overflow outlet. This ensures the soil stays moist from below, allowing your plants’ roots to grow deep and strong.
A person holding a hose with a spray nozzle is watering a raised garden bed.

12Looking for more garden watering ideas?

Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.