Improved: Self-watering SIP Raised Bed (Wicking Planter) Construction Tutorial & Tips

AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening

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Although I've seen amazing results with my SIP raised bed, is it possible to make it even better? You'll see what happened to my self-watering planter after 9 growing seasons. And I'll show the new tips and tricks for this new and improved system!
00:00 - Why Did I Need to Rebuild My Self-Watering Planter?
01:07 - Breaking Down My Old SIP Bed
01:53 - Where Did These Roots Come From???
02:31 - What Caused My Wicking Bed to Fail?
03:03 - Looking Inside The Drain Pipes After 9 Years
03:37 - Laying the Best Foundation For a Self-watering Planter
04:10 - Selecting the Best Wood for an SIP Raised Bed
04:40 - Upgrading the Overflow Tube for an Improved Seal
05:25 - How to Avoid Mosquitoes in a Wooden Wicking Planter
05:38 - How to Assemble a Self-watering SIP Box
06:04 - The Best Type of Liner for Sub-irrigated PLanter
06:30 - Extra Tips for Applying the Plastic Lining
07:23 - How to Install the Drain Pipe Reservoir
08:16 - Adding Potting Mix & Topping Off the Planter
08:45 - Drain Plugs? How to Empty the SIP Reservoir
09:33 - Lessons Learned After 9 Years
10:32 - How to Learn More About Self-watering SIP Raised Beds
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PRODUCT LINKS:
(# CommissionsEarned)
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Bulkhead Fittings:
► amzn.to/3Xjwo4U
Hose-to-Pipe Fittings (extension piece):
► amzn.to/3z0rxf3
1-3/8" Spade Drill Bit:
► amzn.to/45jgPMF
45 Mil EPDM Liner:
► amzn.to/3x7uNom
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BREAKING DOWN THE OLD SIP RAISED BED:
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I'm glad to report that even after 9 years, my self-watering planter has still been performing well. All of the inner pieces that make up the SIP were still in good working condition. I could have continued to use it for years if only the wood had remained intact. If you take steps to ensure the longevity of your wooden planter, then you should be able to enjoy a functional self-watering system that will last for years!
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NEW TIPS & TRICKS FOR SUCCESS:
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For this new upgraded SIP, I was able to include several new features that can help the system to work even better. And this will also help the raised bed to hold up for a much longer time. The first step is to set up a better base for the planter. This also makes it impossible for rodents to undermine the SIP. I also show the best kind of lumber to use if your SIP is wooden. I show how to keep the potting soil in check. And even how to avoid concerns over mosquitoes.
#Albopepper #DIY #SelfWatering #WickingBed #Irrigation #RaisedBedGardening #GardenDesign #WaterConservation #UrbanGardening
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Опубликовано:

3 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 74

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

This playlist explains lots of concepts about SIPs: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CXyV-XsQWNE.htmlsi=zFaBsuU7Qnr7lxod PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned) Bulkhead Fittings: ► amzn.to/3Xjwo4U Hose-to-Pipe Fittings (extension piece): ► amzn.to/3z0rxf3 1-3/8" Spade Drill Bit: ► amzn.to/45jgPMF 45 Mil EPDM Liner: ► amzn.to/3x7uNom

@rcubb7 20 дней назад

In the fall of 2020 I built a sip bed. 3ft by 6ft following your plans. I put it up on legs though. I absolutely love it. By far the best garden bed we have. I have thousands of red wiggler worms in there. Used 45 mil tpo roofing for a liner. Having it up on legs is awesome. No bending over. I closed it in and insulated so that I can put a heat lamp under in the winter. Plastic hoop cover on top . Allows me longer grow season. Doubles as a warm cat house also cause I put a small door. Eastern Oregon high desert. 110 in summer 0 in winter. I water once per week in the heat. Every thing else 2 per day. You have By far the best design sip on RU-vid. Thanks so much.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

That's so great to hear of your successes with your SIP! I'm glad my info was able to help you in the process. Those sound like some cool adaptation. Thanks for watching & sharing your results!!! 😀

@mamajan99 16 дней назад

"No bending over" means a whole lot once you hit 70! My back hurts watching! LOL. PS: Since you do hoops, do you ever cover with shade cloth during those hot summer days? I'm in Oklahoma and we get temps up to 100 and sometimes below zero.

@celiaschmidt5812 14 дней назад

@rcubb7 Any chance you could post a video or picture of your set-up. somewhere? Sounds great.

@ibiubu99 16 дней назад

I did multiple storage bins using your method. Great results out on my dock out over the river. I also used 2x6 material to make big rectangles with pond liner to hold a few inches of water. Then put in 15 gallon grow bags in that pond. So the grow bags sitting in water have outperformed the SIP storage tubs. All used homemade potting mix with your recipe

@Albopepper 16 дней назад

Thanks for watching & for sharing the results from your projects! 🙂

@TheUniverse915 3 дня назад

Another great video! I feel like you are doing some of the best hard garden videos on youtube. Very good content thanks for sharing.

@holymoly271 7 дней назад

How very impressive. Also, you are very good at explaining in a way that is easy to follow. Excellent 😊

@smhollanshead 16 дней назад

One additional idea: apply boiled Linseed oil to your box yearly. This should help preserve the wood.

@Albopepper 15 дней назад

Thanks for watching & sharing your tip! I've never tested that for this specific application. It would be interesting to see a test showing how well it works over time! 🙂

@jeffsullivan3362 16 дней назад

I've been watching SIP videos for years (even saw your original on this build) and this is the first one that has shown what can and will happen in the bed. I was very curious about the soil in the tubes and happy to see there is no problem. Fortunately all of my SIPs are IBCs so I haven't had to deal with the rot issues. I have every almost.type of bed you can think of (being a RU-vid addict) but the SIPs are the most carefree and consistant IMO. Absolutely the best way to irrigate.

@Albopepper 16 дней назад

I'm so glad that my videos are able to help out! Thanks for all of your support & for sharing the results from your SIPs. 😁

@jeffsullivan3362 16 дней назад

@@Albopepper Maybe you can answer a question I've always wondered, can plant nutrients be fed through the reservoir? Will nutrients wick up? I've always treated my beds like raised beds but have been curious whether bottom feeding would work.

@Albopepper 16 дней назад

Yes, plants can get some nutrients from the reservoir. This process works better with smaller SIPs like 5 gallon buckets. Sometimes it's a super convenient way to add nutrients for my seedlings which I grow in mini-SIPs. But I don't advise adding nutrients to the reservoir in the large SIP beds. As plants get bigger, they would be able to access some of those nutrients. But you can't really control how well the nutrients are dispersed throughout the reservoir. And if the reservoir overflows because of being full, you can get extra nutrient runoff. I prefer to top water the liquid feeds, allowing them to infiltrate the entire root zone of the plant.

@mikemike1824 15 дней назад

Fantastic update! Many thanks!

@Albopepper 15 дней назад

Thanks so much for watching! 😀

@kmoney414 20 дней назад

I followed your tutorial for the SIP here in West Texas and it’s been absolutely amazing so far! Only a couple growing seasons deep, but it’s a game changer here where the summer temperatures are constantly about 110°.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

Thanks for sharing your personal experience! I'm so glad to hear that the system has been working well for you. As drought and heat waves become more prevalent, SIPs can be a great way for gardeners to maintain their sanity! 😃

@MattGarver 15 дней назад

Great tips Al! A nice SIP bed would be perfect for a lot of gardeners, who just want a small space to have a kitchen garden of fresh food. Low maintenance and long lasting, it eliminates the heavy lifting of container gardens.

@Albopepper 14 дней назад

Thanks for watching Matt! I really appreciate your support. 😃

@seanspence78 20 дней назад

We just finished building our second 15' *4' can't wait to see all the veggies it will yield this year! The 10'*4' one were built a few years ago worked great!

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

So glad to hear it! I hope you have a great growing season! 😁

@ipadmini8173 19 дней назад

Thanks for sharing your lessons learned for improvements.

@Albopepper 19 дней назад

Thanks so much for taking time to watch! 🙂

@harryjames2299 19 дней назад

Thanks!

@Albopepper 18 дней назад

You're welcome! :)

@davenooner2142 20 дней назад

Great informative video sir!!! Nice to see what happens over time and why we have troubles on occasion. Good choices to fix those troubling problems. Real good video!

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

Thanks for watching Uncle Dave! I appreciate your feedback. I hope you guys are doing well. We're getting ready for a massive heat wave in a couple days... 🥵

@davenooner2142 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper Being prepared is what we do all day every day, anymore. I had to rebuild my tines on the rototiller because they wore out so bad, just to keep going this year. I did a video. Be safe, love to you all.

@dac7046 17 дней назад

Nice video! You’re becoming a new favorite garden channel. Couple of comments: 1) not so sure a wicking mix is needed in bottom layer but clearly not hurting! I need to go watch your playlist. 2) I think any direct contact with plastic will promote rot especially since wood breathes. Building trade seems to have a variety of wicking or moisture/vapor shedding liners designed for between waterproof building layer and siding or between concrete basement walls and external insulation/soil for just that reason. I don’t know what it’s called but might be worth a look and it may let one get away with using thinner lumber.

@Albopepper 16 дней назад

Thanks for watching & sharing your ideas! :-)

@auptyk 9 дней назад

I commented on the first video before noticing this one, my question though is: why manure based compost is something to avoid? Thanks. Great Videos.

@MegaMarlynx 20 дней назад

I made a big wicking bed 3 m by 1.5 m a number of years ago modifying your plans a bit. It is sitting on the ground (not below ground level). The only thing I have to do sometimes is top up the "soil" and it is still going strong! Thanks.

@Albopepper 18 дней назад

I'm glad to hear your system is doing well! Thanks for watching. 🙂

@mariajeannettelozanomoreno1503 14 дней назад

Hola puedes recubrir la madera con aceite de cocina usado unas tres capas se dejan secar entre ellas . Cada cierto tiempo y esto ayuda a mantener la madera en buen estado.

@2200chuck 19 дней назад

Awesome episode. I've been wondering how the SIP bed was doing. It's been years now. I have one really important question. Not about the bed, but about your potting mix. Have you ever dug it out and replaced it? Or simply added more as the level invariably drops? Also, what fertilizer do you use in that bed? Thanks -Chuck

@Albopepper 19 дней назад

Thanks for watching Chuck! I answered the question about potting mix in the video. Also I referenced the video about fertilizer if you'd like to know more. Feel free to check that out.

@CheapFlavor 3 дня назад

I'm still confused - by what mechanism the moisture wicks into the soil when the pipes aren't connected? I'm used to using wicking string in two 5gal buckets, so I'd like to learn more about this kind of larger set up!

@Albopepper 3 дня назад

Thanks for your interest! Please check this video and let me know if you have any further questions: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VJ2T6gUv8Gc.html

@bratpfanne8232 20 дней назад

I like the build. Maybe varnish would make the wood last longer. Or some protective paint.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

Thanks! I had been wondering about that as well. Personally, I'm not concerned about the aesthetic aspect. But from a longevity concern, it's always nice to get things to last longer. I'm concerned about whether the coatings might actually trap moisture into the wood, especially since the inside of the boards are up against an impermeable surface.

@elizabethworley7073 20 дней назад

Great video. I am doing SIPs for the first time this year. I followed your video and made them in food grade 55 gallon tubs cut in half. My tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash are doing well, but some plants, like beans, seem to do the same in the SIP as they did in a traditional raised bed.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

Thanks for sharing your experience with various plant types. From my experience, the beans are not the best candidates for SIP planters. I'm testing a couple varieties this season in SIPs. They do OK, but if the weather gets too wet, the young plants may struggle. I typically try to stick with traditional raised beds for beans, when practical. Most other types of veggies have grown extremely well for me in SIPs. Thanks for watching!

@coolredkelpie 19 дней назад

@@Albopepper have you tried growing Asparagus in them?

@Albopepper 18 дней назад

No, I haven't. Generally, I don't recommend perennials in these SIPs. SIPs work extremely well for annual fruits & veggies. This article might be helpful to you: albopepper.com/sip_expectations.php

@elizabethworley7073 7 дней назад

@@Albopepper hi. I had a follow up question. Do I need to do cover crops in my containers if I do the fertilizer schedule you recommended? I wasn't sure how this works because it is a closed system.

@Albopepper 7 дней назад

I don't ever do cover crops in my SIPs. I might do more than one crop in a single season. But this is so that I can boost production and get more yield from my limited space. As far as fertility is concerned, adding an all purpose fertilizer can take care of everything.

@SlackerU 20 дней назад

Ya, CCA wood was restricted for residential use in 2004 so you're not getting much more than 5-7 years with the new mix of treatment. That root issue is common, The liner needs to go all the way to the top-rim of the bed & you need a cap to help keep moisture off the backside of the wood. Paint will keep moisture off the frontside of the wood.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

That's a good point that the treatment reformulations can impact longevity. Even without CCA, some treated wood types can last longer than others. I had thought about painting the exposed sides. But I'm now reluctant to do so. I know that painting the treated wood before it has completely dried out is a bad idea. So at a minimum, it's best to wait a few months until the wood is completely cured.

@SlackerU 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper There are quality cheaper 2yr paints, 5yr, or more expensive 10yr varieties. I want the keep as much copper in the wood as possible so I paint even if it doesn't stick.

@bl3927 14 дней назад

My husband built an 8 foot garden table, how much Coir do we add to the bottom mixture.

@johnjss 5 дней назад

What is is plastic you used around the edge? (above the 45 mil EPDM liner)

@mmarrinan 19 дней назад

Will regular bagged potting mix be fine for the wicking medium, as well as to fill the entire bed?

@Albopepper 18 дней назад

It might be possible to do that. I don't use straight potting mixes in my SIPs, so I can't confirm that through testing. I know though that there's a lot of variance from one brand to the other. Even when using the exact same type of a specific brand, I've seen differences from one batch to the next. A good SIP mix needs to wick well. It also needs good pore spacing for root aeration. For the wicking medium, the most important factor is wicking. Be sure to avoid a mix that is mostly chunks of wood or bark. It needs a large amount of peat / coir.

@geeyoupee 19 дней назад

Does the liner keep the wood dry or does it tarp moisture against the wood? I think people thought it would help with dragon fruit trellis but it made it deteriorate faster.

@Albopepper 19 дней назад

Thanks for watching! The inside of the boards is not exposed to the air, so the wood needs to dry from the outside. SIP soil is constantly moist, so the plastic acts as a vapor barrier, reducing the amount of moisture soaking into the wood. Since the boards are not completely surrounded by impermeable or wet surfaces, it's at least possible for them to expel moisture.

@tavvy9861 20 дней назад

Oooh I'm glad that you have posted a new video! I just finished creating another 4 SIP bins. Still dripping sweat, I just came in a minute ago from a lunchtime gardening session :). I literally think about your advice and videos for 7 months of the year, and have for a few years now, so thank you. I wanted to actually ask you a question: I loved the original ratios that you had created, and have used them for a few years. The one thing I don't love as much is the labour for mixing the peat, perlite, coir, and then the vegetable mix after the base layer. How do you feel about mixes of porous and airy substances that are pre-made, like Promix HP or Sunshine #4? Also, I've built some this year using Costco clear storage bins and they are a near perfect fit for 3 pipes wide. A huge part of this for me is how do we make it so easy and affordable that anyone with space can have a growing container. I'm thinking about scalability, ease of building them, and how to get everyone growing their own produce now more than ever. Last year I did a whole whack of tomatoes and they loved the setup, so this summer I'm doing a whole whack of them to make litres and litres of pasta sauce. I've also got big plans for automation, but that's just for fun theory ;) Keep up the good work

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

I'm glad that the info is able to help out! :) I agree that it can be a little tedious to mix up all of that substrate. It would definitely be nice to just get a pre-mixed option which is optimized and ready to go. I'm usually stocking up on 2 cu ft bags of MG when it's on sale. But if the Promix or Sunshine options were effective, that would be great to know. (Especially if they come at a good value.) My best advice in that regard would be a small scale test in something like a tote or bucket SIP. Either way, you're certainly on the right track by looking for the porous types of mix. I share your same sentiments about trying to keep things easy and scalable. I'm also pretty concerned about affordability too, which is why longevity is so important. I've found that the buckets and totes are a great way to test things out and to get started without needing to invest too much. Then if a grower wants to expand, they can take their old mix and dump it right into a larger SIP bed. Thanks for all of your insights & support! 😁

@tavvy9861 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper Well I am happy to try the sunshine 4 this year for a few of my bins as it's what I scooped up and need to find homes for a few extra seedlings that sprung in the grow tent. Taking a look at it, it does just seem like a solid perlite, coir, peat, and vermiculite, but of course they won't tell you the ratios. It did have a lot more perlite than my mixes usually do though :) then I added the 1/5th of potting soil (promix vegetable garden) to keep the classic ratio that I've figured out from your instructions :)

@tavvy9861 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper i've got a lot of confidence in the containers themselves that you've built and improved upon, and the quality of the soil remaining. this is the future of gardening in spaces we can't :)

@RobNorton 20 дней назад

Well now i know how to rebuild mine next year or two. Whenever the wood decides to give way

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

Thanks for watching! Hopefully you get as much mileage out of yours as possible. 🙂

@RobNorton 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper I'm on year 5 and the wood is starting to see better days. But not disappointed in the least!

@SlackerU 20 дней назад

I think I'm going to use a much larger sump so that I can aerate or put a small pump in there to increase the quality of the water for the plant-roots. Maybe even have a solar pump on a timer so that in the summer the water cycles to keep the soil moist throughout the hottest parts of the day.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

That's a unique idea. It would be neat to see a side-by-side comparison to see if that approach would yield any improvements. I know from my experience, that has not been needed. What you're describing almost sounds like an ebb and flow system.

@SlackerU 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper I defiantly think leaving the water stagnant is kinda a loss in peak growth times. I'd also be wanting to test PH & TDS/PPMs after spending all that money on the pond-liner.

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

If you ever test it out, be sure to share your results. I've always gotten explosive growth from my plants, as long as they get good temps, light & nutes.

@SlackerU 20 дней назад

@@Albopepper I also think the size-rule for composting might apply in that if the wicking bed could be feeding a 3x3x3ft block of high-organic soil then the soil-temp from the highly-active bacteria might offer different amounts of available nutrients.

@user-bd8jj2mm4d 16 дней назад

Hello, how can I get the book? Is there an electronic copy of it?

@Albopepper 16 дней назад

Thanks for your interest! 🙂 You can get all of the info you need on the book here: albopepper.com/persephones-quest-for-a-green-thumb-book-review.php It was written for a young audience, but adults have told me they enjoyed it as well. I have an eBook version along with 1 paperback & 2 hardback options. You can listen to the audiobook for free on the page I linked.

@billybudz 20 дней назад

Nice looking planter to be sure! Have you considered a sand/peat base media? Gary Matsuoka of Laguna Hills Nursery has an interesting RU-vid take on compost media vs sand! 💯✌️🦚

@Albopepper 20 дней назад

Thanks for watching! I avoid sand in the media. I've found that a combination of perlite and vermiculite work well (along with peat) to create a good growing medium which also wicks well in SIPs.

@Ardizzle27 19 дней назад

Nice to see another Gary follower on this channel. I use a 50/50 mix of peat and pumice for SIPs. Billybudz, have you tried the sand media for SIPs? Al, fantastic and informative video. I enjoy your channel very much.