www.urbanagrlculLure.org.

au
1


!"#$ #&' ()*+),- .'/0 #,/ ("1 (234/ 5 30' $"'67
Wlcklng bed sysLems glve us self-waLerlng, producLlve and proLecLed places Lo grow planLs,
and are greaL for growlng frulL, vegeLables and herbs. 1hey are ln essence a garden bed
bullL over a waLer reservolr, wlLh waLer wlcklng up from Lhe reservolr lnLo Lhe soll Lo where
your planLs use lL - aL Lhe rooLs.
Fact Sheet 2.08
!"1 30' ()*+),- .'/07
Wlcklng beds, a concepL developed by Colln AusLln,
are hlghly waLer efflclenL as planLs are waLered
from below by caplllary acLlon. WaLer wlcks up a
cerLaln helghL - abouL 300mm and Lhe molsLure
levels reduce up Lhe soll proflle. 1hls leaves Lhe
surface falrly dry whlch reduces evaporaLlon - more
food wlLh less waLer!
1hey are mlnlmum lmpacL, LransporLable
(dependlng on slze), can be made easlly and
cheaply Lo any slze from a range of maLerlals, allow
you Lo grow more ln a smaller space (and wlLh
fewer resources), and can be lnsLalled on any flaL
surface lncludlng a concreLe drlveway, couch lawn
or area affecLed by Lree rooLs or conLamlnaLlon.
ulfferenL helghL beds can be used for dlfferenL
purposes: shallower for seedllngs, deeper for
vegeLables.
!)*+),- .'/ 6#$'&)#40
MaLerlals lnclude, for example:
framework: sleepers, fence pallngs, veggle box,
or an old baLh Lub (you need sLurdy sldes)
waLerproof llnlng Lo llne lnslde Lhe conLalner
base and sldes (200 m black plasLlc) for
reservolr base and sldes


plpe: Ag plpe or 23mm plpe and hose, for waLer
lnleL and dralnage
reservolr: washed rlver sand, 6mm road base,
pea shlngle, scorla, sLraw or auLumn leaves, or
slmllar
geoLexLlle: cuL Lo slze or sugar cane mulch
growlng medlum: llghLwelghL free dralnlng
vegeLable mlx, sandy loam, composL (or
mlxLure)
Mulch: eg pea sLraw, sugar cane, eucalypL
Worm Lower Lube or Lub and worms
lanLs

83)4/),- # !)*+),- 8'/

90),- ()*+),- .'/0 #//&'00'0 6#,1 :'&6#*34$3&'
:&),*);4'0< ),*43/),- =2.$#), # 1)'4/> =;&2/3*' ,2
(#0$'>< #,/ =30' #,/ ?#43' /)?'&0)$1>@
A wlde range of edlble planLs can be grown ln small
spaces, uslng mlnlmal waLer. A varleLy of maLerlals can
be used ln lnnovaLlve ways Lo consLrucL Lhe beds.
www.urbanagrlculLure.org.au
2
A3&$"'& ),B2&6#$)2,
1here ls so much lnformaLlon on Lhe lnLerneL - search for wlcklng beds, wlcklng poLs or wlcklng worm bed. lor
example: www.wlcklngbed.com
www.sgaonllne.org.au/?p=6618
www.chlldsplaypermaculLure.com.au/wlck-gardenlng.hLml
www.mllkwood.neL/2010/03/11/how_Lo_make_a_wlcklng_bed/
www.urbanfoodgarden.org/maln/wlcklng-beds/wlcklng-beds.hLm
www.permaculLurenews.org/2011/06/20/from-Lhe-boLLom-up-a-dly-gulde-Lo-wlcklng-beds/
www.sbs.com.au/shows/cosLa/llsLlngs/deLall/l/1/arLlcle/6172/wlcklng-garden-beds
:3$$),- )$ $2-'$"'&
1he followlng plcLures lllusLraLe [usL !"# of $%"&
meLhods:
1. Level Lhe slLe so waLer doesn'L pond aL one end.
2. ConsLrucL Lhe framework, and place ln slLu.

3. uL down a layer of sand Lo glve a smooLh level
base and Lape over sharp blLs or bolL ends Lo
proLecL Lhe plasLlc llner.
4. Llne Lhe lnslde wlLh plasLlc sheeL Lo prevenL
waLer leakage, Laklng care noL Lo puncLure lL.
3. urlll a hole Lhrough Lhe wall [usL below Lhe level
of Lhe reservolr, lnserLlng a shorL lengLh of
19mm Lube for dralnage/waLer level conLrol.
6. lace Lhe ag or vC plpe along Lhe base and up
Lhe slde Lo supply waLer.
7. Carefully add sand, scorla, gravel Lo a maxlmum
300mm deep, dependlng on Lhe helghL of your
conLalner (formlng Lhe reservolr). Cover lL wlLh a
slngle layer of geoLexLlle or sugarcane mulch Lo
segregaLe soll from reservolr.
8. llll Lhe base wlLh waLer unLll lL flows ouL of Lhe
overflow plpe.








9. Add soll - a llghLwelghL free dralnlng veggle or
planLer box mlx or sandy loam works besL, belng
flne enough for Lhe wlcklng acLlon Lo work. Clay
soll ls Loo flne, Lendlng Lo compacL.
10. lnsLall a worm house and worms, and feed Lhem.
11. Mulch lL and planL your veggles!
12. WaLer, as needed, vla Lhe lnleL plpe unLll waLer
runs ouL of Lhe ouLleL draln
- perhaps weekly ln
summer, less frequenLly
Lhe resL of Lhe year.
13. 1he repurposed
polysLyrene box, plcLured
rlghL, shows Lhe flller plpe
and dralnage hole.
1hls lnnovaLlve small wlcklng
bed for heavy feeder brasslcas
uses a reservolr of auLumn
leaves and manure. lL ls easy Lo
cover Lo reduce cabbage whlLe
buLLerfly damage, and Lo
feed/waLer Lo Lhe planLs' needs
so opLlmlslng yleld.
!)*+),- (2&6 .'/
Worms can llve free or you can make a nlfLy worm
farm ln a Lub or from a lengLh of dralnage plpe, drlll
a few holes ln Lhe slde, and sLand lL parLlally burled
ln Lhe wlcklng bed. op food scraps ln Lhe Lop for Lhe
worms, and puL a lld on. 'ComposLlng' Lhls way glves
you a consLanL evenly spread supply of casLlngs and
worm [ulce Lhrough Lhe bed.
C'';),- )$ 2&-#,)*
1he soll ln Lhe bed ls noL ln conLacL wlLh Lhe naLural
ground, so you can malnLaln Lhe soll blology ln good
order by addlng mulch, composL and perhaps Lhe
occaslonal shovelful of soll from elsewhere ln your
garden, and leLLlng Lhe worms work Lhelr maglc.