Sick of dry soil, stressed plants, and wasting time watering?
Wicking beds—also called wicking garden beds—are self-watering systems that draw moisture into the soil from a reservoir below.
What is a wicking bed? A wicking bed is a type of self-watering garden bed that uses a built-in water reservoir to keep your soil consistently moist — without daily watering.
Instead of watering from the top and losing moisture to runoff or evaporation, a wicking bed draws water upward from a reservoir at the base, delivering it directly to where your plants need it most — the roots.
It’s a highly efficient self-watering garden system — ideal for dry climates, busy gardeners, or anyone wanting to conserve water — and it’s proven to reduce water use while improving plant health.
📽️ Watch our explainer video to see inside a Very Edible Gardens wicking bed…
Wicking beds work on a simple but powerful principle: capillary action — the same force that lets a sponge or paper towel soak up water from below, or tree pulling moisture upward from roots to leaves. This natural process relies on water’s tendency to stick to surfaces (adhesion) and to itself (cohesion).
The result? Consistently moist soil, less water waste, and healthier, deeper root systems — with far less effort.
💡 Want to dig deeper? Learn more about the science behind wicking.
Now you know “What Is a Wicking Bed and How Does It Work” it’s time to learn that not all wicking beds are created equal — and after more than a decade designing and installing them across Melbourne, we’ve learned what works, what fails, and what makes a wicking bed reliable, efficient, and built to last.
A sturdy garden bed made from timber, metal, or plastic. If you’re using a pre-sealed container like an IBC, make sure it’s food-grade or suitable for water and plant use.
Fully sealed and UV-resistant to prevent leaks and deterioration over time. We recommend food-grade or potable-grade liners where possible for safety and durability.
This layer stores water for days or even weeks of hydration. Use fine aggregate (5–7mm screenings) for efficient capillary rise — not scoria or oversized gravel, which fails to wick effectively.
Separates the soil from the reservoir. This layer prevents clogging and maintains consistent wicking while still allowing water to rise freely into the root zone.
A reliable fill point makes topping up quick and easy. Add water directly to the reservoir rather than the soil.
Essential for managing water levels. Prevents the soil from flooding during rain or refilling. Ideally placed at the lowest point of the container for complete drainage control.
Most soils wick to some extent, but avoid heavy clay or compacted mixes. Use a soil rich in organic matter to support plant health, structure, and moisture movement.
Depending on your total bed height, aim for a soil depth of 25–35cm for optimum growing space and moisture access. Water reservoirs between 15-35cm work best.
You can read more in depth about what we use in our wicking beds on our How To Make a Wicking Bed page or download our FREE Wicking Beds 101 Guide.
There’s a lot of advice out there on how to build a wicking bed — and not all of it leads to lasting results. We’ve spent over a decade testing and refining our systems, and in that time, we’ve seen a few persistent myths that can seriously affect how well your wicking bed performs. Here’s what to watch out for — and what actually works.
Truth: While scoria is often recommended for wicking beds, it’s not ideal — and here’s why.
Scoria’s large, irregular pore size and chunky structure don’t support reliable capillary action — the very process that draws water upwards into the soil. A common mistake is assuming that porosity equals wickability. But they’re not the same.
In practice, the gaps between scoria chunks (often 10–20mm) are simply too large. Water tends to sit low in the bed, leaving dry zones above and roots that struggle to access moisture. While scoria may store water, it doesn’t move it effectively where it’s needed. In many cases, wicking seems to “work” only because:
A well-designed wicking bed needs more than just water storage — it needs the right material to move water upward and laterally across the bed. The ideal aggregate balances:
Fine materials like sand (less than 5mmin size) wick very efficiently — sometimes too well. Without considered use, they can lead to oversaturated soil and poor water-holding capacity unless paired with added void space (like plastic crates or perforated pipes).
At Very Edible Gardens we use 7mm bluestone screenings. After years of testing, we find that this size provides the ideal balance of wickability, storage, and flow — without added complexity. It’s locally available in Melbourne, easy to work with, and forms the foundation of every wicking bed we install or supply.
Truth: You absolutely can — with the right design and setup, you can grow just about anything.
It’s a common misconception that root crops like carrots or parsnips won’t thrive in wicking beds due to excess moisture or limited soil depth. But with a properly built system and a soil layer of 30–35cm, most tap-rooted veggies grow just fine.
After years of hands-on trials, we’ve had consistent success with a wide range of root vegetables. The key is in the setup: free-draining soil, a well-sized reservoir, and enough depth to support strong root development without waterlogging.
Wicking beds can support far more than just leafy greens. A well-designed system gives root vegetables exactly what they need to thrive.
Truth: Some DIY guides suggest skipping the reservoir altogether and just filling the bed entirely with soil. While this might seem simpler, it defeats the purpose of a wicking system and introduces several serious issues:
A wicking bed needs structure: a reservoir, a separation layer, and the right soil mix. That’s what delivers the low-maintenance, self-watering results that make wicking beds so effective.
When built correctly, a wicking bed delivers consistent moisture at the root zone, healthier plant growth, and major water savings. This self-watering garden bed design reduces stress on plants, boosts yields, and cuts down on time spent watering — all while using far less water than traditional raised beds.
with deeper roots and less water stress
even in hot or windy conditions
compared to top-watering systems
spent watering and weeding
Like any garden system, wicking beds have their strengths and trade-offs. Here’s a quick overview to help you decide if they’re right for you.
The observation pipe removes the guesswork of when and how much to water, helping prevent both overwatering and underwatering.
Wicking beds provide a low-stress environment with consistent moisture, supporting soil biology and leading to stronger plants and higher yields.
A relatively dry soil surface makes it harder for weeds to germinate.
Wicking beds use significantly less water than standard raised beds — around one-third to one-half less per kilogram of produce.
Plants can thrive for days (or even weeks) without watering, even during summer heatwaves.
Wicking beds require technical know-how. Poor design or setup can lead to leaks, poor wicking, or waterlogging. We can do the hard parts for you though with our installation services. Or our our detailed kitset instructions make it easy too.
They generally cost more to build than traditional garden beds due to additional materials and construction steps.
Wicking beds require some non-renewable materials for the liner and plumbing. We minimise this by using durable materials that will last for decades and are recyclable.
They’re not indestructible (if you try hard enough!) — for example, hammering a stake all the way through the bed can puncture the liner.
Still weighing it up? We’re happy to help you decide — whether you want to build your own or have us set it up for you. Get in touch with us today to help make the decision easier.
We didn’t invent wicking beds, but with over 15 years of hands-on experience, testing, and refinement, we’ve learned what truly works. When we founded Very Edible Gardens in 2009, we were building raised veggie beds with drip irrigation. Then someone mentioned “wicking beds.” Curious but sceptical, we started experimenting — from bathtubs to timber beds lined with plastic.
Through trial and error, we developed a system that performs reliably — not just for us, but for thousands of home gardeners, schools, and councils across Australia and beyond.
Here’s a little-known story: early on, over a beer, VEG co-founders Adam and Dan came up with a simple idea — move the outlet to the very base of the wicking bed and connect it to a vertical riser. That small tweak turned out to be a big breakthrough. What we now call our “4-in-1 plumbing” lets you:
This design has since been widely adopted by home growers and commercial builders alike — and we’re proud of its VEG origins and its impact on the evolution of wicking beds worldwide.
While there’s more than one way to build a wicking bed, the system we’ve developed is simple, reliable, and built with high-quality, ethically sourced materials. It suits everything from DIY kits to professional installations — and it’s the one we stand behind, because we know it delivers results.
Read more about our story and wicking bed development in our FREE pdf Wicking Beds 101: A Quick Start Guide.
Whether you’re keen to DIY or want a fully installed system, we’re here to help you grow smarter, healthier, and with less stress. Explore our kits, get expert advice, or let us handle the install.
