Self Watering Raised Bed Using a Stock Tank

We absolutely LOVE our self watering raised bed stock tanks! Every year we add a few more because they are just so awesome. Check out our step by step video for preparing your own self wicking raised bed using an aluminum stock tank. It's actually very easy to prepare and only requires a handful of supplies. Here's what you'll need:
Stock tank (any size, we used 2x4)
6 inch perforated tubing
Ground cloth
PVC pipe
Drill with bit to make a hole in the stock tank
Cutting device to cut the PVC
Soil of your choice
That's it! Let us know in the comments if you have any questions or have any feedback for us. We'd love to hear from you.
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Music: Hooky with Sloane - Bird Creek • Hooky with Sloane - Bi...

[@RockingCHomestead]

Thanks for watching our video. If you like this one, you may like some more in this playlist.
th-cam.com/play/PLAq38gVL5HCXiZfJtFDwIZhcdEJh0EP6O.html

[@reubenpacheco8809]

Can you add nutrient water when filling it up?

[@davea7411]

Most drills work best running clockwise

[@mistygeller3193]

What fantastic information!! I’ve had a number of stock tank planters, but never self watering!! Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing 😊

[@donhillenbrand5948]

Nice work but this system would benefit from an overflow drain, IMO. It would go through the metal wall at about 5” high and go into the end of one of your big drainpipe pieces. This keeps a consistent air gap between the water in the pipes and the soil above. It also prevents overflow from hard rain.

[@prakashambastha7530]

very helpful..How did you seal landscape fabric in wicking tub?

[@Pat206]

Thank you so much!

[@lcarpetrondookmerriot8097]

I wish there was someone close by who makes these. I have just enough room for one.

[@stevec2645]

Tractor supply

[@diannaboffer7706]

Great idea! Something I need to try. Stay Blessed☺

[@RockingCHomestead]

Hope you enjoy

[@LifeIsMessyImLearningAsIGrow]

Your garden is fantastic! Thank you for sharing it with us. I also garden and make garden videos. It’s a lot of work. I appreciate the tips, tricks and inspiration your videos provide. I hope that we can not learn from each other as we grow!

[@RockingCHomestead]

Thank you so much!

[@Danesft]

I know this is an older video, but I don't understand how it wicks water up when it isn't touching the water at any point. Theres several inches of air between the water and the landscape fabric. There's no "wicking" point. Can someone help me understand?

[@bobcole3852]

What about that system in the corregated bed like the one behind you? I was looking at these troughs at TSC, WOW, I can build them with corregated sheets and wood corner posts for 1/4 the price.

[@keansalzer8364]

I keep reading that water will only wick up thru soil 12". Your tank is 24" tall. Your pipe is 6". You leave a couple of inches of room on the top for top dressing and mulch. I keep thinking I need 10" of water in the bottom to water the roots of the plants. Would you say your vegetable harvests come from fully healthy plants?

[@RockingCHomestead]

We have grow several different things in them and never had a issue. We do not fill them all the way up and do water the top if needed. Last year when we were hitting 100 plus degrees everyday with no rain. We needed to water them more often and even water the top. We have Garlic planted this year, they do not have very long roots. We will see how they grow.

[@dannywhittington2094]

Tomatoes and some other plant roots can easily reach 18” or more so no problem for them. Other plant roots don’t go as deep so probably need watering from the top.

[@michaelseal6738]

I’m curious about how the water gets to the plants through the plastic. Is there little holes in that plastic?

[@annabellehynes619]

Yes, I had to look it up as well, but he said the pipes are "perforated" which means "pierced with a hole or holes." Hope this helps!

[@user-nw5im8ne3f]

I can’t locate 6” perforated pipe anywhere. Where do you get yours?

[@RockingCHomestead]

We got ours at Lowes. However, I had to buy 100 ft of it.

[@Pat206]

You could use 4" if you can buy it in shorter lengths, and cheaper.

[@clamk77]

What do you think of using burlap instead of landscape cloth? I feel concerned about toxic plastics or other chemicals present in the landscape cloth leeching into the soil and allowing toxins into my food crops?

[@RockingCHomestead]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. The main reason for the cloth is to keep the dirt from filling the water area.

[@barrybrum]

How often do you need to add water to this system?

[@RockingCHomestead]

It depends on what you have growing, how hot and humid it is. During our hottest part of the summer, (multiple days over 101 with one day hitting 110) we had to top water some of them daily, (not a lot, but some). Then I would fill them up daily. Not that they needed it daily, but I was able to fill the water that day, just in case I missed the next day. We had three tanks that needed more water than the other 4 did. The main reason was how many plants were in the tub or how big the plants were in there. I hope that helps. Let me if you have more questions.

[@barrybrum]

@@RockingCHomestead Yes, that is useful info. Thanks for your prompt reply.

[@chrisfranz5917]

@@RockingCHomestead When you say "fill the up daily", do you mean filling the PVC tubes until water is at the top?

[@laurahammond639]

Where do you buy your stock tank?

[@4813RT]

google "stock tank". it's amazing what the internet will do.