Would like to point out that you CAN use one with drainage holes in it. Just line the inside of the planter with a commercial grade trash bag first. Make sure you do not have a sharp point on that PVC pipe. Just 4 'v' notches is all you need to let water in. And you can drill some 1/2" holes (at 90 degrees from each other) about 2: up along that pipe to nearly the top. Allows more air to the roots that way. Also, to keep mosquitoes out of your planter, place a nylon knee high over the top of that pipe and secure with zip tire or good rubber band. Allows air in and you can water through it. Placing landscape fabric on top of that hardware cloth will help prevent soil from falling through into the water. It also will allow more air to the roots vs black plastic bag. Roots need air too. Instead of packing that cup you can use some sponges. They wick up pretty well. Or stuff in some cotton wash clothes or cotton socks. Soil is ok, but the others will work too. About the drain hole - you might want to glue some 20 mesh metal (stainless is preferred) screen on the inside over the hole to keep bugs out. Nice setup you have though.
Hat video had to be the best tutorial for self watering containers I've watched so far. If you explain all your gardening tutorials like that...then I'm in! 🎉🎉 Thanks for taking the time to explain plainly to us novice gardeners!
Thank you for creating this video with such a simple solution. Good engineering shouldn't be complicated, and your excellent tutorial is straight to the point. Brava!
I use Perlite as a wicking medium. A hard packed dirt does not let much water flow through. As an example...Perlite lets more water through than concrete. I exaggerated this to show a comparison. Also, I use a weed block fabric at the bottom to keep the roots out of the reservoir. But, having said all that, you are so right about so many videos making this look sooo difficult.
@@PrettyPurpleDoor I wondered that too. Maybe she meant vermiculite which is absorbent..? I had a similar question though. It seems like something 'wickier' would be better, like cotton rolled up or peat or..? Have you tried different mediums? This video is fantastic; just clear description with no fluff. Thx.
i just love simple solutions that cost a fraction of the price a store bought one costs , improvisation is almost a lost skill and people have become reliant on mass produced products which in turn ends up adding to our refuse problem , so yes i have a great respect for people like this lady who think up easy diy alternatives like this which utilises thinks we already have in our possession
Thank you so much! A little creativity goes a longgggg way. I love your handle too, I used to watch Doogie Howser every day! I asked my parents if I could have a ladder to my bedroom so that my best friend could come to my room without having to knock on the door -- like Vinnie hahaha
I did the self wicking method one year in totes for tomatoes - the best crop ever. One thing left out of video is leaving some air space above the water line - crucial for the plants - about an inch or little more but that wouldn't be possible with the garbage bag method. I just used fine screen and soil stayed in place without bag. Still, very helpful video for newbies. Just wanted to share my own experience.
Yes! I did some like this but I did leave about an inch and a half of air space. I used garbage bags like she did and it caused me problems with my tomato plants. We had like 3 days non-stop rain. The excess water couldn't drain out of the top part fast enough so my tomatoes were drowning. A little trickled past the cup but it wasn't enough to keep up with the inches of water sitting on top. There was water coming from the drain hole but that was from the tube and what was going down between the plastic and the pot. I actually covered the tube to keep the rain out of it. I went to the store and bought more potting soil and landscaping cloth to put over the screen I had in there. I pulled the plants out, dumped the soil (it was like mud), drilled another drain hole in the bottom opposite the other one, then set it all up again using the landscape cloth. Next time we got a lot of rain the water was able to drain through the landscape cloth and go out the drain holes. Worked great!
Love this demonstration! I make these too and they can be done multiple ways depending on what you have in store. I used slotted pipe with the sleeve on it.
This is the most comprehensible of this method and good presentation! Right on time, tomorrow is going to be warm in the Chicago area, I can work on the containers in my patio. Thanks for sharing.
I just went through 3 prior videos making this system look so complicated. I knew there had to be an easier way-and there you were! Thanks so much, looking forward to viewing your other content.
If you leave an air gap between the water level and the soil level, the roots will grow into water. Kinda a hydroponic set up when you feed. Going to use this. Awsome
Girl….👊🏻 We have multiple containers on our senior community grounds, maintained by the residents of the building, and sometimes it’s a lot to ask someone to keep up with the watering. Sometimes life gets in the way. I’ve been looking for a good solution, and this one wins the prize. I was planning a trip to Tractor supply next week, as a matter of fact. I’ll add some of those feed trays to my list, and contemplate creative ways to modify the containers we already have. We might be able to create reservoirs in perlite-filled trays to settle those established containers into. Hmmm…..you got me thinking. Ahhh…..solutions at every turn. You gotta love TH-cam. 💕
I have looked at three or four other videos but this one beats them all. I sort of got the concept in the construct but I didn’t get the why of it and you do that beautifully. I’m so glad I found this process before I planted my whiskey barrel planters this year. Thanks again!
Brilliant, I've been looking for a way to isolate part of my balcony rail planter to prevent the always-thirsty Creeping Jenny from turning brown. Now I know how to rig a miniature self-watering insert. Thanks!
This is excellent! You could use a layer of leca or clay pebbles or pumice/lava rock as your wicking material and then add a couple inches more of the lava rock, then add your potting medium.
Brilliant!!! With frequent travels, I am always facing the challenge of keeping my plants adequately watered. Your second idea is the simplest solution I have ever seen. I might glue a wide mouth funnel to catch enough rainwater when Mother Narure permits it. Thanks for inspiring me.
Mechanics use a large square funnel to catch used motor oil when changing oil in a vehicle. That big square-topped plastic funnel would increase the water-catching area and also prove easier to stabilize.
I really liked the idea of building false bottom using PVC pipe and hardware cloth. This not only creates a water chamber, but also helps achieve air pruning of the roots due to an air gap between the soil and water. Dig more holes, using 3" hole saw , on the 4 sides of the pot and you have a perfect air pruning self watering pot. I am going to try this idea on half barrel planters that I intend to make by cutting off 55 gallon plastic drum barrels in half and I am sure this will really turn out good. Thanks a lot , Pretty Purple Door, for sharing your brilliant idea.
Thank you for sharing. It is a really easy method to make the self watering containers. They are really expensive where we live and I needed an idea for my seedlings. It was perfect for us to make and use. Douglas from Trinidad W.I.
Thank you for sharing! I'm slow as trying new things and research them forever it seems like, but I have been wanting to make these for years. I have been watching intermittently all kinds of videos. They all seem simple to you think you are going to start one. Then you don't have what they used etc...But what I realized, is that I didn't understand the whole process fully. So I have been nervous to try my own thing. Thank you for explaining it all so well. I feel like I can finally do it now and know it should work...LOL!
wow just wow, how do you not have a million subscribers, you're really something special, so wholesome and informative, just an overall joy to watch, can't wait to make one of those :)
What a great tutorial! That actually really did seem much easier when you explained it. I watched a few other videos but wasn't immediately understanding why there needed to be a hole near the top of the reservoir for the water to come out, but you made it very clear! I was thinking maybe lining the reservoir with 4 additional solo cups would make it level in place of the PVC idea since if you'll already have cups lying around. I tend to overwater my plants so I'm hoping this will stop me!
Being a former diesel mechanic, I made a sight glass to see the water level out pop bottle. Probably overkill, but you can easily tell when you are getting low. I used a glass Coke bottle, which I got from the Hispanic foods aisle at Wal-mart. A mason jar would work great also.
Our grandparents said Grace prior to every meal. We got away from it, why I don't know. Thank you for closing with your prayer. It's a reminder we take too many things for granted. I'm thinking of a way to make a waterproof sign of this prayer in our garden for all to see when they pick their 'bread'.
I appreciate your reply. Although, I didn't close out my video of diy self watering planters with a prayer, so maybe you're commenting on the wrong video.
I have plastic bags at te bottom of my containers, it holds the moisture at the level I need without going stagnant. I live in Arkansa, the heat here wil make the water stagnant. Great vidio for cooler climates!!😊
Love this! Great tutorial, though I recommend weed stop fabric instead of plastic. I also like sand better than soil as the wicking medium. This is the best demonstration of wicking container process I have seen. Subscribing and sharing. 😊
Great suggestions. Lots of different ways to approach it. The plastic has always worked really well for me. If I were growing food it would be a different story though. Thanks for watching and sharing 😊
Very nice, thank you for the tutorial. One thing though: garbage bags are chemically treated for pest control. You may want to avoid that in a food planter.
Nice video. You could turn one of your PVC T's into the bottom of the fill tube which would hold it upright with the weight of the dirt. Then just drill a small hole at the bottom of each leg to let the water out when filling or cut bottoms of each leg at slight angle to allow water to drain through your PVC structure. I would recommend using a terry cloth towel to wick water up instead of dirt in constant contact with the water. This is because from my own experience with an earth box done the same way. The dirt that is in the water will cause root problems over time and start to stink if submerged. Loved the video!
@@PrettyPurpleDoor I like your PVC base soo much that I am going to test it in a 5gal bucket wick system. I will use your PVC base with the integrated fill tube and use a rope wick to hang in the water. Super simple too.
I like both your ideas very much. I put broken terracotta and styrofoam in the bottom of my planters and I have in that size pot I have about three holes in it. I also use that pipe, I bury it the length of my roses roots to where I can add nutrients and water from it and my roses do a lot better that way than just watering from the ground. I am going to try your method because I really like it 👍 thank you very much. God bless you and your family. 🙏❤️🤗 I am a new sub to your channel. Anything to do with plants I love.🌹🌹
I have been using 18gallon totes. Cut out the inside of the lid to act as the flat support. Hold that up with 5-8 plastic containers from frosting or asiago cheese or deli containers. Drill a couple holes about 1/2 inch above inside platform for excess drainage. I use weed fabric with tiny holes to hold the soil. I cut a piece of pvc for the corner to fill with water. Fill with potting mix and you are good to plant. Definitely cheaper than her solution. Roots grow through fabric to the water. Soil wicks water. Water at soil level until roots reach bottom.
Thanks for the video. Very informative. Question. I know you drilled a pin hole for gauging how much water you have poured into the bottom, are you drilling a separate drain hole for the upper part of the planter to keep rain water from drowning the plants?
I wonder if she feels that the excess rainwater would be drawn down into the red plastic cup and then eventually would drain out of the outside container drain hole? I agree though I think using a plastic bag would collect too much rain water and so using a garden cloth would be better as the excess rainwater would drain away better out of the drainage hole
@@PrettyPurpleDoor Yes I know, i just wanted to add that the hole is not only for checking when you have watered enough but also to let out water if it rains a lot. I have killed some plants by drowning them like that.
That is brilliant!!! Thank you for sharing this method. It is just what I was looking for. I wonder if I could do the same idea with cloth grow bags? Thanks for sharing this video.
Using the grow bags as an insert in the container would definitely work to keep the soil away from the water. But you'd have to cut a hole in the bottom of the bag. Unfortunately, I think grow bags allow water to drain/pass through, so you wouldn't be able to make a water reservoir at the bottom of them to keep your soil moist.
Hi PPDG - great video, simple concept. We're contemplating re-potting some large-ish plants, even palms, in our conservatory. Can we scale up your design?
The reason this is so simple & easy is because it’s for watering-only-wicking. The more complex designs include wicking oxygen into the soil as well, so you don’t have to regularly refresh or replace your soil.
hi. great video. does the soil above get all it"s water from the dixie cup alone? do you have to put a wick also to bring up the water? keep up the good work.
Lol yup. I agree people making it more complicated than it should be. Basic physics of self-watering planter: 1. Need a water reservoir that separates soil and water. 2. Need a wicking system to send the water from reservoir to soil. 3. Need an overfill check 4. Need a way to fill the reservoir That's it. How you do it, totally up to you
I was thinking about using one of those Costco 27 gallon bin for small garden, using the lid (trimmed) to separate water and soil. Would that work? Would I need more cups to feed the water evenly? Many thanks.
Still have a question? I probably answered it in this follow-up video! th-cam.com/video/3WWgj8Tg5n0/w-d-xo.html
Hydrologic soil, that's what I used.
What about 'drainage'? If you're planting 'Veggies', they require a degree of Air and many don't like 'sitting in Water or soggy soil.
Would like to point out that you CAN use one with drainage holes in it. Just line the inside of the planter with a commercial grade trash bag first. Make sure you do not have a sharp point on that PVC pipe. Just 4 'v' notches is all you need to let water in. And you can drill some 1/2" holes (at 90 degrees from each other) about 2: up along that pipe to nearly the top. Allows more air to the roots that way.
Also, to keep mosquitoes out of your planter, place a nylon knee high over the top of that pipe and secure with zip tire or good rubber band.
Allows air in and you can water through it.
Placing landscape fabric on top of that hardware cloth will help prevent soil from falling through into the water. It also will allow more air to the roots vs black plastic bag.
Roots need air too.
Instead of packing that cup you can use some sponges. They wick up pretty well.
Or stuff in some cotton wash clothes or cotton socks.
Soil is ok, but the others will work too.
About the drain hole - you might want to glue some 20 mesh metal (stainless is preferred) screen on the inside over the hole to keep bugs out.
Nice setup you have though.
you should make a Styrofoam stick same length as the watering pipe and let it float inside. if it disappear, water went dry.
That's a BRILLIANTLY SIMPLE solution to know how full the water level is! Thanks!
You could essentially also treat the tube like the oil tube on a car. Stick something inside to see what the level is below.
🙏❤️
I saw someone used a cork with a wooden skewer as a stick. Smart. You just have to make sure not to over fill it if you don’t do a drain hole
That's awesome!!!
Hat video had to be the best tutorial for self watering containers I've watched so far. If you explain all your gardening tutorials like that...then I'm in! 🎉🎉
Thanks for taking the time to explain plainly to us novice gardeners!
So nice of you, thanks! You'll have to watch some of my other videos to find out 😊
Thank you for creating this video with such a simple solution. Good engineering shouldn't be complicated, and your excellent tutorial is straight to the point. Brava!
Glad it was helpful
I use Perlite as a wicking medium. A hard packed dirt does not let much water flow through. As an example...Perlite lets more water through than concrete. I exaggerated this to show a comparison. Also, I use a weed block fabric at the bottom to keep the roots out of the reservoir. But, having said all that, you are so right about so many videos making this look sooo difficult.
How would the perlite wick the water? It's not really a solid material but I'm very curious.
@@PrettyPurpleDoor I wondered that too. Maybe she meant vermiculite which is absorbent..? I had a similar question though. It seems like something 'wickier' would be better, like cotton rolled up or peat or..? Have you tried different mediums? This video is fantastic; just clear description with no fluff. Thx.
🤯🤯🤯 how is this not the number one video on TH-cam. It is the easiest video ever!!
Haha! Come on TH-cam!! Make it #1 😊 glad it was helpful!
i just love simple solutions that cost a fraction of the price a store bought one costs , improvisation is almost a lost skill and people have become reliant on mass produced products which in turn ends up adding to our refuse problem , so yes i have a great respect for people like this lady who think up easy diy alternatives like this which utilises thinks we already have in our possession
Thank you so much! A little creativity goes a longgggg way. I love your handle too, I used to watch Doogie Howser every day! I asked my parents if I could have a ladder to my bedroom so that my best friend could come to my room without having to knock on the door -- like Vinnie hahaha
@@PrettyPurpleDoor haha thats funny , about the ladder it gave me a chuckle
That's why I sort of support the supply chain issues. People need to stop buying so much crap.
I did the self wicking method one year in totes for tomatoes - the best crop ever. One thing left out of video is leaving some air space above the water line - crucial for the plants - about an inch or little more but that wouldn't be possible with the garbage bag method. I just used fine screen and soil stayed in place without bag. Still, very helpful video for newbies. Just wanted to share my own experience.
Yes! I did some like this but I did leave about an inch and a half of air space. I used garbage bags like she did and it caused me problems with my tomato plants. We had like 3 days non-stop rain. The excess water couldn't drain out of the top part fast enough so my tomatoes were drowning. A little trickled past the cup but it wasn't enough to keep up with the inches of water sitting on top. There was water coming from the drain hole but that was from the tube and what was going down between the plastic and the pot. I actually covered the tube to keep the rain out of it. I went to the store and bought more potting soil and landscaping cloth to put over the screen I had in there. I pulled the plants out, dumped the soil (it was like mud), drilled another drain hole in the bottom opposite the other one, then set it all up again using the landscape cloth. Next time we got a lot of rain the water was able to drain through the landscape cloth and go out the drain holes. Worked great!
Use Landscaping fabric instead ofPlastic
@@cherylbelvin4775 correct and i did
I agree - I left about an inch for air space like I saw in another video. Use landscape fabric instead of plastic because that’s what I had on hand.
@@laurieitis , which video did you see that mentioned air space? I want to research all of this before I dig into making these. TY in advance
I love seeing the different types of wicking containers, but you really simplified it.
Thank you
Love this demonstration! I make these too and they can be done multiple ways depending on what you have in store. I used slotted pipe with the sleeve on it.
Wow. This is the best version I’ve seen. I actually didn’t walk away scratching my head. Thank you 🙏
This is the most comprehensible of this method and good presentation!
Right on time, tomorrow is going to be warm in the Chicago area, I can work on the containers in my patio. Thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
I just went through 3 prior videos making this system look so complicated. I knew there had to be an easier way-and there you were! Thanks so much, looking forward to viewing your other content.
I agree and method 2 is even easier. So you really just need a largish container that nests Inside whatever pot you are using. Clever!!!
Glad it helped! I thought the same thing when I was trying to figure it out, too. Some methods are so complicated.
People do make this look very difficult. Thank you for simplifying it. Now I get it. TY TY!
To support your false bottom at the right height, you could also use additional cups with the bottom cut out (so they don't float).
Great idea!!!
If you leave an air gap between the water level and the soil level, the roots will grow into water. Kinda a hydroponic set up when you feed. Going to use this. Awsome
Girl….👊🏻 We have multiple containers on our senior community grounds, maintained by the residents of the building, and sometimes it’s a lot to ask someone to keep up with the watering. Sometimes life gets in the way. I’ve been looking for a good solution, and this one wins the prize. I was planning a trip to Tractor supply next week, as a matter of fact. I’ll add some of those feed trays to my list, and contemplate creative ways to modify the containers we already have. We might be able to create reservoirs in perlite-filled trays to settle those established containers into. Hmmm…..you got me thinking.
Ahhh…..solutions at every turn. You gotta love TH-cam. 💕
I have looked at three or four other videos but this one beats them all. I sort of got the concept in the construct but I didn’t get the why of it and you do that beautifully. I’m so glad I found this process before I planted my whiskey barrel planters this year. Thanks again!
Brilliant, I've been looking for a way to isolate part of my balcony rail planter to prevent the always-thirsty Creeping Jenny from turning brown. Now I know how to rig a miniature self-watering insert. Thanks!
I have been watching these videos, about making these wicking pots, and I had no idea how to do it until now. Ty very much for sharing
This is excellent! You could use a layer of leca or clay pebbles or pumice/lava rock as your wicking material and then add a couple inches more of the lava rock, then add your potting medium.
This is the best video I have watched showing how to make this. Brava!!! thank you so so much!
This inspired me to convert 5 (so far) plastic planters from Costco to self watering. The lower maintenance the better!
So much easier!!!
Your first sentence described my thoughts right away. Thank you
Lol I know, right
@@PrettyPurpleDoor
I did find a soil that holds moisture for days. Once plants mature to fruiting I had to water more.
I built it it works perfectly I'm going on vacation it holds 1 gallon good for 3-4 weeks
Brilliant!!! With frequent travels, I am always facing the challenge of keeping my plants adequately watered. Your second idea is the simplest solution I have ever seen. I might glue a wide mouth funnel to catch enough rainwater when Mother Narure permits it. Thanks for inspiring me.
I like the funnel idea!
Mechanics use a large square funnel to catch used motor oil when changing oil in a vehicle. That big square-topped plastic funnel would increase the water-catching area and also prove easier to stabilize.
I really liked the idea of building false bottom using PVC pipe and hardware cloth. This not only creates a water chamber, but also helps achieve air pruning of the roots due to an air gap between the soil and water. Dig more holes, using 3" hole saw , on the 4 sides of the pot and you have a perfect air pruning self watering pot.
I am going to try this idea on half barrel planters that I intend to make by cutting off 55 gallon plastic drum barrels in half and I am sure this will really turn out good.
Thanks a lot , Pretty Purple Door, for sharing your brilliant idea.
Sounds like a great idea! Glad the video was helpful. I do love the pvc hardware cloth setup the best. It's been working great for me!
@@PrettyPurpleDoor what does aks mean by "Dig more holes, using a 3" hole saw", and what is air pruning?
I saw a drawing of this elsewhere on the net before, but I used screening instead and skipped the trash bag. It’s been working well.
Nice. Glad it helped. I'm sure it was my drawing, as I drew it.
Love your self watering pot dyi
Well done. Easy to understand and some good ideas. Thank you.
I seen a few videos and nothing was difficult, they were as easy as your video, TFS :)
Video is 4 years old. Perhaps better ones have popped up since.
I like both ideas but when you showed the 2nd one I was blown away!!!! lol
I’ll be doing that one!
Yes that's the easiest way, but costs a little more up front 😁
Your video was excellent and educational .
Thank you for sharing. It is a really easy method to make the self watering containers. They are really expensive where we live and I needed an idea for my seedlings.
It was perfect for us to make and use.
Douglas from Trinidad W.I.
Thank you for sharing! I'm slow as trying new things and research them forever it seems like, but I have been wanting to make these for years. I have been watching intermittently all kinds of videos. They all seem simple to you think you are going to start one. Then you don't have what they used etc...But what I realized, is that I didn't understand the whole process fully. So I have been nervous to try my own thing. Thank you for explaining it all so well. I feel like I can finally do it now and know it should work...LOL!
wow just wow, how do you not have a million subscribers, you're really something special, so wholesome and informative, just an overall joy to watch, can't wait to make one of those :)
Aww thanks so much for the comment! I hope you make one that's 10x better than mine 😊
Thanks, that's my 1st spring project!
You are the best!!!! Thank you for such a great and simple explanation. I finally understand what I need for do. Thank you thank you, thank you!!
thank u!!! Istruggle to understand this concept until you provided this informative video!!!
I agree, you’re self watering system works great! Thank you for sharing improved valuable videos ❤
You are so welcome!
excellent simple planter
I'm impressed; thanks for the education.
Very cool! But that was some clever engineering nonetheless! Thank you for sharing!
THE BEST AND EASIEST INSTRUCTIONS EVER!!!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!
This is most practical that I have seen that is supported with explanations. Thx.
You're very welcome. Glad I could help!
What a great tutorial! That actually really did seem much easier when you explained it. I watched a few other videos but wasn't immediately understanding why there needed to be a hole near the top of the reservoir for the water to come out, but you made it very clear!
I was thinking maybe lining the reservoir with 4 additional solo cups would make it level in place of the PVC idea since if you'll already have cups lying around. I tend to overwater my plants so I'm hoping this will stop me!
Thank you I'm glad it helped. No engineering degree required 😂. I like the idea of using solo cups that should work well. Good luck 😊
I think a drain hole can also be functional/important as a reservoir overflow for when or if the planter is out in steady rain for an extended period.
@@paulwarner3749 where you the drain hole be placed? I thought the overflow served that purpose?
Finally I understand it now. Great explanation, Thank you!
the drawing diagram was very helpful compared to other people who try to explain this method
thank u
That second method seems really doable. Thanks for explaining this!
Being a former diesel mechanic, I made a sight glass to see the water level out pop bottle. Probably overkill, but you can easily tell when you are getting low. I used a glass Coke bottle, which I got from the Hispanic foods aisle at Wal-mart. A mason jar would work great also.
Nice. My bf is a diesel mechanic too! I just use the hole I drilled in the side to tell. Once water starts streaming out I know it's filled 😊
Can you explain better? Make a video or share a picture?
This is gonna be perfect for my plants at my air bnb! Thank you!
Awesome! Glad it's helpful!
I twerked your idea using a plastic saucer for the shelf.cutting a hole in middle for a yogurt container and side hole for pipe. Thanks!!!!!
You rock girl......got your ducks all in a row !!!!!
This video earned my subscription! Dope!
Yay! Thank you!!
Our grandparents said Grace prior to every meal. We got away from it, why I don't know. Thank you for closing with your prayer. It's a reminder we take too many things for granted. I'm thinking of a way to make a waterproof sign of this prayer in our garden for all to see when they pick their 'bread'.
I appreciate your reply. Although, I didn't close out my video of diy self watering planters with a prayer, so maybe you're commenting on the wrong video.
Awesome....exactly what I needed. Thanks
I have plastic bags at te bottom of my containers, it holds the moisture at the level I need without going stagnant. I live in Arkansa, the heat here wil make the water stagnant.
Great vidio for cooler climates!!😊
very nice..keep on sharing
Wonderful explanation of this job
Love this! Great tutorial, though I recommend weed stop fabric instead of plastic. I also like sand better than soil as the wicking medium. This is the best demonstration of wicking container process I have seen. Subscribing and sharing. 😊
Great suggestions. Lots of different ways to approach it. The plastic has always worked really well for me. If I were growing food it would be a different story though. Thanks for watching and sharing 😊
Very nice, thank you for the tutorial. One thing though: garbage bags are chemically treated for pest control. You may want to avoid that in a food planter.
Yes there's many options for the barrier. This is just what I used
Nice video. You could turn one of your PVC T's into the bottom of the fill tube which would hold it upright with the weight of the dirt. Then just drill a small hole at the bottom of each leg to let the water out when filling or cut bottoms of each leg at slight angle to allow water to drain through your PVC structure. I would recommend using a terry cloth towel to wick water up instead of dirt in constant contact with the water. This is because from my own experience with an earth box done the same way. The dirt that is in the water will cause root problems over time and start to stink if submerged. Loved the video!
Good ideas! I've been doing it this way for years with no issue. If it ain't broke I don't fix it. But maybe someone else will try your ideas 😊
@@PrettyPurpleDoor I like your PVC base soo much that I am going to test it in a 5gal bucket wick system. I will use your PVC base with the integrated fill tube and use a rope wick to hang in the water. Super simple too.
Let us know how it turns out!
This is exactly what I was looking to make. Thank you.
Great Job! I can’t drill a drain hole, so I’m going to use an old fashioned dip stick.
Great idea, a dip stick is better than a drain hole if you ask me.
Thank you so much for taking the scary out of it! Can't wait to have one.
Hope you enjoy it!
Tyvm Amy, you’ve been helpful I’m def gonna try and make some of those next season.
I like both your ideas very much. I put broken terracotta and styrofoam in the bottom of my planters and I have in that size pot I have about three holes in it. I also use that pipe, I bury it the length of my roses roots to where I can add nutrients and water from it and my roses do a lot better that way than just watering from the ground. I am going to try your method because I really like it 👍 thank you very much. God bless you and your family. 🙏❤️🤗 I am a new sub to your channel. Anything to do with plants I love.🌹🌹
That was an amazing idea!!
So neat !! so easy !! great share . .thank you !!
My watermelons 🍉 this year are going to love this!!! I didn’t do right by them last year by letting them dry out so many times.
I have a suggestion for design improvement.... use the already installed base of pop pipe to incorporate your fill pipe....
For sure that would be cool if using the PVC pipe option.
Thank you! You made this much easier to follow😂
Great ideas!! Thanks
I have been using 18gallon totes. Cut out the inside of the lid to act as the flat support. Hold that up with 5-8 plastic containers from frosting or asiago cheese or deli containers. Drill a couple holes about 1/2 inch above inside platform for excess drainage. I use weed fabric with tiny holes to hold the soil. I cut a piece of pvc for the corner to fill with water. Fill with potting mix and you are good to plant. Definitely cheaper than her solution. Roots grow through fabric to the water. Soil wicks water. Water at soil level until roots reach bottom.
Sounds like a great idea! Not sure how it's cheaper than some pvc and a piece of hardware cloth but I love the idea.
I enjoy your ingenuity--and definitely your blueprint. Thank you.
Thank you this video is the best I’ve seen 🦋
Thanks for watching I'm so glad it helped!
v clever easiest one and best design i've seen sofar ok I'm impressed.... so simple
Thank you very much. Glad it was helpful
Super simple... perfect thanks!
You're very welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the video. Very informative. Question. I know you drilled a pin hole for gauging how much water you have poured into the bottom, are you drilling a separate drain hole for the upper part of the planter to keep rain water from drowning the plants?
I wonder if she feels that the excess rainwater would be drawn down into the red plastic cup and then eventually would drain out of the outside container drain hole? I agree though I think using a plastic bag would collect too much rain water and so using a garden cloth would be better as the excess rainwater would drain away better out of the drainage hole
Good job of simplifying the steps! Can't wait to make some. thank you!
Very smart. Thanks for the tip.
Excellent! Thank you so much. 👏👏👏🙏🏽❤️
Great video
Great video 👍. I want to add that the small hole is also for draining out the excess water if it rains a lot. Otherwise your plants will drown.
I do add drain hole to the planter about 6-8" up the side.
@@PrettyPurpleDoor Yes I know, i just wanted to add that the hole is not only for checking when you have watered enough but also to let out water if it rains a lot. I have killed some plants by drowning them like that.
This was so informative and helpful! Thanks so much :)
You're very welcome 😊
Thanks a lot! Very clear explanations
Glad it was helpful!
V nicely explained
That is brilliant!!! Thank you for sharing this method. It is just what I was looking for. I wonder if I could do the same idea with cloth grow bags? Thanks for sharing this video.
Using the grow bags as an insert in the container would definitely work to keep the soil away from the water. But you'd have to cut a hole in the bottom of the bag.
Unfortunately, I think grow bags allow water to drain/pass through, so you wouldn't be able to make a water reservoir at the bottom of them to keep your soil moist.
@@PrettyPurpleDoor Thank you so much.
For creating a water reservoir in a cloth grow bag you might look at using an olla. You can even DIY one out of a cheap terra cotta pot.
How often do you have to fill the reservoir? Like once a week?
Hi PPDG - great video, simple concept. We're contemplating re-potting some large-ish plants, even palms, in our conservatory. Can we scale up your design?
That's a great idea!
Great video thanks
The reason this is so simple & easy is because it’s for watering-only-wicking. The more complex designs include wicking oxygen into the soil as well, so you don’t have to regularly refresh or replace your soil.
hi. great video. does the soil above get all it"s water from the dixie cup alone? do you have to put a wick also to bring up the water? keep up the good work.
Yes it does... The compacted soil inside the Dixie cup acts as the wick
Great video. Much thankx ✊🏿🔥
Great ideas thank you!
You made it so simple, fantastic!! You are amazing!!
Aww, thanks for your comment. I'm so glad it was helpful to you :)
Lol yup. I agree people making it more complicated than it should be. Basic physics of self-watering planter:
1. Need a water reservoir that separates soil and water.
2. Need a wicking system to send the water from reservoir to soil.
3. Need an overfill check
4. Need a way to fill the reservoir
That's it. How you do it, totally up to you
Thank you so much for your video!
You are so welcome!
I was thinking about using one of those Costco 27 gallon bin for small garden, using the lid (trimmed) to separate water and soil. Would that work? Would I need more cups to feed the water evenly? Many thanks.