DIY Wick Watering System

Here’s the situation. Seedlings are planted in a container garden. Then, you leave for a two-week vacation. How do you keep your tender plants watered? That was the dilemma I faced over the December holiday. I needed an easy solution that would keep my tender new seedlings sufficiently hydrated while I was away. The answer is a DIY wick watering system.

While there are many different methods of wick watering, I was looking for something simple, effective and quick to set up. I know I caught your attention with ‘simple’. Anyway, here is a description of the system I set up. This system exceeded my expectations for being simple, effective and quick to set up.

The Science

Ok, if the science isn’t your thing, feel free to skip this section. However, it’s interesting to understand. The simplest example of a liquid wicking system is a paper towel soaking up water. Capillary action is the scientific term that describes this wicking phenomenon. According to Wikipedia, “Capillary action (sometimes capillarity, capillary motion, capillary effect, or wicking) is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity.” Pretty cool.

Materials needed

Let’s look at the materials you will need for this DIY wick watering system:

• Bucket to act as the water reservoir. I used an 11-quart plastic bucket.
• Cotton shoelaces to act as the wicks. Shoelaces come in various lengths. Choose the length based upon the distance from the water reservoir to the container with plants.
• Nuts/bolts to act as weights
• Water

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How to put together

I mentioned earlier that there are different types of wicking systems. This system is referred to as an ‘outside’ reservoir as opposed to a reservoir that sits directly under the container.

• Determine the number of wicks. I used two-three wicks in each of my 12-inch square milk crate containers. The number of wicks needed is based on three variables.
  • Size of the container.
  • The number of containers.
  • Type and number of plants. For example, I placed two wicks in the container with rosemary and thyme. These two plants require less water. In the other containers, with kale, parsley, marigolds and nasturtium I placed three wicks.
• Determine the size of your reservoir (e.g. bucket). I used an 11-quart plastic bucket to water four 12-inch square milk crates for a period of two weeks. The size of the reservoir will be based upon the following:
  • Size of the containers
  • Number of containers
  • Length of time to water
• Unwrap the shoelaces and tie a nut/bolt to the end of each shoelace that will be used.
• Soak the full length of the shoelaces in water.
• The nut/bolt end of the shoelace is placed into the water reservoir.
• Place the reservoir centrally among the containers and fill with water. Ensure that the top of the reservoir is higher than your highest container. If needed, place a block under the reservoir to elevate.
• Give each of the plants a good watering.
• Bury the end of the shoelace (the end without nut) approximately three inches into the soil within the container. Do this for all the shoelaces.

That’s it!

How does it work

The soil draws water from the wick as needed. Once the soil is saturated with enough water, the drawing of water will stop. If you have time, I encourage you to experiment. Set up your wicking system and observe the system while you are still around. Adjust based upon your observations. For instance, maybe you will need a larger reservoir if the water is absorbed too quickly.

In addition to setting up the wicking system, I also covered my containers with row cover cloth. I did this because of the volatility of weather in Florida in December. Row cover protected the tender new plants from rain, wind and cold. To learn more about row cover, check out my blog titled How to use floating row cover in your garden.

Issues that may occur

Beware of the following potential issues with a DIY wick watering system.

• The soil is too heavy to draw the water. Porous soil is best. Add vermiculite or perlite to the soil to increase water absorption.
• Too few wicks in the soil. One wick per plant should be sufficient.
• The reservoir was not large enough for the elapsed time. Experiment and observe the rate of water absorption. Err on the side of a larger reservoir.

In Summary

This system worked great for me. When I returned home after two weeks, there was still one quart of water left in the bucket. The soil was damp and the plants healthy. In fact, the system worked so well, that I continue to use even though I’m home.

Good luck with your DIY wick watering system and I would love to hear from you.