A large, traditional garden requires constant attention and care. Everytime you head out of town or are away from your home for an extended period of time, you'll probably have to ask a friend or neighbor to take care of it for you. Instead, this DIY wicking bed is self-watering and much more efficient than a garden would be. Again, that's just one of its many benefits. Another quick point: Due to the way it drains, a wicking bed ensures your plants don't drown when there's a downpour. This project is well worth the time and effort since it can bring you healthy plants without the frustration of a garden.

Tools needed:

• >= 3/4″ stepped drill bit and drill
• reciprocating saw with a metal-cutting blade

Supplies needed:

• 55 gallon steel drum
• spray paint and primer (light color preferable)
• 30 gallon fabric grow bag (24″ diameter)
• 4′ x 4′ sheet of strong impermeable plastic
• 2 cubic feet of landscaping lava rock
• One leg from a pair of old torn blue jeans
• about 4′ of 1/2″ diameter PVC pipe
• 2 PVC pipe elbows for the 1/2″ pipe
• PVC primer and PVC cement
• 1/2″ diameter PVC threaded (one male and one female) adapters.
• Small piece of plastic sheet about 1/4″ thick, to drill a 3/4″ hole through to use as a washer.
• 4 cubic feet of fertile potting soil

Step 1: Cut Your Drum Down to Size and Clean It Up

Set your drum upright with the bungs accessible on the top.

Using your saw, cut the top about-1/3 from the drum where the reinforcing ring goes around it.

If your 55-gallon drum has any oil residue in it, drain all of the oil that you can out, and then carefully clean it, inside and out, in preparation for painting.

Apply your spray primer and spray paint well, all over both the inside and the outside of the drum.

Step 2: Install the Plastic Liner.

Fit the liner carefully into your empty drum. Having cut my liner material to exactly 4′ x 4′, I had each corner come to just above the cut rim of the drum. I applied glue to each corner and used clothes pins to hold them in place while the glue dried.

Step 3: Water Input Pipe Assembly

Cut some lengths of PVC pipe: 24″, 18″, 6″.

Using the elbows, assemble these pieces so that you have the 24″ portion standing upright, connected to the 18″ portion extending out along the ground, and the 6″ portion extending out perpendicular.

Use the PVC primer and PVC cement for final assembly. Allow this to dry for 24 hours.

Drill drain holes along the 18″ and 6″ portions.

Place this into the bottom of the planter with the 24″ portion standing upright. It should be a few inches higher than the top of the drum.

To view the rest of the steps, click here!

Have you tried making this wicking bed from a steel drum? Let us know how it worked out!

Article and Photo Source: Instructables