How to Make a Self Watering Garden Container

A self watering container is a simple project that can be completed in just a few hours with minimal materials and will save both time and money in the long run. These containers can be specialized to house a variety of plants from decorative flowers to complete vegetable gardens.

Why Make a Self Watering Container

Self watering plant containers are a perfect solution for the urban home gardener. These containers can be set up in small spaces like balconies or used on rooftops. They are relatively cheap to construct and easy to maintain. The use of a self watering container eliminates the number one problem with container gardening, inconsistent watering. Where plants sowed directly into the earth draw unlimited moisture from the water table below the container plants are limited to the water stored within the container itself.

This self watering container project can be completed in a couple hours and for under $20. All of the necessary materials can be found at any home improvement or big box supermarket. Some frugal gardeners may be able to substitute part of the material list for things already on hand.

Materials List for a Self Watering Container

• Five Gallon Container with Lid
• Black Trash Bag
• 1″ PVC pipe
• 4″ PVC pipe
• Landscape Fabric
• Aquarium glue (or other water safe non toxic glue)
• Soil
• Drill
• Razor
• Saw

Instructions for Self Watering Planter

1. Cut the center out of the container lid with a razor or a sharp pair of scissors. Trim it down to fit snugly inside the container. This will be the separator between the water reservoir and the soil.
2. Next, drill holes in the trimmed top every inch. These holes will provide aeration in the soil.
3. Cut the 4″ inch PVC pipe into four sections 3 to 4 inches high. These will be used as the supports for the aeration base and as the wicking tubes for the water transfer. Drill a few holes in the pipe sections.
4. Attach the wicking tubes to the aeration base with aquarium glue. After the glue sets cut out the area of the aeration divider on the inside of the PVC pipe.
5. Cover the entire aeration divider, including the wicking chambers, with landscaping fabric to keep the soil from leeching into the reservoir. Use the aquarium glue to adhere the landscape fabric to the outside edges of the divider. It doesn’t have to be secured tightly, just enough to keep the soil out of the base of the container.
6. Drill a small drainage hole in the container a half inch above the level of the aeration divider. This will act as an overflow. If this container is to be used indoors an optional hose may be attached to route the overflow to an appropriate drain or container.
7. Put the aeration divider into the container and insert the 1″ PVC pipe into one of the aeration holes. This piece of pipe should be long enough to stand two to three inches above the edge of the container. This will be the pipe used to fill the reservoir.
8. Fill the container with soil. Cover the soil with a black plastic bag, securing the bag with the outer rim of the original container top.
9. Cut slits in the bag for planting and the reservoir fill pipe. Fill with water. Depending on the water needs of the plants placed in the container it could be as long as two weeks before the reservoir needs to be filled again.

Planting Suggestions for a Self Watering Garden

Earthbox.com offers some great tips for optimizing the growth of plants through spacing. They suggest the following as the maximum number of plants placed in a self watering container of the approximate size that has been constructed from a 5 gallon container:

• 2 plants – Artichokes, Eggplants, Tomatoes, Zucchini
• 4 plants – Cucumbers, Melons, Squash
• 6 plants (two rows of 3) – Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Greens, Herbs, Hot Peppers, Strawberries
• 8 plants (two rows of 4) – Beans (bush), Flowers, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Okra, Salad Greens
• 10 plants (two rows of 5) – Beets, Onions, Spinach, Turnips
• 16 plants (two rows of 8) – Beans (pole), Carrots, Corn, Garlic, Peas, Radishes

Resources

Earthbox.com (accessed June 2010)