{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Food Garden Life Show: Helping You Harvest More from Your Edible Garden, Vegetable Garden, and Edible Landscaping","title":"Wicking Beds: Watering from the Bottom Up","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2248,"description":"What if you could water your vegetable garden from below instead of above?\nWicking beds have a built-in water reservoir beneath the soil. Water moves upwards through capillary action, supplying moisture to plant roots.\nIn this episode, Steven Biggs talks with Alberta permaculture designer Rob Avis about how wicking beds work, how to build them, and where they make sense.\nRob shares lessons from building wicking beds in his own garden and for community projects. He also talks about their limitations, including the risk of keeping soil too wet and the extra attention needed to maintain soil fertility.\nThe conversation takes a fascinating turn into the bigger picture of water management, soil health, and soil carbon.\nIn this episode:\nHow wicking beds use capillary action to move water upwards\nThe advantages of watering from below\nWhere wicking beds make sense, including small urban gardens\nWhy it's important to let soil dry out between waterings\nBuilding tips, including reservoirs, liners, fill pipes, and overflow drains\nSoil mixes, compost, and maintaining fertility in raised beds\nLessons from a large community-garden wicking-bed project\nHow water management and soil carbon are connected\nResources\nFrom the Bottom Up: A DIY Guide to Wicking Beds by Rob Avis, Verge Permaculture. Includes diagrams, photographs, and construction guidance.\nFifth World: Rob's landscape design and ecological restoration work.\nRob also offers a data-based Land Inspection service through 5th World, using maps and environmental data to help property owners and prospective buyers understand drainage, soils, sun exposure, and other site characteristics.\nAbout Rob Avis\nRob Avis is a permaculture designer and co-founder of Verge Permaculture. His work focuses on designing productive landscapes, managing water, and restoring ecological systems, from urban properties to larger rural landscapes.","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/_y3e1k24nMlKLGYUZdhBsMgezF6u9k_5w92OUmAhniI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kMTFk/NDg3ODQxNjE2MGM1/ZWMwNGVhOTgyZTY1/NmZhOC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}