Learn more about how to use a self-watering planter: For a QUICK intro to SIPs (under 5 mins): kzread.info/dash/bejne/dYytuI-Ro7S9fqg.html SIP Raised Bed (Update 1) + Self-Watering Containers + How-To Monitor Moisture Levels : kzread.info/dash/bejne/Z6Omq8ySe6m4l6g.html SIP Raised Bed (Update 2) + Watering & Aeration Screen Explanation kzread.info/dash/bejne/iH5mtpighdmed8Y.html SIP Raised Bed (Update 3) + Winterizing Planters & Totes kzread.info/dash/bejne/k3-mzKVuo6abk7g.html Self-watering planters have pros & cons. Read more about how they can benefit you the most: albopepper.com/sip_expectations.php

@lorantmeszaros1811

4 жыл бұрын

I 'm Hungary I Livin ÓZD

@beachboybali7925

4 жыл бұрын

Hi there , what you think above Pipe put material to prevent soil going down to bottom and pipe , do you just strai put soil on top of pipe

@richardhayes5796

4 жыл бұрын

How do you size the boxes based on what you are growing?

@shriyaskuttyfarm

3 жыл бұрын

Good videoResult of hard work. Give your valuable comments to improve our channel thank you. Stay connected and stay blessed

@lucybeautyart_vids_podcast.

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks ! Im new subs

8 years later and this is still the best video on youtube for building a SIP.

I loved your tutorial so much! After I watched it a few times I made the decision to build it. It was such a great concept. I am a 15 year old kid and after 6 long days out in the back yard and a long discussion with my parents, I managed to complete the project. Thank you so much for the awesome tutorial.

@Albopepper

3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad this tutorial was able to help you out! I hope you new SIP works out well for you. Keep us posted!

@abbprrodriguez744

2 жыл бұрын

Hey bud how's it going? How has the bed worked for you after a year(:?

@hairyanglerfish

Жыл бұрын

Good lad

Amazing video! This is the kind of content KZread should be elevating

Thank you for a great video!!! I followed your plan to the letter and built a raised 4’ x 8’ bed. It works perfectly. Even in arid New Mexico my soul is always moist and my plants are happy. I travel a lot so I made one modification. I added a 50 gallon water barrel an plumbed in a float for self filling. My water level always stays at 3.25’. Greatest garden ever!!!!

@Albopepper

4 жыл бұрын

Awesome Curtiss!!! I'm so glad to hear that. Good idea on feeding the float valve with a 50 gallon barrel! :-D

Had I not watched about self-wicking container gardening on the Gardening with Leon channel, I wouldn't have understood this. Mainly because I'm not handy, but also because he goes into a lot more detail about the importance of allowing for air, not just water. I'm so glad that I watched this though. I wanted to do the Gardening with Leon type, but wanted much larger containers. Thanks!!

Hey AlboPepper. Really need to thank you for this video mate. Has helped out a lot when folks ask about different ways to build SIP/wicking beds. Cheers & Happy Growing mate.

I would like to build one or two of these. I do not generally reply to videos but I wanted to be sure to thank you for this one. I subscribed to you because I really appreciated how you try to help all the people asking you questions.

We made a number of wicking beds (sub-irrigated :)) during the recent drought here. I only just found your video but it would have come in handy several months ago as the videos we found at the time left a detail out here or there. :-o Ours were constructed very similarly (although we did use fabric between the pipes and the soil, and sat the pipe on a fine gravel layer as well). They work brilliantly. Your video will be a wonderful guide for people wanting to create their own. :)

What a great detailed tutorial! I want to try this in our community garden. I’m thinking it’s a way to have protection with plastic overhead, but to be able to water much more easily, or even rig up a rain feed somehow. I’ve got a feeling you might be talking about that in another video! Many thanks!

This is the best self wicking garden design . I've seen others .Yours is the best I'm going to build many of these these in my backyard . Thanks mate from Australia

Great tutorial and insightful information on SIP. This year I was going to build an elevated garden planter anyway, due to my last year’s battle loss to voles. But thanks to your videos, I added SIP to my planter design. I actually finished it this weekend (the planter) and will start purchasing the potting mix, perlite, peat moss, and fertilizers this weekend. Thanks for sharing your passion for gardening.

Love your patience explaining everything with details

Brilliant! I'm terrible at engineering things and this looks like the ultimate lettuce bed I've been dreaming about for years! I'm going to put a floor in it and raise it up to about 34" so I won't have to stoop as I age (65 now) Thank you :)

@solomo2144

Жыл бұрын

@SuLebo215...No offense intended. Don't ever say you're "terrible" at anything, because our subconscious hears everything and works against us proving us right. Second, try a "Green rolling scoot-n-do garden seat." Bob Vila gave them a mention. Read all reviews before purchasing anything. The model of it could inspire you to make your own to fit your needs. Also, when making raised beds make them narrow so you can reach all your plants without discomfort. Also resistance exercises with resistance bands are great for staying strong without having to lift weights and plenty of protein like red meat, to stay strong, and keeps brain in good shape (not soy because it weakens bones and causes osteoporosis). Good luck and take care.🪶🤍

I am just getting started with gardening. You confirm a number of thoughts / answer questions I had after watching what seemed endless video clips. And I second previous comments on a well done video. Thanks for putting the effort out.

@Albopepper

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! I appreciate your support on my channel. :-D

@donnastone1923

3 жыл бұрын

What are the wood dimensions on the ‘top angled’ bracing supports? Thank you!

One of the best videos I have seen on this topic. Thanks a lot!

Great info..thank you for the tips..can't wait to build some and try them out..thank you for posting this video

I had no idea that you could fit that much awesome in a 30:43 long video! I’m going to build one this weekend

Thank you for the video. This looks like a really great design and also very attractive. I have seen other very well constructed S.I.P. beds but they were not really what I want in term of appearance. Your attention to detail and helpful advice is much appreciated. Best of luck with your gardening.

I've viewed hundreds of DIY videos, and I must compliment you. Not only is your design excellent, but your instructional content, videography and editing are very well done. Thank you for your efforts. I just subscribed and I'm eager to watch your other posts. Cheers!

@Albopepper

8 жыл бұрын

+Jeff Bergerson - Thank-you Jeff! I appreciate it very much. :D

@tomturner3992

5 жыл бұрын

Also this is the best set up I have seen an I will use your design. I am planing on lifting some boxes off the ground so have you any suggestions on building the bottom and bases ?

@julieannabaca5403

4 жыл бұрын

Jeff Bergerson yeah his dad is great tooo check out his interviews with his pops they got REAL passion for their art in what they do

@nikkitobin8356

4 жыл бұрын

Took the words st8t out of my mouth 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋 EXCELLENT VIDEO

brilliant and well constructed , great work

I've been watching a lot of SIP videos, this is by far the best of all, thank you!

@Albopepper

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark! I really appreciate it. :)

Thank you for your video--very thorough and I appreciate the tips on what are the most important components and the pitfalls to avoid. I also liked the suggestion for using pine bark to extend your money for the filler mix. Very well done video.

Thank you for such detailed information. Feeling really glad that I came across this video when I am building similar raised beds.

Wonderful idea of combining the raised bed and sub-irrigation. Well designed sub-irrigation saves you a lot of time and work with irrigation and also prevents any problems with under and over watering. Now I am just thinking about using some free recycled material for construction, like the PET bottles.

After watching - I can do this. Thank you!

Thank you for the great video. I used it step-by-step to build an 8x10 sub-irrigated bed over the weekend.

Thank you for this comprehensive explanation of the dynamics and assembly of your self wicking irrigation for raised beds.

@Albopepper

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Susan! Welcome to my channel. :-)

..."the problem is...that they did it wrong..." lol! Thank you for knowing what you're doing! Love your step by step instructions! Can't wait to make this!!

Great video, love your system and will try it this year. Thank you for your time in putting this together.

@Albopepper

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Gary. I appreciate your support! :-)

Thank you. I can't wait to begin tomorrow.

I'm glad I found this video. I'm in the middle of drawing up plans for a table height raised garden bed. I will definitely be using some things learned here.

This is a great video. Well thought out, anticipates most of the pitfalls a novice would find themselves falling into, very optimistic if you follow his rules. Thanks for such a great, free resource!!

I've seen lots of videos and read many articles and books devoted to wicking beds. You have totally dispelled a lot of mistakes I would have made by following the others particularly the wrapping of the pipes around instead of keeping them straight thank you very much. I also like the way but you gave clear concise instructions on how you did it and what you used

I am excited about using your technique of gardening. We are in the third week of the Coronavirus quarantine here in Texas, and this is going to keep me busy. I look forward to the reward and plan to expand every year. I subscribe and thank you for such a professional video. I have been recommending it to all of my friends!

NICE. i love your methodical approach, and talking through why you did things certain ways.

I’ve watched SO MANY of these wicking bed videos and this is the first one that made me feel confident that I won’t be wasting my time doing extra steps or building something inefficient or faulty. I can’t wait to get started on this project!

Thank you so much for this info! I followed your instructions exactly (although I widened my box a little bit more) the results are absolutely amazing! I told my family that this works too well! (24” zucchini leaves!!) 1 question: can I reuse my potting/pine bark/perlite mix for next year?

very thorough and excellent detail. I can tell you're just as OCD as I am - lol. thanks for the great info. cheers. happy growing 😀

Very professionally created help video with clear and easy to follow steps to build a very functional and long lasting SIP box. Excellent!

Great Video. You cleared out some of the points that others were doing in their SIP which is to cover the irrigation tubes with garden fabric or plastic. The other important point you covered was the depth of the raised bed. Thank you. I am going to set one up this week.

Al. This is an incredibly detailed video and I want to thank you for your descriptions and content. I just completed a 6x3 bed 20" high like this... and the design I created was great because of you. I will caution folks who think this this looks great and might be easy to... think again lol. Although I chose to raise my bed by 4" over what Al describes here, mixing 27 cubic feet of soil is no small task. Wheelbarrow, tarp etc...it is bust ass work to get this mix right. Next time I will get the help of my able bodied son!. Happy growing and thanks again!

Thank you so much Al. I have built two of your big SIP standing boxes. I have painted and am starting assembly my third box. The first two are growing great! The bok choy and the radishes are my favorite so far. My girlfiend is picky but she really likes the radish greens in her daily smoothie! ME TOO. I cannot thank you enough for your support along the way. My plan was to build three boxes, and the pandemic really slowed things down. So happy to be finishing the third for our garden at work. My offer still stands to make you a SLATT'S Rescue belt to say thank you, I know you have a belt you really like. All the best, Gary

@Albopepper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the update Gary! I'm in the process of wrapping up an illustrated middle grade kids book which teaches some basic plant science concepts. If you'd like to show your support, maybe you could order a book and leave an Amazon review once it launches. That would be an awesome way to help me out!

Thanks so much for the video learned a great deal I plan on buying stackable raised garden beds and will implement your process thanks for the tips and explanations. I will not fail😀

What's crazy is I work at a place that gives me literally unlimited access to pulverized pine bark and hardwood bark. I literally had to dust off before coming in before break time and watching this. Score one for me

Thanks for being really thorough with this build! Subscribed!

@Albopepper

9 жыл бұрын

Gene Torres Thanks Gene! I'm happy to report that the system is working really well.

@genetorres6634

9 жыл бұрын

That's awesome. Built my first raised bed this year but its not as intricate. Will keep this in mind for the future!

You are a genius! Loving this sub irrigate self watering raise beds!

That's a great instructional video. I will definitely use it to help me build my SIP. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your expertise.

Looking to build 2 or 3 of these raised beds myself. Thanks for taking the time to make a great and easy to understand video. You saved me allot of searching and time wasting I would have had without watching this. Love the idea of a self-watering container. Fits well into my busy lifestyle. Thumbs up from me!

@Albopepper

7 жыл бұрын

Thank-you very much for your kind words Johan! I'm glad this video was able to help. :-D

The best (informative and fact based) video I've seen on the Subject of Self-watering systems. I tried SIP in TWO BUCKET system a couple of years back; but the lack of space between water table and the soil mix resulted in a water logged layer. Your setup appears to have eliminated that issue. Thanks for your efforts in creating the Videos!

I've been gardening in raised beds for over ten years. I wish I had known about this when I started. It's time to redo my beds and I'm going to build them your way. THANKS!

Great video mate. Cant wait to get started on my own SIP. Thanks for the video.

We built 2 of these we produced so many vegetables last year we gave several bushels away to our family

Great video! You answered a lot of questions. Just a few tweaks I’ll be using: large tie-wraps to secure the cloth at the ends; going to make it one course higher and line the bottom with leftover brick to keep the moles out; use rigid pipe for the drain tubes. Other than that, there’s no reason to change anything else. Excited to finally get to try this!

I’m going to build my first raised bed this year 2020 here in the UK and I will be incorporating your sip sub irrigated system after watching your vlog. I must congratulate you on the excellent and detailed tutorial so much detail. How can I possibly screw it up😱

Im not going to have to watch another video ... This one is TOP NOTCH THANK YOU 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋

Great video! I think I may build something like this next season, coupled with a float valve to auto-water from rain barrels. Thanks for sharing.

@Albopepper

9 жыл бұрын

Ian MacDonald Thanks Ian! Yeah a system like this would be easy to adapt to a float valve set up. A float valve system would mean ZERO dry periods. Moisture would be very consistent. So be sure your mix has good pore spacing and follow my specs. :D

@benhuber6360

4 жыл бұрын

Ian, did you ever create this system? If so, would you be interested in creating a video on it?

Well done! Looking forward to trying this out. Thank you.

Great video! Thanks for making it!

This video is fantastic and I highly recommend SIP beds for consistent watering and to keep weeds/grass away from your raised beds. I built my first 4x4 SIP bed in the Spring of 2018. I live in South TX and it’s hot in the summer. The SIP beds have taken the guess work out of watering. I fill them almost daily during the hottest time of summer, but it’s the first year I have not had any heat stress. Second, I have Bermuda grass in my backyard. I have been plagued by this invasive, awful grass getting into my raised beds. The pond liner has kept the Bermuda completely out all year. I have 8 beds now. Awesome video! Thank you.

@Sallie424

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you so very much for your very well done video. I am definitely going to try it !

@domg7359

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment on the Bermuda grass. I'm building this bed, also have this grass and was concerned. Sounds like it should work for me!

+Jonas Devenport: There are wicking beds that use gravel, but they are a completely different sort of design. I personally prefer the pipe setup. But I've never tried the gravel systems, so I won't put them down. I will say that the pipes work very well and scale quite easily. They create a great aeration screen while also allowing for a hefty water reservoir.

@thadividedsky

8 жыл бұрын

+AlboPepper Thank you for making this video. I built something similar with gravel, landscape fabric, PVC pipe, a cheap tarp from Ocean State Job lot and 2X12's. I haven't had any problems unless giant flowers are trouble lol. Anyway, I will be giving your design a shot this spring/summer in my back yard along a slope that gets sun for a majority of the day and feel it would be cheaper and require less labor going with your drainage pipe design however you lost me with the vermiculite mix to prevent constant direct contact with water and soil which is a concern because I know of people who've had rotting problems. Another concern is mosquitos, I wrapped landscape fabric around the inside part of the overflow tube to prevent them from getting inside the aquifer and creating a breeding ground. Sorry for the long post, I hope some of my info is helpful to others who haven't heard about the wicking style of raised bed.

@aaronlevin7118

5 жыл бұрын

Rather than using the Pond Liner, would you be able to use a paintable drylok like material or something similar to waterproof the inside ??

Great Video, best I've seen on wicking beds

I had a hard time ascertaining exactly how these wicking beds worked til I watched YOUR vid. Thanks for explaining things so thoroughly.

@Albopepper

7 жыл бұрын

Thank for watching! I'm glad it was able to provide a good explanation. xD

Thanks for the awesome video! I used this design as the basis for 3 4'x10' boxes and it worked great--my neighbors here in dry Denver were amazed at how massive everything grew. A couple little things I learned along the way that you might consider adding: 1) I covered the ends of both the drain and fill pipes with a bit of fabric to keep insects, dirt and other stuff from clogging it up. 2) I really wish I had done a better job of clearing out the ground where I built the boxes. I leveled it as much as possible, but there was still some bindweed lingering. It ended up growing through the space between the box and the liner and coming out in between the layers and at the top. Next time I might try putting a layer or two of cardboard underneath the whole thing--another tip I got from your videos!

@elainechipman6987

4 жыл бұрын

Bind weed is terrible! Comes thru cement!

I like it a lot. I can't help but think incorporating something to make the watering automatic would be great. I use a PVC sewer pipe rain gutter system with grow bags over it to do something similar without the box. It uses 1/4 inch poly tubing in a float valve to maintain a constant water level. A bucket or tube in a corner could hold a float valve that would insure that the water level was an inch or so below your drain automatically, allowing the reminder to be filled with rain water when it occurs. I'd like to see the planting surface high enough to allow no-bend maintenance of the bed.

Great video, thanks for sharing your knowledge. I've been researching how to build my two 4x8 raised beds for a while, I wanted to find some way to make them so they could stay watered while I traveled but I didn't want any pumps or other mechanical stuff to maintain, your video finally gave me the confidence to get the materials today and start building!

@Albopepper

8 жыл бұрын

+Ben Blum - I've been trying to compile some reliable information about SIPs for several years now. And the gardening community is giving some great feedback, including lots of good ideas I hadn't thought about. I look forward to showcasing some of the projects that other gardeners have created using SIPs. It should be lots of fun!

I like your methodical approach to your design. Having that air pocket between the soil and water seems like a very good idea. I’m kinda against not adding composting and manure in the box. I’m inclined to go against this because number one I like to go cheap and number two I have this killer compost I want to use. My last comment is: using treated lumber your upright posts are cut at an angle to shed water they are also more aesthetic, but the surfaces cut on treated lumber are as prone to rot as regular lumber. Actually more so because you’re dealing with open grain wood . to prevent this you could either paint the ends of the wood or char them with a blowtorch. Charring a wood post before buring it is a common practice

@Albopepper

Ай бұрын

Thanks for your feedback! This page talks about the concerns related to certain types of compost / manure: albopepper.com/refreshing-sip-potting-mix-adding-fertilizer-year-2.php#manure You make some good points about the treated lumber. I've just rebuilt the entire system & plan on doing a new video about it. In my new version, I've opted to keep the upright posts at a 90 degree angle to reduce surface area and minimize degradation. I don't place my planters directly on soil anymore either. That's a very problematic approach that definitely reduces lifespan of the wood. More to come on all of that...

@davidhunt6508

20 күн бұрын

If you're concerned about the cut ends, I believe they make a canned product similar to the chemical used in pressure treating, for that exact purpose (cut ends).

Building my bed according to your video instructions. Have the frame done and the piping cut, waiting for the liner to be delivered and then will test it out and fill the bed with your formula, thanks!

@Albopepper

6 жыл бұрын

Awesome Ronnie! I wish you both all the best. I hope you have a great growing season! :-D

@RonnieMinh

6 жыл бұрын

Got the first bed built according to your methods and it is working great.

Outstanding video. I built one for my girlfriend following your instructions. All went well until I filled the bed. I should have realized that the inside of the bed where the drain hole was needed to be sealed with a waterproof sealant. I filled the bed and as the water got to the lower level of the pipe the water seeped out and down to the boards in the bottom. Thank you for the knowledge you have brought to us.

@hokudadog7637

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed, I was wondering same thing! There might be a water-tight irrigation connector port that could be used. I’ve made a bunch of self-watering containers on a smaller scale.

I loved your thoroughness in explaining the sip raised bed. I have two questions: 1 ) In extreme heat how do you keep the water in the reservoir cool? 2) How do you flush fertilizer salts from the system?

I just finished building 3 of the raised bed wicking boxes. I must say it was a very labor intensive and a bit pricey project. I told my wife the first tomato we harvest will have cost around $1000 for all three boxes! I used most of your model ( I installed bulkhead drains and made the boxes 32"x72" inside) and used Mr. Leon's potting mix, fertilizers, and a few plants. My fill tubes show 2-1/2", 3-1/8", and 3-1/8" inches of water after the initial fill. I think I can utilize an elbow and a swivel pipe to raise the water level in the one box to match the others. I imagine I did not get the sand base level enough. I will see how it goes. We are excited to try growing some vegetables and flowers. You were correct about the quality of the treated 2x6's. They are very heavy and difficult to square up. I used 90 degree jigs and wood clamps to get the frames as square as I could. I even bought forklift forearm straps to move the completed boxes! Also I used a wood sealer on the cut ends and in every screw hole to keep the wood from checking. We look forward to harvest time later in the summer and hopefully we can plant a fall crop as well! Thank you for your excellent step by step tutorial! God bless you!

@Albopepper

Ай бұрын

Hopefully you have a great season! Keep us posted. 😃

Well done, thanks, and respect.

Great vid! I’m going to build one of these on the weekend. Do you advise to steer clear of home grown organic compost as well?

Finally some solid info this would work well with my climbing strawberry plants and my potato boxes too

Last summer, my daughter gave me some plants to grow. I had to come up with a self-watering bed fast, so I bought two kiddie swimming pools (the blue round plastic type) and grow bags. I put the grow bags in the swimming pools, drilled a hole in each pool to prevent over-filling. My plants did very well and all I did was top off the swimming pools each day. So now I have Birdie's raised beds to set up this year and I'm going to do this with one exception. Instead of drilling a hole into the side of the raised bed, I'm going to run the overflow pipe under the bed. It will look like a "U" with short horizontal end pieces.

I followed your instruction and built a self watering garden--IT WAS OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!Best yield I have had in 6 years of growing my own vegetables. I will be building a 2nd box soon just to grow onion, lettuce and smaller tomato plants. I am not sure how often you answer questions or if this is the right method to ask question. But, I would like to know in my current box, what do I need to do to the soil to start it this season? I followed your instructions for building a box and the soil mixture to use. Not sure what, if anything, I should add to begin the season.

@Albopepper

7 жыл бұрын

Hi Ace! Thank-you so much for sharing your results and encouraging words. :-D At the start of a new season, I lightly rake the top of the potting mix to fluff it up and to break up any remaining roots. If the mix has settled, I top off the box with fresh components. At this point, I assume all nutrients have been depleted. Ideally, you could get a soil test. I do not do that. I simply add all new nutrients by way of fertilizers which may include worm castings. Synthetic OR organics could be used - even a combination of both. If you are using pure synthetic, then you may need to add calcium and magnesium in the form of dolomitic lime. With organics like Espoma, you'll likely see that they already have calcium and magnesium in them. Last year, I followed the instructions according to an older bag of Garden-tone. I treat my SIPs like large containers. For containers, it called for 2 cups per 1 cubic foot (only include the top 12" in your calculations). This rate would apply to an organic that is close to 4-4-4. It worked great last year. Mid season, you might need to supplement though if it looks like the plants have run out of steam. If you want to reset soil nutrients for the following season, you could throw in some heavy feeding crops at the end of the Summer or early Fall. I did this with Kale plants. They grew all Fall and survived in zone 6 into the Spring. I didn't fertilize. I just allowed them to suck up as many remaining nutrients as they could. Hopefully this will minimize excessive nutrient build up over time. Hope that helps! ;-D

@mikebeagley

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Al, I'm wondering a little similarly to Ace. Apart from nutrient depletion, how long before the soil that is perpetually wet turns sour, and there's then a need to dig out the box and refresh it all.

@Albopepper

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Mike! For the SIP box shown here: albopepper.com/grow-box.php It is from 2011 and still has the original potting mix in it. It settles a little each season so I top it off with new mix that I blend into the old. But still, the structure has held up so far!

I’ve watched a load of these videos as I’m planning to build something more permanent and move away from loads of containers and pots. And this is by far the best video I’ve watched....and I’ve watched A LOT! Extremely well thought out and explained and delivered perfectly. I can only imagine the 1k dislikes came from the creators of all the other videos I’ve watched, because you blew them out the water in every aspect. Thank you for making this and finalising my plans. Subbed 👍

@Albopepper

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks man! I greatly appreciate it. :-D

Clear and complete explanation. Excellent. Thank you!

Great video. I followed this design in 2020. I had great results with minimal maintenance

Here we use covers to keep the heavy rains from washing all of the amendments from the mix and so we only have to fertilize once at the beginning of the season. If the covers are tucked into the interior edges, it still allows the beneficial rain water into the reservoir down the sides without disturbing the fertilizer strips, washing out the lime, and essentially changing an otherwise, semi-closed system. This also helps with things such as excess nutrient runoff, weeds, rodents, insects etc, and conserves yet even more water. Nice job either way. 1-1/4 thin wall pvc for the fill tube lets you stick the hose in it and basically turn it on full blast. We use Kerick float valves in an enclosure to make them automatic and the fill tube is just in case we have a valve malfunction.

@Albopepper

7 жыл бұрын

An excellent tip! Thanks for sharing the good info Mr Boat. :-D

Very Nice and well explained!!!

I've been thinking about building one of these. Thanks for the video!

I just built 3 SIP's. Used 2x12's, stacked 2 boards on top, so they're 55" x 33", 24" tall. They look great, now I just need the dirt. Looking for miracle grow, raised bed potting mix. If only I could find it in bulk! Thanks for the videos, great job with your posts! Tim

hi just a note I think to stop water wicking into the wood at the over flow out let you could silicon a tap washer of the correct diameter over the hole. love the video I know that it is your thoughts and only a suggestion on how to make them (great tutorial )

@Albopepper

9 жыл бұрын

CHARLES ADAMS Thanks for the suggestion! That's a nice idea. xD

I was thinking of just this idea, and you show the best way to construct a S.I.P. raised bed I have ever seen. My question is, can I integrate some worms into this bed?

@thadividedsky

8 жыл бұрын

+Mary Smith My beds are similar and I added worms from my yard into them last year. I recently dug in and found many more living happily in the soil. They are great for aeration of the soil and create worm castings.

Thank you so much for the clear and thorough directions, helped me a lot with deciding how to build my indoor garden. Bless ya for spending the time

I made two of these and they have worked perfectly. Thanks a million!

Awesome video, you the man. I have a suggestion. I would recommend that you spray the outside of your pressure treated wood with a Thomson water seal once every 2 or so years to prevent warping, cracking , and chipping of the wood. This happens when the wood gets swelled with water, then dries too quickly and unevenly. The oil sealer allows the wood to still breath with moisture but it does it nice and slow and evenly. Same for concrete and brick walls. Just wanted to let you know so all your beautiful work ages like a fine wine. Keep up the great work. I'm a big fan.

Also, is sub-irrigation wicking really self watering? I always expect a device that triggers filling the sub chamber when water is too low. But if I’m filling a tube with water till drain water runs, then, I’m watering. Not truly self watering. But I understand the meaning. There are self watering methods of similar design using everything from sump pumps to toilet ball concepts. Very interesting. I’ve used several of your videos for some concept designs. Thanks!

Great idea! I will try it this summer. Second garden after a 2 year break due to the fact that we were challenged by the water need of our first garden. Your way could make it easier to cope with! TY

@Albopepper

8 жыл бұрын

+Komando - Cool! I've found it to be a great system for water management. I hope this breathes fresh life into your gardening!

AWESOME video! I love you man. I'm building this as soon as it gets warm enough outside.

@Albopepper

8 жыл бұрын

+Den Moumoiazei - Thanks Den! I hope you have a good experience with it & I wish you all the best!

Make sure you use some of that garden screening material to cover the drain, else you just built a nice snake breeding farm.

@simonesmit6708

3 жыл бұрын

Not where I live. Where are you located? I usually just have to worry about slugs and snails.

@lelechim

3 жыл бұрын

No snakes in the Northeast that I know of

@tothehilt

3 жыл бұрын

A moose could never stuff itself in that here in Canada.

I really like the concept and design of your box. It is, in MOST aspects, an oversized earthbox. As I watched the video, I was concerned about the area where the overflow is located. Would it be advisable to caulk/seal around the liner to prevent the wood from becoming overly saturated with water? I was waiting for this to be addressed, but it was not. That is my only concern. Other than that, it looks wonderful. Very nice presentation. I subscribed.

@Albopepper

9 жыл бұрын

Randall VanScyoc Thanks Randall! Yes, it is in most regards an oversized EarthBox. I didn't caulk inside the openings on my box. But doing so is certainly a great idea. Someone else had suggested this a while back and I've added the suggestion to the write up on my actual website: albopepper.com/SIP-raised-bed.php . I appreciate the good feedback! :D

@steealsfreek

4 жыл бұрын

Use a rubber grommet...cheap and effective

You're a gardening rock star! Conserving water and using it wisely is the mantra here in California. I'll be curious to see how much time and money savings plus increased production this will bring. Thank you for sharing!

@Albopepper

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Lisa! I appreciate your support. For myself personally, I know that SIP systems have yielded tremendous results. The plants love them. :-D

I do not garden like this...great idea!! Awesome tutorial!!

Dunno about the bed, but the shirt just rocks :)

@dylanthomas9761

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, im diggin' the shirt. Thank you for comment and many great thanks for the the video!

Can you provide a detailed "Buy" list for this box? (Assume buying everything).

@AZMarine513

5 жыл бұрын

Watch and take notes?

This is exactly what we've been looking for! A great informative video with just the right insight to possible pitfalls. Can not wait to build my own this coming spring. Also can not wait for my holy kale shirt to arrive, the minute I watched this video I knew I had to have it!

@Albopepper

7 жыл бұрын

Nice! You ordered a shirt!!! xD That's so cool. I appreciate your support!

Just finishing my 4 x 6 Ft using all reclaimed wood. I painted/sealed-in the wood to make sure it lasted. I'm also using some old fungus infused logs along the bottom but above all the pipes & Coco/perilite/Pete filled bottom. ThanQ for being so informative in this video. It has been my go-to for prepping this project. I ended up also cutting down some Pine from the yard & debarking it. Take Care, Brother.

Great information regarding especially the things to avoid doing. I was wondering, wouldn't it be best to focus the mulch on the top instead of mixing it in? It isn't needed so much for water retention concerns, I would imagine, but it sucks nitrogen and increases fertilizing needs if mixed in. Mulch on top still deters weeds. But let me know if I am missing something or if it works as well to only apply mulch on top. Thanks.

@Albopepper

8 жыл бұрын

+Andi Amador - Hi Andi! Thanks for watching the video. Nursery mixes will commonly use bark as the primary component of their container mixes. I prefer to include pine bark mulch because it adds a little extra back bone, extending the serviceable life of my SIP mix. The box at the beginning of my video actually has the original potting mix that I first put in it 4 yrs ago. My goal is to see how long the mix can be used. I think that perlite, vermiculite and pine bark mulch help a lot in this regard. You are correct, that the wood will initially require additional nitrogen to compensate for nitrogen draft. However, this is a temporary situation as the Nitrogen is slowly released back into the soil in subsequent years. I use bark because it has higher lignin content than the sapwood (such as with wood chips) and so it doesn't break down as quickly. Pine is likely to acidify your soil though, so you'll want to watch your pH. I always add dolomitic lime to help out. As you mentioned, you can add a little mulch on top. This helps with not just weed suppression, but also moisture balance at the soil surface. It can also protect the plant roots from wind or water erosion. Hope that answers your question! Thanks, -AL