All About Wicking Beds Workshop

Keen to save water and make sure your plants or veggies are getting the water they deserve, even if you are out of town for the weekend? If yes, this workshop is for you!

This 1½ hour wicking bed workshop will be conducted by Ian Collins from WaterUps®. Learn about wicking beds of all shapes and sizes, as well as how you can retrofit existing pots and plant beds.

This workshop will show you how you can improve your garden, help you save water and make a major contribution to increasing food security, urban temperature and and sustainable management of our precious water resources.

What you’ll learn

In this wicking bed workshop we will cover the following: 

• the history of wicking bed technology

• the science of capillary action

• the role of particle size in capillary rise

• issues relevant to the construction of the Reservoir Layer

• connecting the Reservoir Layer to the Soil Layer

• the importance of aeration in wicking systems

• the role of soil structure in wicking beds

• overflow pipe positioning and the potential for anaerobic soil problems

• constraints on the height of wicking beds

• closed system and open system wicking beds

• wicking beds and water saving

• wicking beds and watering frequency

• wicking beds and plant root growth

• the commercial application of wicking beds

What you’ll get

• Information Pack: Post course notes and resources.

• Demonstration: A chance to see a number of wicking bed options available

• Knowledge: Access to experts to answer your burning questions.

What to bring

• Paper and pen to make notes

• Hat and suncream if sunny

• Reusable water bottle / coffee cup

Suitable for

• All ages.

• Beginner to intermediate gardeners.

Workshop facilitator

Ian Collins is a co-founder of WaterUps®. His focus was to build a company that could commercialise the age-old concept of ‘wicking’ and to allow wicking bed technology to be used in commercial, civil, and horticultural environments as well as the home garden. WaterUps® are proud of their track record in using recycled materials and in promoting the water-saving attributes of wicking bed technology.

Pocket City Farms is continuously updating our covid practices to make our workshops and events as safe as possible, following the current guidelines and recommendations.