Build Self-Watering Raised Beds - The Easy Way
Perfect for DIYers
Perfect Growing Environment.
Grow more Abundance with Less Water and Less Effort - with GardenWells.
- Bigger Harvests & Easier Growing.
- Weeks Between Reservoir Fills.
- Drought Proof. 80% Water Savings.
The GardenWells Advantage
How it Works
GardenWells hold water below the roots, right where the plants need it. With a reservoir capacity of 7 litres / 1.8 gallons per square foot, water is protected from evaporation and run off, and allowed to wick up over time, creating the perfect growing environment.
One Kit. Everything you need.
Easy Installation. Easy Growing.
Get Professional Results in an Easy Afternoon. It's the simplest and most professional way to install sub-irrigation and build wicking beds any size.
- Skip the hunt of all the parts.
- Avoid suspect materials, gravel and drainage tube.
- Streamline the installation and get better longer lasting results.
Free Wicking Bed Plans
FREE DOWNLOAD
The plans are ideal for their simple design, easy-to-follow build steps, and near universal availability of required materials. They are perfect for installing GardenWells and go great with our most popular kit sizes.
Trusted by Garden Builders Across North America
Most Popular Sizes View all
Built Different.
Proven to Grow.
See why serious growers choose GardenWells over a DIY wicking bed.
| GardenWells Sub-Irrigation System | DIY Wicking Bed Build It Yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| System Design | ✓Engineered modular reservoir system |
✕Gravel, pipes, fabric, and guesswork |
| What You Get | ✓Complete kit — everything included |
✕Hard-to-source parts from multiple suppliers |
| Materials | ✓Food-safe, designed for growing food |
✕Questionable materials — not food-garden rated |
| Reliability | ✓Proven system that works from day one |
✕Trial-and-error design |
| Install Time | ✓About one hour |
✕Several hours — or days |
| Water Control | ✓Built-in overflow manages water level |
✕Risk of drainage issues or waterlogging |
| Flexibility | ✓Simple modular components — easy to adjust |
✕Difficult to modify or troubleshoot |
| Results | ✓Consistent moisture and healthier plants |
✕Results vary widely |
GardenWells
Sub-Irrigation
DIY Wicking Bed
Build It Yourself
System Design
Engineered modular reservoir system
Gravel, pipes, fabric, and guesswork
What You Get
Complete kit — everything included
Hard-to-source parts from multiple suppliers
Materials
Food-safe, designed for growing food
Questionable materials — not food-garden rated
Reliability
Proven system that works from day one
Trial-and-error design
Install Time
About one hour
Several hours — or days
Water Control
Built-in overflow manages water level
Risk of drainage issues or waterlogging
Flexibility
Simple modular components — easy to adjust
Difficult to modify or troubleshoot
Results
Consistent moisture and healthier plants
Results vary widely
Installation Steps to Success
1
Install the Liner
The Foodsafe Waterproof liner forms the water reservoir. Ships cut and folded to size.
2
Click your GardenWells
Modular to the square foot, click your grid together to fit into your garden.
3
Install Overflow
The Overflow regulates reservoir height, allows controlled drainage, and ensures no flooding/ over watering.
4
Install GardenWells & WaterStem
The GardenWells support the soil, creating a 3" reservoir underneath, while providing a wicking connection every foot.
5
Soil time.
Fill the GardenWells with a wicking medium like perlite or vermiculite, and fill the garden with an organic container blend of soil, rich with organic compost.
6
Fill it up!
Use the WaterStem to fill the reservoir until full. Watch the float gauge and you're good to grow!
FAQs
With our self-watering planters, you typically only need to refill the reservoir every few days to every couple of weeks, depending on the weather, plant type, and how much sun your garden gets.
Plants draw water from the built-in reservoir as they need it, which helps prevent overwatering and keeps soil moisture more consistent. In hot, sunny weather you may refill more often, while in cooler or shaded conditions the reservoir can last much longer.
A quick check of the reservoir level every few days will help you learn your plants’ rhythm.
GardenWell planters are designed with generous built-in reservoirs that hold about 7 litres of water per square foot of planting area — roughly 1.85 gallons per square foot.
This larger reservoir allows plants to draw water as they need it while maintaining good soil aeration, helping reduce how often you need to water. In most conditions, this means you’ll only need to refill the reservoir every several days to a couple of weeks, depending on weather, plant size, and sun exposure.
No. GardenWell planters are designed to prevent flooding. Each planter includes an overflow outlet that releases excess water if the reservoir becomes full—such as during heavy rain or if it’s accidentally overfilled.
This keeps the soil at the proper moisture level while allowing extra water to drain away, so plant roots stay moist but well-aerated, not waterlogged.
For best results, use a high-quality potting mix designed for container gardening. These mixes are lighter and more porous than garden soil, allowing water to move properly through the planter while still holding enough moisture for plants to thrive.
Avoid using native garden soil or heavy topsoil, as these can compact over time and interfere with how the self-watering system works.
A good potting mix will typically contain ingredients like compost, peat or coco coir, and perlite or pumice to keep the soil airy and well-drained while supporting healthy root growth. 🌱
Everything is made entirely within North America, with assembly and shipping taking place from North Vancouver BC.
Don't want to do woodwork?
The Project Garden Box is a complete garden kit, shipped flat packed to your door. 👇
