How to Install GardenWells and build a self-watering wicking Garden

The GardenWell system is comprised of 4 components.

Set Up: Identifying the best place to Grow

Finding the right spot and preparing it properly, is the key to self-watering garden success. Follow these 4 steps and you’ll be growing in no time.

1. Sunshine. Most Veggies and herbs require full sun. That means 6-8hrs (or more) of direct sunshine. Some cool weather crops like kale, radishes, and spinach can be grown in lower light conditions – so if 4 to 6 hrs of sun is all you’ve got, you can still grow! But having full sun exposure gives you full choice on the veggies. As you’re gauging the location, consider trees, buildings and other objects that may obstruct the sun during the growing season.

 

1. Convenience. Position your garden in an area that you frequent regularly, or that you can see from your kitchen/living room. This will make your garden more engaging, easier to maintain, and a bigger part of your lifestyle as you’ll be far less likely to miss out on harvests if you’re walking past your garden everyday!
2. Water. Consider where your water source is. The obvious benefit of having a LifeSpace Garden, is that your watering frequency is greatly reduced, but you’ve still got to do it! This isn’t a deal breaker, but being aware of where your hose bib or faucet is in relation to your garden can save some annoyance down the road (I once put a garden about 12” out of reach from a fully extended 50’ hose. Oops!).
3. Level. The self-watering function of your LifeSpace Garden relies upon the reservoir at the bottom of your garden. Water naturally self-levels, so make sure your reservoir is level!
4. Levelling can be done by digging down or building up.
1. For digging down: consider what your garden will be resting on. Ensure that whatever surface you choose, it’s free from obstructions or anything that could puncture the liner.
2. For building up: Framing a bottom on your garden allows you to elevate it to any height. Click here for examples.

Step 1: Building Your Garden

Set Up: Identifying the best place to Grow

 

Finding the right spot and preparing it properly, is the key to self-watering garden success. Follow these 4 steps and you’ll be growing in no time.

1. Sunshine. Most Veggies and herbs require full sun. That means 6-8hrs (or more) of direct sunshine. Some cool weather crops like kale, radishes, and spinach can be grown in lower light conditions – so if 4 to 6 hrs of sun is all you’ve got, you can still grow! But having full sun exposure gives you full choice on the veggies. As you’re gauging the location, consider trees, buildings and other objects that may obstruct the sun during the growing season.

 

1. Convenience. Position your garden in an area that you frequent regularly, or that you can see from your kitchen/living room. This will make your garden more engaging, easier to maintain, and a bigger part of your lifestyle as you’ll be far less likely to miss out on harvests if you’re walking past your garden everyday!

 

1. Water. Consider where your water source is. The obvious benefit of having a LifeSpace Garden, is that your watering frequency is greatly reduced, but you’ve still got to do it! This isn’t a deal breaker, but being aware of where your hose bib or faucet is in relation to your garden can save some annoyance down the road (I once put a garden about 12” out of reach from a fully extended 50’ hose. Oops!).

 

1. Level. The self-watering function of your LifeSpace Garden relies upon the reservoir at the bottom of your garden. Water naturally self-levels, so make sure your reservoir is level!

 

1. Levelling can be done by digging down or building up.
1. For digging down: consider what your garden will be resting on. Ensure that whatever surface you choose, it’s free from obstructions or anything that could puncture the liner.
2. For building up: Framing a bottom on your garden allows you to elevate it to any height. Click here for examples.

Step 1: Building Your Garden

Before getting started, it’s very important to note that each SiP is 12”x12” so building the interior of your garden to full foot interior measurements will create an ideal fit. Also, try to ensure that your garden is free from any framing or other obstructions on the interior of the garden. This means no 4x4’s stuck on the interior corners - put your structure on the outside, it’s better practice anyway. 

• Download our easy to follow build plans here
• Search our standard sized SiP.Tech Kits here
• If you need a custom sized kit or tips on how to modify or cut down the size of your SiP.Tech kit, click here
• Want to build a garden with more than 12” of soil depth for trees and bushes? Click here.

Step 2: Cutting & Folding the Ultra Liner:

(Skip to Step 3 if purchasing a prefab SiP.Tech Kit)

1. The Ultra Liner should be cut to a size so that it can be folded seamlessly into your raised bed, while ideally going to the top of the garden walls for full protection of your wood work. At the bare minimum, it needs to go 6” up the sides, to ensure a water tight reservoir with no leaking.

1. To do this, measure the length and width of the bottom of your garden, and then the inside height of the garden walls. Add these measurements together and you will have the length and width of the Ultra Liner and where your fold lines should be. It’s good to give yourself a bit of wiggle room and then trim off excess liner once you’re done.

1. For example: our 2’x4’ kit includes a liner cut to 56” wide by 80” Long. This is for a garden with an interior footprint of 24” W x 48” L and walls up to 16” high.

1. We highly encourage you to prefold your liner before you attempt to install it. Your life will be easier. Our prefab Sip.Tech Kits come with this step done for you.

1. Once you have your liner cut to size, it’s a great idea to draw out where you’re going to fold. Find center, then trace out the bottom of your garden to create your fold lines. You want to make sure that the flaps that you’re folding are as even as possible ie: 16” all the way around.

1. The Ultra Liner is now ready for install.

Step 3: Drilling the Hole for the OverFlow valve:

1. Before installing the liner, it’s a good idea to install your overflow.

1. You want your overflow hole drilled at a center point exactly 3” up from the interior bottom of your garden. This is very important, as it’s the overflow which regulates the height of the reservoir… you want a reservoir that will rise right to the bottom of the SiPs, without going over and flooding the soil in your garden. This is key for proper aeration and self-watering.

1. Also, be conscious of where you want your OverFlow to drain. We also like to have the OverFlows visible while watering so that you know exactly once the water reservoir is full.

Step 4. Installing the Ultra Liner

(It should go without saying: DO NOT PUNCTURE THE LINER. It’s very tough, but be aware… a leaking liner defeats the entire purpose. The only hole that should be in your Ultra Liner is the overflow hole.)

1. Place the pre-folded liner into your garden. Make sure it’s tucked nicely into the corner.  Over time, water pressure will push it into the corners anyway.

1. Begin by folding the flaps UP. All folds should end up at the top of the garden… think about how water travels and make sure you’re creating a sealed unit.

1. Dry fit your liner so that you’ve got a nice tight fit. The next step is stapling, so do any adjustments now.

1. Staple the ultraliner into place along the top of your garden. Try not to go below 1” from the top of your garden. If you’re going for a nice professional finish, consider the aesthetics of the staple pattern, or like we do, plan for a trim piece and cap for a nice clean finish.

1. Once the top of the liner is stapled, take an exacto knife and trim off any excess liner.

1. You’re Foodsafe Ultra Liner is now installed. The tricky work is over!

Step 5: Installing the OverFlow 

1. Okay, one more tricky step. Find the hole you drilled in the wood for your OverFlow. Use your finger and press around on the inside of your garden to find it.
2. Once identified, use your exacto knife to cut a small X in the center. You want the X just a bit smaller than the size of the hole. Consider the size of the rubber washer…DO NOT cut an X anywhere close to this size.

1. Unscrew one of the lock nuts from the overflow assembly and insert the threaded pipe through the cut liner and then through the wall of your garden. Ensure the washer gasket is inside the garden, sandwiched between lock nut and Ultra Liner creating a watertight seal.
2. Hold the interior luck nut tight against the inside of the garden as you carefully screw the other lock nut from the exterior. You want this to be very tight. You should feel the gasket squish a little bit to create a watertight seal.
3. Your overflow is now installed! You can leave it as is, install a drip chain, or connect a hose to direct water outflow wherever you like.

Step 6: Installing SiPs

1. We’re on the home stretch! It’s time to click together the SiPs. In our 3’x3’ DiY Garden Kit, we’re going to click together a 3 unit by 3 unit SiPs grid.

1. Identify the one SiP with a hole punched out of it. This hole is where the WaterStem pipe will slide into. Arrange this SiP in the grid where you want the WaterStem to be. 

1. Make sure all SiPs are oriented in the same direction with logo facing the same way.

1. Start clicking!

1. Sometimes they can be a bit tricky or stiff to put together. (This is good, because you certainly don’t want them coming apart!) An easy way to do it is to put the SiPs upside don’t, and press the female clip down onto the male clip which is resting on a firm surface.

1. Once the grid is complete, fold the rest of the clips into an UP position. It will make it easier to install the SiP grid into the garden.

1. Put the clip side in first, as you gently fold the SiP grid to get it inside the garden, then gently press down and around to level it out.

1. The top of the SiPs should sit midway or above the OverFlow.

Step 7: Insert the WaterStem

1. You’re now ready for the final step! Insert the WaterStem into the one SiP with a pre-drilled hole. It should be nice and snug as you insert the tube all the way to the bottom. (WARNING: If you haven’t drilled the hole yet, remove the SiPs from your garden before doing so. IT IS NOT worth risking a cut into your UltraLiner – it will ruin your day.)

1.  The WaterStem is cut to project up 13” from the height of the GardenWells to accommodate 12” of soil.

1. Install the float stick into the tube, and your installation is complete!

You’re now ready to select and install the right soil blend and get your garden watered for the first time!

Filling Your SiP Garden: Soil & Water

Next we’ll cover soil install and the next steps to get you growing the most convenient water smart garden in your neighbourhood.

These 4 steps will set you up strong for long lasting garden success.

1. Soil: Getting the right mix.

1. Generally speaking, any high quality peat or coconut coir based potting mix will work. This can be found at your local nursery or plant supply store.

1. If you’re uncertain, or want to mix your own, an ideal mix will be 1 part peat moss / coconut coir, 1 part organic compost, and 1 part vermiculite. Other varieties or prebagged potting mix will use perlite instead of vermiculite and have a higher ratio of peat moss. This is okay. What you’re looking for is a soil mix that is light and friable.

2. Installing the growing medium

1. Before you start dumping soil into your garden, it is important to first prepare each SiP with a wicking medium.
2. Your SiPs need a wicking medium to bring the water from the reservoir up into the soil. This can either be: 1. Hemp wicks. 2. Pure Vermiculite 3. Peat/Coir or 4. Whatever soil blend you are installing into the garden.
3. After all the SiPs are firmly filled by pressing the wicking medium into the SiPs, you can fill the rest of your garden with the organic potting mix of choice. 

3. Watering Your Garden

Keeping your garden watered is easy (that’s the whole point) and something that should be part of an enjoyable weekly routine.

1. Remove the float stick from the fill up tube
2. Use a watering can or hose to fill directly to the reservoir
3. Your garden holds 7 liters of water per square foot.
4. You’ll know when your garden is full when the float stick is fully buoyant at approx. 3” up from cap, or when you get the first trickle of water out of the OverFlow valve.

3a. When watering your garden for the first time

…or if you ever feel like the reservoir has dried out completely, it’s very important to moisten the soil thoroughly, by watering from the top.

Interesting Note: Soil by nature is aquaphobic. This means that if it’s dry, it wants to stay dry. For you and I, that means it needs help to get started. Think about putting a dry sponge on a spilt beer… a pre-moistened sponge is going to work a lot better.

1. To start, take a 7 litre watering can, or the hose of your choice, and water approximately 7 litres per sqf.
1. As you’re doing this, you can gently mix the soil around to help expediate the process.
2. A lot of the water will drain through the soil, and into the reservoir. This is okay.

1. Once the soil is evenly moist and ready for planting, you can fill up the rest of the reservoir via the WaterStem. 
1. The next day, you may notice that the water level in your reservoir will be a lot lower. This is because the wicking process has begun, and the moisture level in your soil has reach it’s equalized and optimal level.
2. As long as your reservoir has water in it – your soil will remain relatively constant. This is ideal for the vast majority of plants to thrive.

Don’t believe me? Read the back of any seed pack or potter plant tag.

4. Water Schedule:

In Vancouver, our watering schedule over the last 5 years has been once in April, once in May, 2 times in June, Weekly in July, Weekly in Aug, once in Sept. For 12-13 times per year. During July and Aug if we get a heat wave while the tomatoes, cucumbers and other heavily fruiting plants are growing in size, you may find the need to water more than once a week.

This may vary based on your location but has been tested over hundreds of gardens built and managed by LifeSpace Gardens including gardens for Science World and the City of North Vancouver.

Planting Your Garden:

This is really what it’s all about right?! We’ll just be talking about veggies here – though bushes, small trees, flowers and ornamentals can also be planted.

A SiP garden, is planned by the squarefoot right from the beginning, so it only makes sense to plant by the squarefoot.

Squarefoot Gardening is an incredible, simple, and effective way of organizing your veggie garden. Developed by Mel Bartholomew, it optimizes your garden space, 

At LifeSpace Gardens, we plan all of our gardens by the squarefoot