Anyone else running a Noocity-style wicking bed and feeling slightly gaslit by a piece of fabric and a float gauge? My so-called “self-watering” garden is somehow needier than my houseplants and my phone. Before I start giving it a calendar and a to-do list, can we crowdsource some wisdom on making these things truly sustainable, not just “cute on a rooftop” sustainable?
Stuff I’m trying, breaking, or mildly judging:
Water source sanity: Rainwater works, obviously. But can anyone confirm if graywater from a low-salt, plant-based soap routine is a hero move or an eventual salt-caked tragedy? Anyone prefiltering with biochar or a reed mini-wetland before sending it to the reservoir?
Mosquito timeshare management: That reservoir is basically a spa. BTi dunks in the water-safe for soil life, or am I terrarium-ing my veggies with unintended consequences? Mesh on the overflow works but looks like my bed is cosplaying as a colander.
Nutrient and salt buildup: Wicking beds are famous for salts migrating upward and throwing a crusty party at the surface. Are you doing scheduled “top-down flush days” to reset? How often? Or is mulching + occasional overfill/overflow the sweet spot?
Worms without the swamp: Anyone run a vertical worm-tube or side pocket vermi-composter inside a Noocity bed? Do the worms migrate toward the moist layer without turning the reservoir into a protein smoothie?
Freeze, funk, and spring stench: Cold-climate folks-do you drain the reservoir before winter, or just let it turn into artisanal ice? I’d like to avoid opening it in April and discovering a limited-edition anaerobic brew.
Plant divas: Which crops actually love the constant moisture (tomatoes, chard, basil) and which sulk (rosemary, lavender)? Any success with “dry-foot” herbs by raising their zone or using a sand cap?
Real water math: Has anyone done a semi-scientific comparison of wicking bed water use vs drip irrigation? I’m thinking a cheap platform scale under the bed to track mass changes, plus a rain gauge and a yield log. I promise to name the spreadsheet something inspiring, like “Thirsty Lettuce 2025.”
Material footprint vs DIY: If you’ve used Noocity and also built DIY wicking beds (IBCs, totes, bathtubs you swear are “industrial chic”), how do they compare on durability, microplastic shedding, and total embodied guilt?
Mulch, shade, and evaporation: Wood chips? Straw? Living mulch? Shade cloth? I want the “my soil is a cool, moist forest floor” vibe, not the “cookie sheet in August” vibe.
Bonus points for photos or data logs. Extra bonus points if you’ve solved the age-old problem of neighborhood cats deciding your wicking bed is a five-star litter box. I will trade one (1) smug cherry tomato success story for your best hacks.