I have really appreciated my Really Raised Bed for starting transplants and nurturing tender plants I get in the mail. But these beds must be watered frequently to keep the soil from drying out.
Seeing several self-watering gardens on YouTube, I decided to make my own…and it has been a rousing success! (see the first photos). Water sits in the bottom of the tub and is wicked upward gradually by the compressed soil in the cups.
Following are directions for making your own self-watering, really raised bed.
![self watering bed 2 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-bed-2.jpg)
![self watering | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering.jpg)
![self watering tub 1 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener start with a plastic tub](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-1.jpg)
start with a plastic tub
![self watering tub 2 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener this is the brand I used](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-2.jpg)
this is the brand I used
![self watering tub 3 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener use heavy scissors to cut the lid to fit inside and cut four holes 1 1/2" from the edge](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-3.jpg)
use heavy scissors to cut the lid to fit inside and cut four 3″ diameter holes 1 1/2″
from the edge
![self watering tub 4 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener cut pressure treated 2"x4" lumber to fit inside and support the plastic lid](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-4.jpg)
cut pressure treated 2″x4″ lumber to fit inside and support the plastic lid
![self watering tub 5 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener now it looks like this](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-5.jpg)
now it looks like this
![self watering tub 6 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener make a couple of vertical cuts in the sides of four plastic cups](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-6.jpg)
make a couple of vertical cuts in the sides of four plastic cups
![self watering tub 7 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener put the cups in the holes](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-7.jpg)
put the cups in the holes
![self watering tub 8 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener now cut a piece of 1" plastic pipe long enough to extend above the top edge of the tub](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-8.jpg)
now cut a piece of 1″ plastic pipe long enough to extend above the top of the tub
![self watering tub 9 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener grab a wine cork that fits inside the pipe; impale it with a piece of stiff wire](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-9.jpg)
grab a wine cork that fits inside the pipe; impale it with a piece of stiff wire
![self watering tub 10 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener stand the pipe upright in one corner of the tub; you'll have to cut the plastic lid to make it fit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-10.jpg)
stand the pipe upright in one corner of the tub; you’ll have to cut the plastic
lid to make it fit
![self watering tub 11 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener notice that I wasn't too exact with my fitting](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-11.jpg)
notice that I wasn’t too exact with my fitting
![self watering tub 12 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener no problem; just use a rag to fill the space](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-12.jpg)
no problem; just use a rag to fill the space
![self watering tub 13 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener now fill each cup with potting soil](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-13.jpg)
now fill each cup with potting soil
![self watering tub 14 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener press the soil firmly into the cup; it has to be firm so the soil will wick water upwards](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-14.jpg)
press the soil firmly into the cup; it has to be firm so the soil will
wick water upwards
![self watering tub 15 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener almost there! fill the tub completely with potting soil](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-15.jpg)
almost there! fill the tub completely with potting soil
![self watering tub 17 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener you can put the tub on a patio wall or build a three tub bench like I did](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-17-scaled.jpg)
you can put the tub on a patio wall or build a three-tub bench like I did
![self watering tub 19 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener clip the wire in the floating cork so it appears above the top of the tube when water is in the bottom of the tub](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-19-scaled.jpg)
clip the wire in the floating cork so it appears above the top of the tube when water is in the bottom of the tub. This is where you’ll add water when the float drops down.
![self watering tub 20 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener drill a half-inch hole in the end of the tub to prevent it holding too much water](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/self-watering-tub-20-scaled.jpg)
drill a half-inch hole in the end of the tub to prevent it holding too
much water