Building a Styrofoam box is a cheap and simple way to get started with growing healthy crops at home. Take care while building and you will soon be up and growing in no time!
Remember, a lot of guides on the internet about making wicking beds are flawed, you can learn more about that by reading our article on the common misconceptions and design flaws of commercialised and popularised wicking beds.
What You’ll Need
A Styrofoam wicking box is cheap to make and assemble, you will need a few common tools and most parts can be bought cheaply or acquired for free.
Materials
- Watertight box of any size. The example uses a 30 litre broccoli box made of Styrofoam.
- A length of 90 mm storm drainpipe (PVC pipe) long enough to go across the long edge of your box.
- 500 mm of 40 mm PVC pipe
- 90 mm of mosquito screen
- Duct tape
- Where pardalotes are present, a strip of shade cloth.
Getting Started
Once you have all your materials together, it’s time to get started building your wicking box. Please read through the instructions in advance to prepare and take care when cutting.
Preparing the Box
Drill a 10 mm hole in the centre of a short side of the box, 95 mm from the bottom edge, so it opens into the top of the reservoir pipe. We place the holes so that they come out on top of the pipe rather than coming out into the soil. This prevents them from being clogged up by worms. The 10 mm size keeps cane toads out, as larger holes allow them to enter.
Cutting the Pipes
Cut a 90 mm PVC drainpipe to fit lengthwise inside the box, this will be your water reservoir pipe. Measure carefully, as box sizes can vary in wall thickness and some may be tapered at the base. If needed, cut wedges from the ends of the pipe to ensure it sits flat at the bottom.
Cut two 60 mm holes in the water reservoir pipe, positioning the centres 150 mm from each end. On the opposite side of these large holes, cut a 40 mm hole for the fill pipe, positioned about 70 mm from one end. Take care to ensure the hole is drilled on the opposite edge so that the 60 mm holes face straight down. Cover this end of the pipe with duct tape to prevent soil from washing in.
Cut a 500 mm piece of 40 mm PVC pipe and insert it into its hole in the water storage pipe. Use a round file or sandpaper to ensure a snug fit, if necessary.
Assembling it All together
Place the water storage pipe in the box with the large holes facing the bottom. Position the fill pipe opposite the drain hole. Attach mosquito screen to the end of the fill pipe to keep mosquitoes and other small creatures out of the reservoir.
Fill the box with soil, pack soil behind the closed end to ensure the open end fits snugly against the box. For soil recommendations, see our guide to making your own healthy soil.
Before planting your first seedling, saturate the box by filling the reservoir with water, then water from the top until water begins to flow out of the overflow. A 30-litre box may need about 5 litres of water.
Cover the boxes with shade cloth to protect them from pardalotes. While they help control caterpillars and aphids, pardalotes tend to enlarge the outlet hole to build nests inside the box — something we have learned the hard way!
