Achievable weekend projects – $100 budget

A wicking bed passively draws water upward from a reservoir—ideal for sustainable gardening and reducing irrigation in hot Sunshine Coast conditions.

1. Project Overview

You’ll create a 600–900 mm long wicking bed using a recycled timber crate or plastic tub, gravel reservoir, geotextile fabric, soil, and a simple PVC fill pipe.

Sustainability benefits:

• Deep mulch + efficient watering cools the micro‑environment.
• Reduces water consumption dramatically.
• Uses recycled materials where possible.

2. Planning (30 minutes)

1. Choose location
   • Select a sunny spot (at least 4–6 hrs/day).
   • Avoid placing directly against timber walls to prevent moisture buildup.
2. Pick container size
   • A wooden crate, polystyrene produce box, or plastic tub around 60–90 cm (L) and 30–40 cm deep.
3. Check your tools
   • Hand saw or PVC cutter
   • Drill
   • Utility knife
   • Tape measure

3. Materials & Local Sourcing

🌱 Soil, mulch & gravel (local landscape suppliers)

• Caloundra Landscape Supplies , 8 Helen St, Caloundra West QLD 4551 — stocks soil, gravel, mulches, and offers same‑day delivery. 
• Nambour Landscape Supplies , 5A Windsor Rd — soils, gravel, mulch (open Saturdays). 
• The Rock Landscape & Garden Supplies , 5 Corbould Rd — long‑established, wide range of materials. 

🔧 Hardware (Bunnings)

• Bunnings Maroochydore, 70–98 Dalton Dr — wide range of DIY hardware, tools, PVC, liners. 

4. Shopping List (Total - $90 - $100

Where to source cheap or recycled timber crates and containers

• Sunshine Coast Demolition & Salvage , Nambour
• Buderim recycle market , Buderim
• Facebook marketplace
• Gumtree 
• Freecycle

5. Build Steps (2–3 hours)

Step 1 — Prepare the container

1. If using timber, line internally with thick plastic to waterproof the reservoir section.
2. Drill a 10–12 mm overflow hole approx. 100 mm above the base (critical wicking bed feature).

Step 2 — Install the reservoir

1. Add 10–12 cm of drainage gravel to the base.
2. Insert the PVC fill pipe—stand it vertically in the corner and let it reach the bottom.
3. If you have an end cap, attach it to stop gravel entering.

Step 3 — Add geotextile layer

1. Lay weed mat across gravel to prevent soil clogging the reservoir.
2. Trim so edges sit up sidewalls slightly.

Step 4 — Add soil + compost

1. Mix 70% soil + 30% compost.
2. Fill to within 3–5 cm of the top.
3. Lightly compress (don’t over‑compact).

Step 5 — Mulch the top

1. Add 5–7 cm mulch to keep soil cool and reduce evaporation.

Step 6 — Fill and test

1. Fill the pipe until water exits the overflow hole—now the reservoir is primed.
2. Plant herbs, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, or pollinator‑friendly flowers.

6. Maintenance and Passive Design Wins

• Top up the reservoir every 5–7 days in summer.
• Mulch heavily for passive cooling.
• Place near hot walls to create a living “cool zone” that reduces radiant heat.

Need more, check out this video from the Bunnings website