Self-Watering Grow Box Made From One Storage Bin

Supplies

• To make a self-watering grow box, you'll only need a few supplies. Purchase a rectangular 10-gallon tote (with the lid), 1-inch-wide PVC pipe, 4-inch PVC pipe, plastic ties and a drill with various bits. Purchase the best quality tote you can find; the better the tote, the longer the grow box will last.

Cutting PVC

• Cutting the PVC pipe is an important part in creating a grow box. The PVC pipe allows aeration at the bottom of the tote and provides a place for you to fill the bottom of the tote with water. Cut four pieces of the 4-inch PVC pipe to 4 inches in height as well as one piece of the 1-inch PVC pipe. Cut one piece of the 1-inch PVC pipe 3 inches longer than the depth of the storage bin. The shorter pieces are support for the bottom of the bin, while the longer one will enable you to add water to the reservoir.

Drilling Holes

• It is necessary to drill a lot of holes to make your self-watering storage bin work. Cut the rim off the lid so that it will fit almost perfectly down inside the tub. Drill four 4-inch holes at the corners of the lid and one 1-inch hole in the middle of one of the sides of the lid. Drill ½-inch holes scattered throughout the rest of the lid. Drill ½-inch holes in the 4-inch PVC pipe pieces and the shorter 1-inch PVC pipe.

Assembling

• Attach the 4-inch PVC pieces to the large holes in the lid using the plastic ties through the holes. Attach the short piece of PVC in the middle of the lid as the middle support. Place this lid, with the supports down, at the bottom of the storage bin. Insert the longer PVC pipe into the 1-inch hole in the lid. Fill the storage bin with soil, then plant your plants. To fill the reservoir with water, pour water through the 1-inch PVC pipe. For the first watering, you may also want to water from the top of the plant. Covering the soil with mulch also helps to keep it moist. Fill your self-watering storage bins about once a week.