DIY Sub-Irrigated Planters

Cut the rim off a 5-gallon bucket lid with a saber saw. Trim down the lid until it's small enough to slide into the bucket.

Drill 15 1/3-inch holes in the bucket lid. Space the holes equally apart over the entire lid. Drill a ¾-inch hole in the side of the bucket, placing it 2 inches above the bottom of the pot.

Cut a 4-inch plastic drain pipe into three 2 ½-inch tall sections. Drill ½-inch diameter holes in the sides of the drain pipe sections, placing the holes about 1-inch apart.

Place the drain pipe sections in the bottom of the bucket in a single layer. Fill each section with potting soil or compost.

Set the lid inside the bucket, resting it on the drain pipes. The soil in the drain pipes absorbs water in the reservoir and wicks it into the soil that sits above the lid through the small holes in the lid.

Wrap one end of a ½-inch diameter, 6-inch length of plastic tubing with plumber's tape. Insert the taped end of the tubing into the ¾-inch hole in the side of the bucket. Add more tape as needed until the tubing fits snugly in the hole.

Fill the bucket with moistened potting mix or compost. Fill the bottom reservoir of the pot by pouring water into the tube. Plant into the soil mix in the bucket.

Refill the sub-irrigation reservoir as necessary by pouring water into the tube until the reservoir is full. The reservoir requires refilling ever four to seven days, depending on how quickly the soil dries out.