The Dual Tub Self Watering Container Design

This design uses two Rubbermaid storage totes. One 18 gallon and one 14 gallon tote. This document is an
addendum to my original manual about building these containers. They complement each other and they can be
downloaded from my website: WWW.HOMETOWN.AOL.COM/JMALT31 Also for instructions on planting
and other useful information you can go to this website as well. http://www.earthboxresearch.com/

Legal disclaimer:
The information presented here is for educational purposes. I or anyone associated with this document can not
be held liable for any injuries that might happen using this information. Also anyone associated with this
information can not be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of
this information.

14 gallon Tote:

The 18 Gallon Tote:

The 14 Gallon Tote is modified and then sits in the 18 gallon tote. The space between the two totes becomes the
water reservoir. I will outline the building steps below but first a general overview of how a self watering container
works. Once you understand the concept you will know why we alter the tubs the way we do to make the container.
The container supplies everything the plants need for a full growing season water from the water reservoir,
oxygen through the aeration screen, and fertilizer from the fertilizer band that is placed on top of the soil under
a waterproof mulch cover. The key that makes this work is the use of potting mix (Note: not potting soil). The
potting mix is light and loamy and wicks the water to the roots from the wicking chamber which extends down
into the water reservoir (think paper towel placed on spilled water). The potting mix also uses moisture to wick
nutrients down from the fertilizer band and feed the plants. Note the diagram below showing the parts of the
container. We will go over the various parts and explain what each part does. This design is exactly the same
concept as the leading commercial self watering container only with a much larger water reservoir and a larger
growing container for a more extensive root system.

The 14 Gallon Tub: This tub is used to hold the potting mix for the growing chamber where the plants are
planted. Attached to this tub are the supports and the wicking chamber and holes are drilled for the aeration
screen, the water fill tube, and the wicking chamber. This tub sits snugly into the 18 gallon tub and is supported
at the handles and also by the support pipes and the wicking chamber.

The 18 gallon tub: The 18 gallon tub holds the 14 gallon tub and becomes the water reservoir. The only thing
done to the 18 gallon tub is to drill the water overflow hole.
The overflow hole: The overflow hole maintains the water level in the water reservoir and keeps the soil from
becoming soaked through the aeration screen. Its other purpose is to make a gap between the surface of the
water and the aeration screen so oxygen can get to the roots through the screen. This hole is ½ inch and about
1/8 inch down from the bottom of the 14 galloon tub.

The Aeration screen: The aeration screen is actually just a series of ¼ holes drilled into the floor of the 14
gallon tub. The holes allow oxygen to pass into the potting mix to the plants roots.

The water reservoir: The water reservoir holds the water that waters the plants from 1 day to up to a week
depending on the temperature, and what and how many plants are in the container.

The water fill tube: The water fill tube is a 1 inch PVC pipe used to refill the water reservoir. The pipe pokes
through a hole in the mulch cover.

Supports: The supports attach to the underside of the 14 gallon tub using wire ties and help to support the
weight of it so that all the pressure is not at the handles. Their length is equal the distance between the 2 tubs.
They are made from 4 inch PVC drain pipe. Holes are drilled into the pipe so that water can easily get in and
out of it. A hole must be drilled at the top of the pipe where it touches the aeration screen. This is done to make
sure that oxygen gets to the roots that may be above the supports.

The wicking chamber: The wicking chamber is made from the same pipe as the supports. The only difference
is that the wicking chamber has a hole cut into the bottom of the 14 gallon tub that is slightly smaller than the
diameter of the pipe. This hole allows the potting mix to fill the pipe and be below the water line. The potting mix
in the pipe acts as the wick which brings water up into the soil above it and to the roots of the plants. This pipe
also has holes drilled into it at various spots along the length of the pipe.

The Mulch cover: Although not shown in the diagram above the mulch cover is made from a heavy contractor
trash bags that are cut along the side seams. One bag will cover 4 tubs. The Mulch cover stops weeds, conserves
water, but most importantly it keeps the potting mix and the fertilizer band dry. If the fertilizer band were to get
wet too much fertilizer would be washed into the potting mix thus burning the roots.

I just want to touch on the potting mix for a minute. You Must use potting mix not potting soil. You can buy
any brand or make your own the formula is listed below. You can even use the brands that have fertilizer
already in them. The amount of fertilizer in them is so small that it does not matter. When filling the tub with
the potting mix make sure that you wet it well to start the wicking action (wet not Soaked). Fill the tub all the
way up to the rim of the tub and also enough so that you can form a mound in the middle. The reason for the
mound is so the when you put the mulch cover on and it rains the water will not pool on top of the mulch cover
but run down over the sides of the tub.

Formula for potting mix:

45% peat moss

45% compost
10% perlite
2 cups of hydrated Lime or dolomite
To build the container first take the 14 gallon tub and set it in the 18 gallon tub. Drill a small hole in the 14
gallon tub and using a dowel or other measuring device insert it into the hole (make sure it is sitting on the
bottom of the 18gallon tub). Mark the dowel where it enters the floor of the 14 gallon tub. This mark will be
slightly longer than what you need. Cut a piece of wood to this length and then sneak up on the mark by
removing very little at a time. A miter or chop saw works well here also a miter box and hand saw works also.
The 14 gallon tub needs to be resting on the side handles and the wood (2x4) in the lower tub equaly. Once you
have the correct length you can use this piece of wood as a size jig to cut the support pipes and the wicking
chamber pipe.

Cut 3 pieces of the 4 inch drain pipe using the jig for the length. Mark a line on the 18 gallon tub to mark where
the bottom of the 14 gallon tub sits in the larger tub.
Drill a ½ hole about 1/8 inch down from this line. This is the overflow hole.
Take the 14 gallon tub and center the 3 pipes on the bottom of the tub and trace the outline of the pipes. Drill
small holes large enough for the wire ties that you have. Drill the hole for the fill tube and the hole for the
wicking chamber. The wicking chamber hole needs to be slightly smaller then the inside diameter of the pipe
about 3 3/4.

Drill the holes for the aeration screen.

Drill the water access holes (1/4) in the support pipes and the wicking chamber pipe. The holes should be about
every inch or so. Also number the pipes and mark and drill the holes for the wire ties. Draw a line down the
side of the pipe and onto the tub bottom. This is done to insure that the Wire tie holes in the pipe line up with
the holes in the tub.
Attach the 3 pipes to the bottom of the 14 gallon tub using the wire ties and then trim the ties.
Place the smaller tub into the larger one. Insert the water fill tube and you are now ready to plant. You just need
to cut a mulch cover. Also take one of the tub covers and cut out the middle of it leaving only the rim. The rim
is used to hold the mulch cover down on top of the tub (see the last picture).