tf, Google 'olla gardening', the concept you have posted is simply a giant olla. Better put a lid on that bucket or you will lose more to evaporation than you'll get down to the plants.

It's a great idea, I've been using olla's for a while and like the way it works. The trouble, at least for me, with a 5-gallon bucket is the amount of space it would take in the garden.

My olla's are either: unglazed clay 'wine coolers', often found at Goodwill or Savers for cheap or, as in the ones in this picture, two large clay pots, silicon gel'd together with a cork in the bottom pot. Voila! olla.......

This post was edited by marymcp on Mon, Mar 25, 13 at 10:52

Too big for your yard? Good grief, you have a *huge* yard! Yep, I've known about the olla watering system for a long time; have a lot of 'em I got at the same places you got yours. The difference in the large bucket/trash can method is that there's compost in the bottom so the water wicks slowly through and carries 'fertilizer' with it. I do agree about the evap issue, though; right now it's dry enough to set the air on fire. :(

I don't think I said my yard was too small, I said it would take too much space in the garden. My raised beds are 4'x6' and a bucket that size is too large for the garden bed. That's all. It's not a bad idea, I was simply trying to spread the word on olla's because I like the concept.