I've experimented with global buckets, the rain gutter system, and Grow Boxes. I've been successful with all three methods. Go on You Tube, and you can learn all about them. A good DIY sub-irrigated container is the Earth container, I think it's called. It's been a while since I reviewed it so I don't remember the name. My favorite is the rain gutter so far, because it's set up to be self-watering and sub-irrigated. No need to fill the reservoir because it's kept continually full. Mine worked very well. I only built one last year to try it, this year I plan to build 5 or 6. I also have square-foot beds, irrigated by my lawn sprinklers. Both ways work, but I like the sub-irrigation the most because of it's versatility. Hope this helps.

I'm in the exact same boat tedeboy! Very interested in doing the family handyman one. But my question is when you place the big o pipe in at the bottom and fill it up, the water will just bleed out in short order obviously. So now aren't you essentially just filling the bottom four or so inches of the planter box up with water until it comes out the drain pipe? In don't really see how the perforated pipe and sleeve is needed. Its not like it will hold water inside there... No?

I think what you're describing is the opening which will make it so that the entire planter doesn't fill up with water (overflow). With those 4 inches of water which does not leak out, it should then be wicked up to the top of the planter, making the entire pot to be a moist environment. In short, the plant's roots arenever at a dry state, and never at a soggy state -- just a kind of moist environment that seems to be conducive to constant growing and growing big, even in the middle of summer.

For sure. That all makes sense. I guess what I'm saying is why put the big O pipe in in the first place? What's different between this system and just making a drain hole at four inches in height and filling the planter with water from a hose until it leaks out?

This is my first post on this forum, but I think I have the answer for jersey96. I made a SIP planter this year that is 8'X3'. in the bottom is 50' of 4' perforated drain pipe snaked around and then covered with sand. The pipe is there to provide a void in the sand to hold more water. At 50'X4" that is ~32.6 gallons. Without that void, provided by the pipe, the water holding capacity would be much less. So far I have only needed to top off the water level once a week. It has not run dry by a long shot. I'm in zone 9 (So Cal) and it has not gotten too hot yet, so this summer will tell if this will work as I hope it will. My vegetables are really doing better than I could have hoped (sort of a modified sq ft method)

Hope this helps

Marc