Raised wicking beds

Not sure if I am doing something wrong, but the link just takes me to the flickr home page.

Have just had a look. The link works well for me.

They look great. I presume the liner stops soil dropping through into the water, but what's it made of? If the liner sits on top of the denim wicks, does it still get enough water to keep the soil moist? Or have you fed the wicks through the liner as well?

Lots of questions... I'm dead impressed and could easily use something similar. So thanks for the idea.

Hi Snoop, hers No 2, the chicken wire is to stop the cats etc https://www.flickr.com/photos/96658643@N00/17002090585/in/photostream/
the trough underneath is made from a strong plastic from a builder friend, Dave

Hi Snoop, I was going to show you another close up pic but It has never stopped raining here, on the inside of the bottom rail is a length of wood about 2x1inch and on the rail are lengths of pallet wood, like a modern bed which holds the plastic liner, I have roughly stapled mine in place but I don't think it matters too much as the weight of the water will hold it in position, on the right hand side of the bed is a piece of wood which when removed allows me to top up the system and stops midge lava etc from contaminating the water, cheers Dave

Hi Dave,
I'm afraid they're still on the drawing board. The rain here has been phenomenal and my vegetable patch has been under water now for the last four weeks, with no sign of it draining any time soon. So I won't be growing much this year. I will think about them again for next year, though, as it's a great idea for keeping seedlings moist, something I find very difficult usually. Hope yours have proved a success.

Good idea, except... the rainfall in our valley was 350 litres (35 cm) per square metre over four days. So, shelters like you suggest wouldn't do much good really because most of the flooding that has occurred is due to rain that fell higher up the valley and the valley sides that is still filtering through the system. I'm hoping my main patch will be suitable for winter brassicas and the like planted out in late July-August time. But I'm not going to start any seeds off just in case. Instead, I'll buy plants in nearer the time.

I've got a smaller patch that's pretty well taken up with potatoes, but there is a bit of room left for toms and the like. But at this stage I'll buy most of those in too in a week or so. If I'm really lucky, a bed or two in my main patch might dry out enough for squash and melons as well, but I'll sow those in situ if it happens.

There's always next year!