When you have an accident and end up in hospital, the last thing that you tend to think about is watering your garden. This happened to Ian Collins, one of our founders when he was holidaying in Victoria last September. As well as being one of the driest months ever recorded in NSW, September was also the month before WaterUps was due to launch into the Australian market.
“I was stuck in a hospital bed with some pretty serious injuries for quite some time” explains Ian. “It’s fair to say I wasn’t really thinking too much about my garden at the time but, I must admit, once I was allowed home, to see that my planters and garden were still lush and green, despite not having been watered for almost a month, really highlighted how effective our watering solution is.”
Ian’s home was one of a number of test sites for garden beds and veggie patches.
Using the age-old process of ‘water wicking’, WaterUps cells form a false base under veggie beds, planter tubs, raised garden beds or similar to allow the creation of a water reservoir that allows for more efficient and effective irrigation than above ground methods. Easy to install and maintain, the wicking beds significantly reduce water waste from wind or evaporation and as the plants or crops only take the water they need it’s incredibly effective in reducing the water needed to keep plants healthy. As Ian’s experience shows, even during the driest periods some beds only need to be watered once a month which reduces the time need to maintain your plants but also means never having to worry if you forget to water after a long day or if you’re heading away from home for a few days or even longer.
We are proud to say, as well as the home and terrace garden and veggie patches, the product has received interest from the agriculture sector, community gardens, landscape gardeners and architects, green roofs and local councils. We are also planning to offer a range of raised garden wicking bed kits in the coming months, in a range of sizes to make it even easier to grow your own veggies!