First, apologies if I'm in the wrong forum, but this one seemed the best fit. I've been up all night looking at videos of self-watering beds and containers and all them, save one, talked about filling the beds/containers with potting soil. The exception simply mentioned dirt. I have one fairly good sized lasagna hastily put together after in the spring after moving into a new house. I like the lasagna method, have lots of rich soil, worms, and a very warm bed, that stays moist, but, the chicken wire and stakes meant to hold it together are failing. I'm not ultra-anal, but I'd like a neater look. I intend to use pallets to create a series of 4x4 beds, filled with chipped leaves, spoiled hay and free compost, plus whatever I can salvage as I slowly dismantle the lasagna bed already started.

Here's my question. Will the medium mentioned above (chipped leaves, spoiled straw and compost) be as effective at wicking up from a reservoir built under the 4x4 bed as the potting soil? What kind of headaches am I likely to encounter if I don't fill the beds with potting soil? Thanks for your feedback.