hey jsn,

I am not sure why your planning on using self watering pots or boxes, but you might want to consider just planting directly in the ground and apply mulch around them. Ir takes a bit more work to get started (digging the hole, removing, roots, adding admentments, etc.) However it needs less tending once they get going. If you can't get into visit the pots for a few days, and they go dry, you will likely lose everything. Not so in the ground.

good luck