Raised Beds
- Thread starter Wannabe
- Start date
Richard,
I used 6' cedar fence pickets. I built the beds 3' wide so I could cut the picket in half and not have any waste. You can still reach to the middle with no trouble.
Bob
I used 6' cedar fence pickets. I built the beds 3' wide so I could cut the picket in half and not have any waste. You can still reach to the middle with no trouble.
Bob
Thanks, I should have asked this before, but it looks like there is about an inch or so gap between the bottom boards? If so do you lay a landscape fabric or hardware cloth in the bottom to keep the soil from sifting out?
Richard
Richard
The part about sitting on blocks has several good points , we have cutworms pretty bad at times here the concrete blocks stop them cold, fireants are also bad and with the pourous block a small amount of insecticide will soak in and stay a long time and it isnt in your growing soil.
After some of your responses I can see this may be another case of location sensitive, the ground where I live is black clay , rich as can be but turns to rock when it gets hot ,takes about five years of working in soil additives to start getting it mellow. This is Texas 105 in the summer and not much rain at times. This system stores water well and uses a whole lot less of it than trying to water the ground , plants go dormant above a 100 so with these raised beds I can move them under the trees in my back yard where it is from 5 to 15 degrees cooler.
There are a lot of advantages to this system for me , enough that this year my whole garden will be in boxes nothing in the ground.
Ron
You can have this garden on gravel rock concrete a patio ,well you get the ideal
After some of your responses I can see this may be another case of location sensitive, the ground where I live is black clay , rich as can be but turns to rock when it gets hot ,takes about five years of working in soil additives to start getting it mellow. This is Texas 105 in the summer and not much rain at times. This system stores water well and uses a whole lot less of it than trying to water the ground , plants go dormant above a 100 so with these raised beds I can move them under the trees in my back yard where it is from 5 to 15 degrees cooler.
There are a lot of advantages to this system for me , enough that this year my whole garden will be in boxes nothing in the ground.
Ron
You can have this garden on gravel rock concrete a patio ,well you get the ideal
Richard,.rhutchinson said:
Looks can be deceiving. When I was putting the bottom on I spaced the boards a washer width apart. The boards came from the lumber yard dry. Staying damp, they would expand and I didn't want the bottom to blow off. A washer isn't much but it's better than nothing. I don't think you could drown a plant in this soil mixture. Looks like excess water would drain right through but it's moisture holding ability is amazing.
Go agead and try it Richard. Ya know ya want to.
Bob
Speed Queen? Maytag? Sear? Wringer type or spin dry? Inquiring minds want to know.Wannabe said:
Could be that I'm not paying attention right, but-
-I see that the bottom slats are cedar. What are the sides? PT pine?
-Would cypress fence pickets be better if you could get them?
-What about the soil mixture? It gets mentioned several times, but I never saw a recipe.
George
-I see that the bottom slats are cedar. What are the sides? PT pine?
-Would cypress fence pickets be better if you could get them?
-What about the soil mixture? It gets mentioned several times, but I never saw a recipe.
George
The side boards are not PT. Straight pine. Most folk use plywood for the bottom. I figured cedar would not rot as fast. The mixture is Equal amounts of peat,vermiculite, and compost well mixed. Some people say that if you stick a hoe handle in it the hoe hankle will sprout branches.
Bob
Bob
Yeah, I've had good luck with raised beds as well. Now I have raised beds and mounded beds for my corn, beans and squash. I'd like to add some keyhole gardens, herbal spirals and a small orchard with fertilizing trees, and fruit and nut trees.
Yeah, it's insane how much water these things can hold. You wouldn't believe it. It'll look dry as a bone on the surface, but scratch underneath a bit, and there's plenty moisture!
I'm trying to develop a self-fertilizing raised bed as pictured here with a worm bin directly buried into the bed itself. That's free fertilizer, soil conditioner and fish bait, three for one!
In fact I started a gardening podcast: GreenhornGardening.com.
Yeah, it's insane how much water these things can hold. You wouldn't believe it. It'll look dry as a bone on the surface, but scratch underneath a bit, and there's plenty moisture!
I'm trying to develop a self-fertilizing raised bed as pictured here with a worm bin directly buried into the bed itself. That's free fertilizer, soil conditioner and fish bait, three for one!
In fact I started a gardening podcast: GreenhornGardening.com.
Bob, I hope you're not using zucchini as a selling point for raised beds! Those weeds would grow in a crack in your driveway.
Bob
What is your take on the raised beds so far?
Pay no attention to Jack , you have to remember he doesnt understand TX weather and he drinks scotch :cry: poor boy.
Ron
What is your take on the raised beds so far?
Pay no attention to Jack , you have to remember he doesnt understand TX weather and he drinks scotch :cry: poor boy.
Ron
Ron,
I am inpmessed with them so far. I will probably be building more.
Don't be getting onto Jack about drinking Scotch. I drank some Scotch onetime mixed with grapejuice and it wern't bad at all.
Bob
I am inpmessed with them so far. I will probably be building more.
Don't be getting onto Jack about drinking Scotch. I drank some Scotch onetime mixed with grapejuice and it wern't bad at all.
Bob
:lol: :lol: :lol:
I did a lot of thinks when I was younger that wasnt bad but I wouldnt want to do them again. :shock:
Ron
I did a lot of thinks when I was younger that wasnt bad but I wouldnt want to do them again. :shock:
Ron
Scotch mixed w/grape juice would be ghastly. I'm glad you're enjoying your raised bed gardenettes, Bob.
This was new to me, but I suppose Lewis and Clark did it in 1804.........some folks here are gardening in STRAW BALES. lots of info online. Basically, you lay a tied bale on the ground, with the stalk-ends up......water the heck out of it, wait ten days till it cools off and split a hole in it to plant your veggies. some folks use some topsoil hammered in on top, some use fertilizer or compost tea...a bale will last two seasons. worth looking in to. piper
