Raised beds, garden 2013-2014

[Jenny-the-Bear (grr)]

Here's a small raised bed, I planted snap peas and a couple of tomatoes in it this year.
I previously posted these over on another forum, so folks that may be on both, please pardon the repetition.



A bigger raised bed with a bean trellis on the end, and a pop-up frame to extend the trellis.



Winter squash in a tub, with pallet trellis.

http://homesteadforum.org/forum/downloa ... php?id=439

Left to right, cucumbers, peppers, summer squash.



Window-shade beans.



Better angle on the 2 big raised beds.

[matt walker]

Very nice Jenny, lots of food in that little space. How did you like the roofing as side boards? I assume you used those so you could hold the soil in and quickly build up height, as opposed to the labor of the concrete blocks. It seems like a nice solution, I'd love to hear how it's working for you. Are the edges a problem when you are reaching in there?

[Jenny-the-Bear (grr)]

The roofing metal works a lot better than the cinderblock. It hold the moisture much better, and they last a very long time. And, as you say, they're quick to build. The smaller of the 2 metal sided ones, the one with the PVC pipe frame, has been in use for over 12 years, and it's hanging in there just fine. The larger one, Del sank 3" PVC pipe at the corners, and put another in for support about every 4 feet. No bottom or top rail at all. I do like the smaller one with the top rail better, I snag my clothes on rough spots on the longer bed. The could be easily dealt with, I just have to get out there and put something over the top edge. That would give me something to lean on, too.

The only other thing I'd do differently, next time, is paint the metal first, inside and out, with rust-stop paint, and some kind of durable sealer on the interior side, and a coat or two of exterior spray enamel in a nice color. Partly just because it would be more attractive, and partly to increase the lifespan of the metal.

They're good for growing a lot in less space, with the bonus of only having to weed for the first part of the season, until the plants get big enough to out-do the weeds. Much easier to tend than growing in-ground. I can mow around the beds, and use the weed-eater up close. Beats the heck out of weeding with a hoe all summer long. Less water usage, too, because It's not running off between the rows, like ground crops.

Except for the cinderblock bed. It dries out a lot faster than the others. I might be moving to a different location sometime in the next 2 or 3 years, or I'd take that one apart and replace it with another metal one.

[Jenny-the-Bear (grr)]

The PVC frame over the small bed is handy. I marked in the photo where I attached welded wire panels with zip ties to create trellises for the snap peas. I only marked a couple because they're so hard to see in the photo, but there are 6 or more per trellis panel.



One of the other handy things is attaching wire barriers with jumbo binder clips, available at any office supply, and places like Walmart and K-mart. The binder clips can be used to attach plastic if you want to use it as a small greenhouse.

If this works right this time, there should be 2 red arrows for zip ties, and one for a binder clip.

[Jenny-the-Bear (grr)]

It didn't work right, I'll have to mess with it later.