Jacquelita and I put up a garden

Undertoad · 04-11-2005, 03:39 PM

I always said I might rip up a corner of the yard and put in a row of tomatoes and corn, and when J suggested we could make it a project, this is finally the year. What we have constructed is two raised beds, 8 foot by 3 foot. The yard in this area is marshy a lot, so I figured raised bed was the only way to go. We used treated lumber so that it wouldn't rot. It would appear that the "bad" treated lumber, which killed every single child of every single deck owner, and which would poison you instantly if used to grow things, is now reformulated. Phew!

Only the first bed has soil so far. Here you can see the simple-but-effective bolt-into-post method of securing everything. None of this stuff is going anywhere.

Implements of destruction

There are three rows of carrots set in already. Not pictured is 72 seeds in 72 little peat pots that are germinating. These are tomatoes and squash. In two weeks frost period will be over and the rest goes in, peas, beans, corn.

The crazy thing is that if it's messed up somehow, if mistakes are made, one can only wait another year and try again. What a learning experience.

Katkeeper · 04-11-2005, 04:14 PM

Tell the Bean story. That's Bean with a capital B.

Elspode · 04-11-2005, 04:18 PM

Judging by what appears to be vermiculite particles, you purchased a metric buttload of potting soil...

Undertoad · 04-11-2005, 04:28 PM

That's right. It may be a miscalculation, but by the bale, it seems to be as cheap as getting a delivery of the best soil from the local garden place or renting a truck. At lower levels it mixes with the local soil...

Undertoad · 04-11-2005, 04:29 PM

The bean story is that the Beaner, the dog, couldn't help but dive right in. He's fearless, is that dog... fearless and not really all that bright...

Troubleshooter · 04-11-2005, 04:42 PM

How do we know that you aren't snipping this from a magazine or something?

FloridaDragon · 04-11-2005, 06:13 PM

We did almost exactly the same thing...except we went a little higher since the soil underneath was mostly rock and we also got our soil as composted leaves from the Manchester landfill....5 bucks a trailer load! Darkest soil I have ever seen.

Undertoad · 04-11-2005, 06:29 PM

FD, you work to "closer tolerances" than we do.

BigV · 04-11-2005, 06:36 PM

As if beans and dirt and carrots care.

Billy · 04-11-2005, 09:18 PM

It is very nice to enjoy the gardening process.

FloridaDragon · 04-11-2005, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

FD, you work to "closer tolerances" than we do.

Nah...just good lumber in this case...was very straight and it was kinda easy to get it looking like we knew what we were doing... we planted corn, carrots and green peppers the first year... I overseeded the carrots so they were so crowded they barely produced, the corn was allowed to grow to almost maturity before the deer yanked them out of the ground over the fence and ate them ... and the green peppers just didn't do that well ... oh well...it was fun anyway.

xoxoxoBruce · 04-11-2005, 11:15 PM

If you've ever noticed...well, even if you haven't....corn doesn't grow as tall along the edge of a plot/field. The tops seem to be pretty uniform height until you get to the last few rows at the edge.
Corn doesn't seem to do as well when there are only a row or two. You'll only get 1 or 2 ears per stalk and with a raised bed it'll need watering even when the ground in wet under the bed.
I'd give up the corn for things that will give you more bang for the buck, more eating per square foot.

melidasaur · 04-12-2005, 12:35 AM

I just bought a house - well, almost bought it, and I guess there was a garage and now it's just a pile of dirt, so I'm intrigued by these garden boxes. You just build the box and fill it with dirt? Did you have plans on how to make these or did you just do it?

I really like them and I want to grow stuff - especially since i don't have a job to look forward to after graduation.

Any guidance is much appreciated

.

warch · 04-12-2005, 11:18 AM

Start your compost pile(s) if you havent already!
The allotment that I rented last year has gone total community(8 gardners) , so we are planning together the whole site. What I'm looking forward to is learning about rotation and interplanting. I can make it attractive, but I want it to produce as well! Here's last year's dining room project done. 10 x 10 patch of brick pavers in the sunken spot. My favorite coffe spot. Now the baby trees just need to get big!

Elspode · 04-12-2005, 04:42 PM

!!!

Damn, that is *nice*. I am so incredibly envious. Not of the work, just the result.

Beautiful, Warch. Nice garden as well.

04-11-2005, 03:39 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Jacquelita and I put up a garden I always said I might rip up a corner of the yard and put in a row of tomatoes and corn, and when J suggested we could make it a project, this is finally the year. What we have constructed is two raised beds, 8 foot by 3 foot. The yard in this area is marshy a lot, so I figured raised bed was the only way to go. We used treated lumber so that it wouldn't rot. It would appear that the "bad" treated lumber, which killed every single child of every single deck owner, and which would poison you instantly if used to grow things, is now reformulated. Phew! Only the first bed has soil so far. Here you can see the simple-but-effective bolt-into-post method of securing everything. None of this stuff is going anywhere. Implements of destruction There are three rows of carrots set in already. Not pictured is 72 seeds in 72 little peat pots that are germinating. These are tomatoes and squash. In two weeks frost period will be over and the rest goes in, peas, beans, corn. The crazy thing is that if it's messed up somehow, if mistakes are made, one can only wait another year and try again. What a learning experience.

04-11-2005, 04:18 PM	#3
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Judging by what appears to be vermiculite particles, you purchased a metric buttload of potting soil... __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

04-11-2005, 04:42 PM	#6
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	How do we know that you aren't snipping this from a magazine or something? __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

04-11-2005, 06:13 PM	#7
FloridaDragon ... Maintaining .... Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: FireAnt Hell Posts: 196	We did almost exactly the same thing...except we went a little higher since the soil underneath was mostly rock and we also got our soil as composted leaves from the Manchester landfill....5 bucks a trailer load! Darkest soil I have ever seen. Attached Images

04-11-2005, 06:36 PM	#9
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	As if beans and dirt and carrots care. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

04-11-2005, 04:14 PM	#2
Katkeeper Hoodoo Guru Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg PA Posts: 296	Tell the Bean story. That's Bean with a capital B.

04-11-2005, 04:28 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	That's right. It may be a miscalculation, but by the bale, it seems to be as cheap as getting a delivery of the best soil from the local garden place or renting a truck. At lower levels it mixes with the local soil...

04-11-2005, 04:29 PM	#5
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	The bean story is that the Beaner, the dog, couldn't help but dive right in. He's fearless, is that dog... fearless and not really all that bright...

04-11-2005, 06:29 PM	#8
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	FD, you work to "closer tolerances" than we do.

04-11-2005, 09:18 PM	#10
Billy Professor Join Date: May 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 1,462	It is very nice to enjoy the gardening process.

04-11-2005, 11:15 PM	#12
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	If you've ever noticed...well, even if you haven't....corn doesn't grow as tall along the edge of a plot/field. The tops seem to be pretty uniform height until you get to the last few rows at the edge. Corn doesn't seem to do as well when there are only a row or two. You'll only get 1 or 2 ears per stalk and with a raised bed it'll need watering even when the ground in wet under the bed. I'd give up the corn for things that will give you more bang for the buck, more eating per square foot. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

04-12-2005, 12:35 AM	#13
melidasaur Traded your soul for pogs. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Champaign, IL Posts: 646	I just bought a house - well, almost bought it, and I guess there was a garage and now it's just a pile of dirt, so I'm intrigued by these garden boxes. You just build the box and fill it with dirt? Did you have plans on how to make these or did you just do it? I really like them and I want to grow stuff - especially since i don't have a job to look forward to after graduation. Any guidance is much appreciated . __________________ I love England, what can I say?

04-12-2005, 11:18 AM	#14
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Start your compost pile(s) if you havent already! The allotment that I rented last year has gone total community(8 gardners) , so we are planning together the whole site. What I'm looking forward to is learning about rotation and interplanting. I can make it attractive, but I want it to produce as well! Here's last year's dining room project done. 10 x 10 patch of brick pavers in the sunken spot. My favorite coffe spot. Now the baby trees just need to get big! Last edited by warch; 08-31-2007 at 11:55 AM.

04-12-2005, 04:42 PM	#15
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	!!! Damn, that is nice. I am so incredibly envious. Not of the work, just the result. Beautiful, Warch. Nice garden as well. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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