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Post by desertwoman on Apr 21, 2019 8:29:45 GMT -5
Mine are spaced so the push mower just fits between them good planning! I would like to encourage anybody building and placing new raised beds to consider the traffic pattern around the beds. A gardener may think he is only going to be using those beds for a few years, but life changes, mobility changes. Plan ahead and consider how life might be in 10 or 20 years. I wish I had read this 10 years ago! When we moved here we had a large pile of good soil that had been dug up for a new septic system that was going in. It had to be moved so I had the bobcat driver move it to an area where I planned the garden- up against the coyote fence. Now I had a huge bed of soil- raised- and something I had never had before. So hubby and bro-in-law built one large frame around the pile of soil and it became a 10'x18' raised bed, which I have divided into 4 sections with stepping stones between the sections. Essentially it is like gardening in ground. I posted this pic in the first post of this thread, but will repeat here
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Post by binnylou on May 25, 2019 10:28:29 GMT -5
With all this rain, I’m lovin’ these raised beds. I could plant in the rain, if I could get somebody to hold my umbrella ☔️.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on May 25, 2019 13:00:11 GMT -5
binnylou , could you drape a large tarp or clear plastic from stakes at the ends of the bed (if you use stakes)? My father had a tarp contraption he attached to his garage; he'd unroll it when he wanted to work in front of the garage, or sit down to rest. I don't recall what kind of stakes or support he used for the unrolled end though.
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Post by binnylou on May 26, 2019 20:03:34 GMT -5
SpringRain🕊️ , our garden area catches so much wind/breeze, the tarp would be at the neighbors house. I just have to plant between the raindrops.
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Post by binnylou on Jun 17, 2019 16:18:53 GMT -5
jasper6...this is the thread you might find interesting.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Jun 17, 2019 17:11:23 GMT -5
Reading through jasper6's thread, I was reminded that there's a pile of sheet steel that Dad has and that I need to dispose of. I'm not experienced in metal work, and don't know how to cut it, but began wondering if I could use it for a raised bed outline, then grow ivy or morning glories over it to cover it and make it more attractive. organicgroup.freeforums.net/thread/4143/raised-beds-liner
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Post by binnylou on Aug 25, 2019 12:14:08 GMT -5
Update on the raised beds. Since the three new raised beds were placed to receive mid day shade from an old oak tree, the east bed receives morning and late afternoon sun. It is the perfect amount for growing the lettuces...until they bolted from early high temperatures.
The west bed gets shade until late in the afternoon. I planted kale, celery and collards in that bed. In the past, I grew celery in full sun and it was a struggle to keep enough moisture available for it. The celery looks so much better this year. I think it likes this shaded hugelkulture bed. And the kale does too.
Peas were suggested for these shaded beds. I’ve been growing my peas on a trellis in full sun. Yield was poor...just a couple of meals. I had decided that I was going to give up on the pea growing, but after reading through this thread, I think I’ll be moving my trellis to a shaded bed and trying peas again. And, there is the thought that perhaps I’m expecting too much out of a four foot row of peas.
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Post by James on Aug 25, 2019 15:11:45 GMT -5
Ya, a four foot row of peas won't give you much. Want some peas? Plant 3 rows spaced 12 inches apart and 20 feet long. No trellis nor support needed. Wando or Victorio Freezer are good varieties here. Enjoy!
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Post by binnylou on Aug 25, 2019 15:30:47 GMT -5
James, can’t plant a 20 foot row in an 8 foot bed.😎
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Post by gardendmpls on Aug 25, 2019 21:55:30 GMT -5
Binnylou: 7.5-8' rows- how wide is that bed?
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Post by binnylou on Aug 25, 2019 21:57:16 GMT -5
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Post by gardendmpls on Aug 25, 2019 22:20:28 GMT -5
Just foolin. If it's a raised bed and not trellised, I don't see why you can't scatter the seed out and let them tangle together. Gianna had something about peas in a bed in the peas 2019 thread.
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Post by binnylou on Aug 25, 2019 22:32:26 GMT -5
gardendmpls, trellising is so much easier with this back of mine.
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Post by James on Aug 25, 2019 23:40:57 GMT -5
You do the best you can with what you have to work with. Have fun!
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Post by pepperhead212 on Sept 2, 2019 18:13:53 GMT -5
My raised bed is in now! Got it in! That was the easy part... by pepperhead212, on Flickr A friend came over and helped me move the sides, as well as putting it together. Later, I began collecting junk wood from the alley, behind my house (I knew that those people wouldn't complain about me cleaning those things out!). The storm came through, and gave me an excuse to stop - I didn't need much of an excuse - I was totally soaked, before the rain! This is a bunch of the stuff I began putting in, after a layer of hardware cloth, to start my version of Hügelkultur. A lot of those logs and limbs I collected were already considerably decomposed. This is the harder part. Got a lot of filling in for the Hügelkultur, but I had to stop, due to a storm. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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