Re: Raised Garden Beds
Well,..........About 12 or so years ago,.. I decided to return to My Roots(Ayuh,Pun Intended).......<br /><br />Both My Grand Dads were Exceptional Gardeners.......<br /><br />I also like the Raised Bed Idea....<br /><br />That spring there were some Granite Curbing laying around a jobsite, with No Home to be put in.......
<br />So,...... I had the Boy's bring over the equipment trailer,+ We Loaded it Up......<br /><br />I STARTED with a nice little 5'X 35' Box, Just Stood the Granite on Edge(bout 15"),+ Dropped in a couple of Dumptruck Loads of Nice Top Dirt from a customers driveway dig-out... Nice Stuff.....<br /><br /><br />That was Fine,... For the 1st Year.......<br /><br />The following spring, We did a job where there was a bunch of RR ties,.... Ayuh,... I've got a place to Throw those Away.......Found a couple of driveway jobs where the "Waste" was the most Beautiful Top Dirt you've ever run your fingers thru,...... That year it Tripled to 15'X 35'....... Granite across the face,+ RR ties along the bottom of the Fence..........<br /><br />What More Could I Ask For......... <br />I Tried Corn that year..... a Total Waste of Garden Space,.... Takes Too Much ,+ You can Buy it, Roadside from a Farmer $1.50@doz............<br /><br />But,................. I decided to Double it Again.............15"X 75'............<br />I Removed the previous Inside Wall of the Original Garden(I used this as a plot divider up til now),.... which was the Granite,+ put it in-line with the wall running parallel with the fence...... Added more RR ties to box it out along the fence,+ across the back-end........ More Spoils from More driveway digouts.......<br /><br />That's the footage We've got Now,.... Notice, it's been I, till 2 seasons ago now........<br /><br />Somewhere along the way I Discovered Plastic Mulch............... Great Idea,... I HATE Weeding,.... And, It Warms the soil,+ retains water.........<br /><br />Being Bondo,.... I Knew I could Do Better.............
<br /><br />At Work, We use this Stuff, Mariphied(sp) Paper,... Plastic Burlap,.... SUPER Strong.....<br />It Stops the Mud, or Clay from pumping up into your Stone.... Makes a Good Bridge across Soft Ground.........<br />Dig a hole, 1', 2', Whatever,.. Lay this stuff down,+ backfill with stone......... <br />You've got a Road across a Swamp,.. No Problem.............<br /><br />Weelllll,...... I Figured it Just Might be able to Stop a Weed,.. Maybe........<br />I was Right......<br />Most years I leave it on over winter,.. To Warm the ground sooner in the spring.......Pull it off,.. Rototill it,+ Drag it back on,.... I cut holes in it to plant through,.. Crop Rotation took on a whole New meaning,.... Just turn the tarp around,+ the hole were/are different......<br />BTW, It's a 1 piece,..12'X 75'... Not to heavy,.. slides easy....Ya Need alot of boards or bars, or rocks, or whatever On it to hold it down in the wind,.... Till the plantings are about a foot high.....<br />Weeding is a chore, only till the plant blocks the sun on the edge of whatever hole in the tarp you're working on.......Mid-June usually,.. With a May planting......<br /><br />When Deb came along,.. She Didn't Like That PLASTIC in HER Garden.......................
<br />I convinced her the 1st year to Just Try It..........<br />The 2nd year it was a Very Easy Sell, when I offered a New piece of paper,.... So She could put Her holes where She wanted...........<br />Ayuh,..... Another Plastic Mulch Convert..............
<br /><br />Now I gotta finish those danm Super-Duty Tomato Trelises,.. 1/2" Rebar.... Heavy Duty,...... To go with the Tomato Cages thrown together with 5/8ths" Rebar...........<br /><br />Good Luck with Your Little Garden..............
