23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Thank you both for the responses.

McKenzie, that was a good suggestion about the metal straps instead of the 4"x4" corner posts. I'll look into that.

My climate is pretty hot and dry in the summer so some shade is actually welcome. And yes the north fence gets a lot of sun, even in winter. I'm planning to adapt the beds with hog panels to create some type of cold frame so I can grow greens along the north fence in the cooler months. For the west fence, which gets the afternoon shade, I was thinking blueberries.... I still haven't given up on growing blueberries lol! My current garden is in the northwest corner so it gets some shade and in comparing notes with my neighbor, who has his garden on the opposite side of the yard, we notice that he grows the best melons and peppers and I have better luck with tomatoes, greens, etc. I was hoping by having beds all along the perimeter that it would give me options so I could try to plant different crop where they would do best (though I also want to rotate crops so that gets a bit more challenging!) I am originally from Canada where pretty much everything I learned about gardening had to go out the window and I had to learn to garden all over again in this new climate.

Seysonn, thank you for the good advice you provided also. Sounds like you have about the amount of gardening space I'm hoping to end up with, 200 square feet or so. (The perimeter beds would give me about 170 square feet, and adding the two 4'x8' beds would provide about another 100 square feet.) I would love to see a picture of your garden if you don't mind sharing.

You are welcome, canokie.

I am still making few more beds.
I will take a few pictures tomorrow. We have a relatively small backyard. So I have narrow walkways just wide enough to walk ( No lawnmower etc.)

Thanks tishtoshmn, I'd rather make our own then buy a kit, too.

Seysonn, I haven't figured out what I'm doing for supports or cold frame covers. It's not that I know something that pvc in the bed is going to be detrimental, I don't. I just have lived long enough to have thought a lot of things were safe, until 20 years later, when they figure out it's not. So instead of figuring out what is safe and what isn't,, I just try to stick with natural materials as much as possible.

PM,
You can make them from wood too. PVC is just so simple and economical.

For cold frame top, I have used, plexi glass, clear plastic and some corrugated clear plastic ( called tuff(something)) You can also use common window glass. Then it can break easily.. Plexi glass is the best option but it costs more.

BTW: I make the top of my cold frame flat (not bowed). I think both cold frame and the hoop covers are dandy. Once you have them you cannot live without them. They are the next best thing to greenhouse.

Do I need to wait till my seedlings have their second set of leaves before I set outside?

Do I need to wait till my seedlings have their second set of leaves before I set outside?

I like the asparagus plants in a separate bed as well. The roots are not disturbed and it is easier to care for it's needs - IMO. This photo was taken when the plants were only one year old - we did not harvest the asparagus that year.

I have mine along edges of gardens.

If you see the little coiling tendrils, they are what the vine uses to support itself on a trellis. Cucumbers are straighter on a trellis, and not prone to problems from contact with the ground.

Thanks Guys

This question has been asked many times, so you are far from being alone. Just be cautious if those plants resprout as they are so likely to do. Then you can be affected the old fashioned way....by physical contact.

rhizo_1 I am always on the lookout for these lovely plants. Have had bad experience with them before. When I get the chance, I plan to pull up as many roots as I can. Thanks for the advice.

Zeedman, i found this one at the far right corner, it's the only one that fully open. And if u can see that branch made it way to my neighbor side. It's so hard keeping them on my side some have gone thru the fence.

Terry

If I understand the way it growing, the flowers are coming on the sides of each branch. Can't wait to see how much fruit it will give me. Thanks to all who reply.

Terry

I dated a girl as far back as `89 that worked for a newspaper company and was curious as to the ink that they used then. She asked a guy that ran the printing department about what the ink was made from, and from what he told her, it was all soy based.

I wouldn`t have any problems shredding paper and mulching it nowadays. I shred anything junk that shows up in the mail. Color or not, no worries here. Just my opinion on this.

I'm a printer by trade and all most all printing inks are soy based even color inks. I personally think glossy paper is fine to use, it's all the same ink. It's metallic inks and special inks like laser safe or inks for printing on vinyl label stock that I would worry about. But we're not mulching our gardens with anything printed with those inks as long as your using news print. I've done it and it works great for weed control. I usually put straw on top and it keeps it from blowing away. But now it just use the straw and skip the newspaper. You can till it all under when done.

Starting to build today. :)

I would love to see some follow-up pics when you get those beds put together, if you don't mind sharing. I am working on a design for raised beds in my back yard too, though unfortunately I don't have nearly as big of a back yard.