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Sat, Mar 5, 11 at 12:04
| [I also posted this in the Vegetable forum] Someone posted a brilliant composter thing, that I have modified into an above ground growing thing for small spaces. I modified the design of the composter thus: Chicken wire 2' diameter cage/column wrapped in landscape cloth (it breathes). Set in corner of garden or flower patch. Throw compostable materials in. When full, abandon and start another. When the compost is 'ready' lift the cage/column. Shovel out the compost on to the garden. Re-set the cage/column and start it over. I read on a blog where the blogger makes a chicken wire cage/column, lines it with cardboard from old boxes, cuts holes in the cage/column and plants in the holes, as one would plant in a "strawberry jar". The blogger puts a 4" diameter pvc pipe in the center--with holes drilled--filled with pebbles and sand. Why not make a smaller diameter chicken wire column/cage, say 10", wrap with landscape cloth which breathes, eliminating the need for the pipe, pebbles, the hole-drilling, etc? It would topple easily, so it would need a pole down the middle to hold it up, or tie it to something. I made one this morning and am going to plant eggplants in the lower holes, Strawberries in the top and something mid-sized in between, trying to decide on that, but have some shoveling to do to fill the thing with enough soil before my husband gets back from town with the eggplant plants. I have lots of chicken wire, and a roll of landscape fabric, and it is like Christmas morning here. I cut the last of my mustard greens, as they are bolting to seed, and going to make cornbread and greens for lunch. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by sunnyside1 z6/SW Mo. (My Page) on Mon, Mar 7, 11 at 9:02
| Interesting idea. Hope you'll send a photo of it when plants are actively growing in it -- good luck with this. Sunny |
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| I'd love to see a picture during construction & after! |
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| I've seen someone do sort of the same thing with pvc pipe and impatiens planted in the holes. Eventually it was covered with impatiens. An Impatien Stick standing in the yard is not attractive to me, but the person who did it loved it. I've also once seen a pair of wire fences run side by side with a gap between them of about a foot. The gardener filled the space between the fences with compost and planted the following year. They planted that with something---maybe tomatoes---which formed a solid wall. |
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| Photos good. I have heard of using plastic 5,*30*,55* gallon drums as strawberry tower also. You cut a slot in the side of the drum 2" or so. You then heat 180 degree under the slot, use a pair of pliers to pull/ stretch the plastic into a pocket, for the plant. Also have seen photos(can not find it, now or would leave link) of 4-6 inch PVC pipe with hole sawed in them, with a hole saw. The pipe is vertical so that it looks like a tower. These are filled with the soil/compost of your liking. Please post the photos, your Ideal is sound. Thanks for sharing. * These are recycled from food grade containers, be careful what you use to hold plants for food. |
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