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Message
which way to orient garden beds?
Posted on 5/19/23 at 6:40 pm
Posted on 5/19/23 at 6:40 pm
hopefully this isn’t a stupid question but here goes...
I building 3 8x24 raised garden beds in an open sunny spot. Which way should I orient them relative to sunrise/sunset? My guess is orient short sides facing East/west?
I building 3 8x24 raised garden beds in an open sunny spot. Which way should I orient them relative to sunrise/sunset? My guess is orient short sides facing East/west?
Posted on 5/19/23 at 7:31 pm to cgrand
How close together will they be? If the beds are far apart it probably won’t matter as much. If they’re pretty close together I’d run them longways east to west. That way you won’t have taller plants shading shorter plants at certain times of the day.
Posted on 5/19/23 at 9:36 pm to PillageUrVillage
thx that’s what I thought
6’ apart or so is what I was thinking
6’ apart or so is what I was thinking
Posted on 5/20/23 at 5:10 am to cgrand
Shadows are short in the growing season.
I don't think orientation of properly spaced short and tall is going to make too much difference
I don't think orientation of properly spaced short and tall is going to make too much difference
Posted on 5/20/23 at 5:14 am to East Coast Band
quote:
Shadows are short in the growing season.
I don't think orientation of properly spaced short and tall is going to make too much difference
Tell that to plants growing next to okra or corn that often get to be 7+ ft. tall or cucumbers and green beans on 6 ft. plus trellises.
Posted on 5/20/23 at 11:36 am to cgrand
It's not a stupid question.
Traditional thought was rows run north to south for max sun exposure but I run my rows on prevailing wind direction. That happens to be ssw-nne for my area.
In the deep south humidity invites disease and airflow helps with that.
Traditional thought was rows run north to south for max sun exposure but I run my rows on prevailing wind direction. That happens to be ssw-nne for my area.
In the deep south humidity invites disease and airflow helps with that.
Posted on 5/20/23 at 11:55 am to rooster108bm
prevailing wind here is SE flow in the summer
geometrically relative to my trees north/south would fit better
maybe I’ll split the difference
lumber just got dropped off I may start on them tomorrow
geometrically relative to my trees north/south would fit better
maybe I’ll split the difference
lumber just got dropped off I may start on them tomorrow
Posted on 5/26/23 at 12:24 pm to cgrand
it continues
2x12’s are heavy

2x12’s are heavy

Posted on 5/27/23 at 3:18 pm to cgrand
I would have them east to west length wise and plant your plants from taller to shorter from north to south (tallest on north side)
Posted on 5/27/23 at 4:24 pm to Tear It Up
that’s what I’m gonna do.
makes it easier to run my irrigation run that way too
will be interesting to see how much it sucks moving those 16’ 2x12 over there though
makes it easier to run my irrigation run that way too
will be interesting to see how much it sucks moving those 16’ 2x12 over there though
Posted on 5/28/23 at 9:44 pm to cgrand
Got dang, thats an expensive garden. 
Posted on 5/28/23 at 9:48 pm to AutoYes_Clown
not too bad so far
it will just be the lumber and the fill
about 1500 all in but it should last me as long as I feel like fooling with it
plus I’m covering up 600sf of freeloading lawn grass
it will just be the lumber and the fill
about 1500 all in but it should last me as long as I feel like fooling with it
plus I’m covering up 600sf of freeloading lawn grass
Posted on 5/28/23 at 9:59 pm to cgrand
I built a few 2x12 (8 and 12’ length) raised beds and shortly after I finished most of the boards bowed axially (so it looks like a U when looking at the cut ends). Not sure why, I used treated lumber. Frustrated after spending that much on the wood. I wonder if I should have dried them out first like you’re doing.
Posted on 5/28/23 at 10:03 pm to meeple
they are getting a good drying in the sun for sure but it takes a long time for treated wood to dry. I’m going to stake the boards every 2’ with #7 rebar on the outside to keep them from bowing too bad. There’s only so much you can do, some bowing is inevitable
Posted on 6/1/23 at 6:36 pm to cgrand
1/3 of the way there
Switched to 6” Simpson timber screws and it’s making all the difference on these heavy boards as far as keeping it stitched together during assembly
Switched to 6” Simpson timber screws and it’s making all the difference on these heavy boards as far as keeping it stitched together during assembly
Posted on 6/7/23 at 10:58 am to cgrand
done
working up a DIY irrigation system now with 1/2” PVC that will be a grid over each of the beds
working up a DIY irrigation system now with 1/2” PVC that will be a grid over each of the beds
Posted on 6/7/23 at 7:14 pm to cgrand
That looks great! What are you going to use for fill? From where?
Is that your new tractor in the pic? Happy so far?
Did any of the grafts make it at all? The one that I grafted to the potted seedling?
At least that has been added to your skill set. In retrospect, grafting much lower on the trunks would have been more prudent. In cold weather, some mulch or even an old blanket wrapped around the base assures that some of the Scion survives, and regrowth is usually pretty quick due to the maturity of the surviving root stock
Is that your new tractor in the pic? Happy so far?
Did any of the grafts make it at all? The one that I grafted to the potted seedling?
At least that has been added to your skill set. In retrospect, grafting much lower on the trunks would have been more prudent. In cold weather, some mulch or even an old blanket wrapped around the base assures that some of the Scion survives, and regrowth is usually pretty quick due to the maturity of the surviving root stock
Posted on 6/10/23 at 4:12 pm to luvdoc
there’s a farmer in Loranger I’ve been talking to that sells composted manure and amended soils so I’ll probably get it from him, I need 40 cy. I’m going to layer over the grass with cardboard and as much hay as I can get my hands on then the soil
Love the tractor, wish I’d done it sooner. It’s perfect for what I need.
No none of the grafts made it. I had two going strong till that last freeze. Oh well. Let’s try again sometime
Irrigation to the beds is in. I ran 1/2” PVC from a riser with a hose bibb connection so I didn’t have to trench so far and get into tree roots.
now I just need to caulk the inside of the bed frames and get the fill
Love the tractor, wish I’d done it sooner. It’s perfect for what I need.
No none of the grafts made it. I had two going strong till that last freeze. Oh well. Let’s try again sometime
Irrigation to the beds is in. I ran 1/2” PVC from a riser with a hose bibb connection so I didn’t have to trench so far and get into tree roots.
now I just need to caulk the inside of the bed frames and get the fill
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