My New & Improved Plan for Above Ground Gardening - Updated w/ Pic's

[OldGuy43]

I had planned on constructing an above ground garden this year, but fortunately I put it off. Utilizing what I have learned from last year's fiasco, my unplanned tomato patch and the "if ya tend um they die punkin patch" this is my plan for next season.

12' x 8' x 24" all out of treated lumber. Four 4" x 4" x 12' corner posts using the same material.

Cover the bottom with weed control fabric.

Oriented long way north to south for best sun exposure.

Cover the top with metal screen wire for bird and insect control.

Drape the four sides with fiberglass screen wire weighted at the bottom for easy access.

I may find it necessary to put 2' x 4" runners across the top of the 4 sides to support the screen wire.

The 12' corner post may serve yet another purpose; If we get another ultra-hot sunny summer I could shade the garden with a reflective tarp.

Any critique and suggestions for improvements will be appreciated and considered.

Mike

 

[journey11]

Do you plan to walk around in there, or would you want to keep the soil from compacting? A four foot wide bed makes for easy reach to the center from both sides.

I would say you won't need the weed control fabric underneath, especially if you make it 24" deep. Mine are only 10" deep. I did lay down newspaper on the first one, but for lack of papers and sake of time I skipped that step on my other two and have had no trouble without it. That much dirt will smother and kill all the grass anyway, and another consideration is that some plants are very deeply rooted, like 3' or so, and will need to make use of the ground below.

What will the fiberglass screen wire be for? If you need to keep the bad buggies out, you might consider hoops (I use metal conduit pipe) and agribon fabric row covers, which are easy to manipulate, just weight them down with bags of dirt or whatever you have handy.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I think your idea sounds great, Mike. As long as you can easily get to the plants along the long sides without fighting with the screening. I have covered my plants many times during intensely sunny days and your idea of support for a sunscreen cover is dynamite. Pictures, pictures, we want pictures. Please give us a blow-by-blow picture account of your proceedings.

 

[baymule]

Covering the top with screen for bird and insect control might not be such a great idea. Bees are insects and you might need them. Maybe use a net or chicken wire to keep out the birds, but you will have to let the bees in. Unfortunately that also lets in stink bugs, cucumber beetles and pretty moths that lay eggs that turn into catapillars that eat your garden! Your other ideas sound good.

 

[thistlebloom]

What Journey said. Precisely.
x2 on nixing the weed fabric. I deal with that awful stuff on a lot of jobs, ( from other previous landscape installations )
and I'm here to tell you, you will regret it. Most of your weeds are going to come from seeds on the surface anyway.

 

[Collector]

Sounds like a great plan OG. The tall post idea is great, so many things you can do with them. I would not do the weed block deal either, mine is only 1' tall and built it on top of the grass and have no problems with grass growing up in it. Good luck with your project.

 

[OldGuy43]

Edited the O.P. The actual size that I had in mind was only 12' long, not 24.

 

[journey11]

I didn't think about the access for bees, Baymule, very good point! It would really depend on what you're growing...tomatoes will self-pollinate...potatoes, cabbage, greens, etc. wouldn't need pollination. Blocking out the pollinators would be a big problem for your squash, melons, cukes, beans though.

 

[NwMtGardener]

I like your ideas Mike. I left the 4"x4" posts at the corners amd middle of the long side of my 10'x20' raised bed, and they've been super handy. I do have to say that even though we put at least a foot of dirt down in our raised bed, we did have weeds come up from underneath. I have terrible wild morning glory infestation in our yard, and it started coming right up thru all that dirt. Everyone's right, i wouldnt use weed barrier fabric, it sucks. But if you've got enough time, you could kill off whatever is growing there now - i use an old pond liner, thick black plastic, over the area for a few weeks. Even lots of layers of cardboard or newspapers stacked thick would help kill off whatever's there.

Oh, and i was going to mention the treated lumber. I didnt use it, just plain pine planks, because i was worried about chemicals leaching into my veggies. But i've also heard that the stuff they use bow to treat isnt as bad as it used to be. Up to you, just something to think about. And my untreated planks are doing awesome, no sign of issues, after 5 years.

 

[OldGuy43]

I guess I need to give y'all more information:

1. I am surrounded on 3 sides by a poorly kept pasture.

Add to that the fact that a previous resident thought his path to fame and glory was being a professional tennis player and he had an asphalt tennis court installed on the rear of the property means that I am invaded by some incredibly tough and prolific weeds...

and those are the ones I keep mowed. I've tried vinegar and salt, nothing kills them.

If I don't keep it mowed it looks like this in just a few weeks:

These are the reasons I have decided to go with the raised garden, that I have outlined, particularly the weed control cloth in the bottom.