Time flies when you are having fun

I just checked my profile and I have been on the SFG 7 years!  I've learned a lot, mostly from the forum, and made a lot of changes.  I was really gung ho & wanted MORE.  So instead of 4 x 4 boxes, I had 4 x 12 or 16, whatever length lumber comes in.  There was no way to reach the middle plantings, so I essentially wasted that first season.  Hubby cut those into 3 x 6's, which worked much better.

Since I grow a lot of tomatoes and I live in a hot humid area and prefer heirlooms which are not bred for blight resistance, I now have 16 1 x 6's and 3 3 x 6's. 


For me, advantages of 1 x 6 are many:

Tomatoes:  The 1 x 6's allow plenty of air circulation for the tomatoes.  I have a hose clamp centered at the ends of each box for PVC pipe.  I have PVC frames for the tomatoes and taller frames for squash and cukes.  With the hose clamps, they are movable for crop rotation.  They are also used for carrots, beets or whatever I need to move to a new spot for the year.  Below, the tomato supports are in front, Tromboncino squash with cattle panel support in the back.



Bush Beans:  It's too humid for beans spaced closer than 2 rows at the outer edges of the bed, 6 per square.  Otherwise, once they get ready to bear, the leaves have already started to mold & rot in the center & by the second & third picking the beans have started to rot.

3 x 6's are for bush squash, turnips, cabbage, onions & leeks.  I also use them for seed beds.

We bought a roll of cattle panel fencing & formed it to fit inside the boxes to keep the cats out when plants are small.  The cattle panel is sturdy enough to keep its shape & remove for storage.  It works to keep out rabbits & turtles too.

One year we bought porch screening to cover the cages for cabbage, but the screen was too dense & didn't let in enough light.  It didn't go to waste, now I have a screened porch on my Pink Paradise studio.

dixie wrote:I just checked my profile and I have been on the SFG 7 years!  I've learned a lot, mostly from the forum, and made a lot of changes.  I was really gung ho & wanted MORE.  So instead of 4 x 4 boxes, I had 4 x 12 or 16, whatever length lumber comes in.  There was no way to reach the middle plantings, so I essentially wasted that first season.  Hubby cut those into 3 x 6's, which worked much better.

Since I grow a lot of tomatoes and I live in a hot humid area and prefer heirlooms which are not bred for blight resistance, I now have 16 1 x 6's and 3 3 x 6's. 


For me, advantages of 1 x 6 are many:

Tomatoes:  The 1 x 6's allow plenty of air circulation for the tomatoes.  I have a hose clamp centered at the ends of each box for PVC pipe.  I have PVC frames for the tomatoes and taller frames for squash and cukes.  With the hose clamps, they are movable for crop rotation.  They are also used for carrots, beets or whatever I need to move to a new spot for the year.  Below, the tomato supports are in front, Tromboncino squash with cattle panel support in the back.



Bush Beans:  It's too humid for beans spaced closer than 2 rows at the outer edges of the bed, 6 per square.  Otherwise, once they get ready to bear, the leaves have already started to mold & rot in the center & by the second & third picking the beans have started to rot.

3 x 6's are for bush squash, turnips, cabbage, onions & leeks.  I also use them for seed beds.

We bought a roll of cattle panel fencing & formed it to fit inside the boxes to keep the cats out when plants are small.  The cattle panel is sturdy enough to keep its shape & remove for storage.  It works to keep out rabbits & turtles too.

One year we bought porch screening to cover the cages for cabbage, but the screen was too dense & didn't let in enough light.  It didn't go to waste, now I have a screened porch on my Pink Paradise studio.

Excellent Dixie.  Thanks for sharing.

dixie wrote:. .  I had 4 x 12 or 16, whatever length lumber comes in.  There was no way to reach the middle plantings, so I essentially wasted that first season.  Hubby cut those into 3 x 6's, which worked much better.  . . Since I grow a lot of tomatoes and I live in a hot humid area and prefer heirlooms which are not bred for blight resistance, I now have 16 1 x 6's and 3 3 x 6's.
. . .  I have a hose clamp centered at the ends of each box for PVC pipe.  I have PVC frames for the tomatoes and taller frames for squash and cukes.  With the hose clamps, they are movable for crop rotation. . . 

I totally agree that skinny beds are so much easier.  Most of mine are 2'.  The hose clamp is brilliant!!!!!!!  I have been using plumber's tape for the few boxes without interior corner "cup holders" for the 1/2" PVC trellises, but the hose clamps would work even better.  Thank you for the great idea.  Do you simply screw the back of it to the box?  A close up photo of an empty one would be great.  Thanks

Sanderson, here is a close up.  We got the clamps at lowes in either the electrical or plumbing section.  Just get the size that fits your pipe.  They are screwed to the outside of the box.  Use 2 clamps for stability.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMERICAN-VALVE-4-Pack-to-1-1-2-in-dia-Galvanized-2-Hole-Pipe-Strap/3223553


                                  

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Thank for the photos, Dixie.  I use those on for out-of-the-box trellises.

For most of the beds, I made "cup holders" from 1" PVC, secured with plumber's tape.


You said hose clamp at first and I thought they would be great.  Just loosen the screw and slip out the EMT.  This is what I thought you meant.    https://www.pepboys.com/product/details/8560674/00668

Yeah, I realized I used the wrong term.  Sorry for the confusion.