Re: Fourth Year SFG in Canada

**sanderson** 6/4/2018, 4:12 pm

I like #8

**trolleydriver** 6/4/2018, 4:18 pm

The following is not ANSFG.

These Banana Peppers in a 4x4 old style SFG bed are doing well.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2294

These are Chinese 5 Color Peppers in a 4x4 old style SFG bed.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2295

Yukon Gold Potatoes in a 3x6 Lasagna Bed which will become an old style SFG bed.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2296

Jalapeno Peppers in a straw bale.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2291

Chives flowering in a regular not amended soil bed.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2293

Irises flowering near the garden pond.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2292

**trolleydriver** 6/5/2018, 2:07 pm

In the past I have made my "permanent" grids out of aluminum slats from venetian blinds. Today I made a grid using wood that was ripped on a table saw from larger pieces of wood. Where the grid pieces cross they are joined with brass fasteners which allows the grid to fold. The grid in the photo is for one leg of my u-shaped bed (the one with megatrellis).
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2301

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2301

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2300

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2302

CapeCoddess 6/5/2018, 3:18 pm

WOW! That is a thing of beauty, TD! Nicely done.

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 2027012869

How do you have peppers forming already? Mine aren't even outside yet...

**trolleydriver** 6/5/2018, 3:23 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:WOW! That is a thing of beauty, TD! Nicely done.

How do you have peppers forming already? Mine aren't even outside yet...

Thanks CC.

I started my peppers early indoors using a ProMix potting mix. They grew beautifully and started to flower while they were being hardened off outside. I've never had such healthy looking pepper transplants. As well I think the weather has been warmer than at this time last year which if I recall was cool and wet on many days.

**sanderson** 6/5/2018, 3:41 pm

I think I'm in love! Beautiful grids. Can you do a close up of the brass fasteners? Thanks.

**trolleydriver** 6/5/2018, 5:00 pm

sanderson wrote:I think I'm in love! Beautiful grids. Can you do a close up of the brass fasteners? Thanks.

Thanks sanderson. I have to recharge my phone and then I will post more photos. Of course once the wood weathers it won't look as pretty (i.e., will not contrast with the MM so much). I sure hope the wood and fasteners hold up to the elements. The aluminum blind slats that I used previously have held up really well (some going on summer 4) but they have a a couple of cons. First, they are not easy to remove and put back because they are all wobbly. Second, they get bent and kinked after a while and don't look as neat as they did originally.

**sanderson** 6/5/2018, 5:05 pm

Varathane on the top? Mine have had the full abuse of summer and winter, and some have been buried under compost over winter. They are still beautiful parts of the beds. You will probably be storing them inside?

**sanderson** 6/5/2018, 5:10 pm

Rethinking. Forget the varathane as one side will be porous and the other side not. That could cause curling in the wood.

If I really wanted beautiful wood, I would wipe the tops with diluted bleach, like with a sponge. Completely dry until there is no bleach smell.

**trolleydriver** 6/5/2018, 5:23 pm

sanderson wrote:Rethinking. Forget the varathane as one side will be porous and the other side not. That could cause curling in the wood.

If I really wanted beautiful wood, I would wipe the tops with diluted bleach, like with a sponge. Completely dry until there is no bleach smell.

I'll just let the grids weather to a grey colour to match the wood sides of the beds. I never take my aluminum blind grids inside for the winter but I may put these wood ones in the shed (if I can find room).

**trolleydriver** 6/5/2018, 5:37 pm

I managed to get another grid built (this one for an old style SFG bed) before we got another downpour of rain. Beds sure look nice when they have a new grid and trellis.

I also took photos (per sanderson's request) of the brass fasteners I am using on the grids where the wood strips cross.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2306

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2306

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2307

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2308

**sanderson** 6/6/2018, 1:42 am

Yep, the grids add that little bling to the beds. Thank you for posting a photo of the fasteners. Young folks may not even know what they are.

BlackjackWidow 6/6/2018, 9:52 am

So pretty! My grids fold like that, not necessarily by design - I used one short deck screw in each cross, so they tend to move on the axis.

countrynaturals 6/6/2018, 11:55 am

sanderson wrote:Yep, the grids add that little bling to the beds. Thank you for posting a photo of the fasteners. Young folks may not even know what they are.

I used cornstalks last time and they just disappeared. Next time I want to do something creative, but I don't know what, yet -- maybe those big, bright-colored "pop-it" beads they make for babies. Razz

**trolleydriver** 6/6/2018, 12:23 pm

The lasagna garden now has a grid as it is becoming an old style SFG bed. This grid is made from wood cut from the eight foot tomato stakes that had been in place for several years. I am still amazed at the good condition of those stakes, even the ends that were buried in the ground.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2309

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2309

countrynaturals 6/6/2018, 1:34 pm

trolleydriver wrote:The lasagna garden now has a grid as it is becoming an old style SFG bed. This grid is made from wood cut from the eight foot tomato stakes that had been in place for several years. I am still amazed at the good condition of those stakes, even the ends that were buried in the ground.

Nice! I just remembered that our new place has a big stand? of bamboo -- some look like they're 10' tall, so my grid problem is solved for life. happy turtle

**sanderson** 6/6/2018, 6:27 pm

And poles from beans, etc.

Edit: That should be "for" beans.

**trolleydriver** 6/8/2018, 12:03 pm

These are the Canada Crookneck Squash that I grew in the living room. I took the pot outside when the danger of frost looked minimal. Didn't do anything with them other than some watering. Today I potted them up and will remove dead/dying leaves. Not sure where I will put them or if they will survive.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2310

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2310

**sanderson** 6/8/2018, 9:41 pm

Watching.

**Turan** 6/9/2018, 9:25 pm

sanderson wrote:Watching.

+1

**trolleydriver** 6/9/2018, 9:58 pm

The new location for the living room Canada Crooknecks is behind the compost bins. And I got to eat my first sugar snap peas.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2010

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2010

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2011

**trolleydriver** 6/10/2018, 7:56 pm

First tomatoes are developing on this Bonny Best plant.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2012

SwampTroll 6/11/2018, 7:25 am

trolleydriver wrote:First tomatoes are developing on this Bonny Best plant.

Nice I have some tomatoes developing on my chocolate plant, but I have been unable to get it properly potted as of yet. Here's hoping for this coming week/end.

**trolleydriver** 6/11/2018, 11:21 pm

I tried out my new leaf shredder. Seems to work well. I only had leaves from last fall that I had mulched with the lawn mower. The shredder chopped up those leaves into a finer product.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2010

Lawnmower mulched leaves on the left and leaf shredder leaves on the right.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2012

Filled this bin with shredded leaves ready for composting.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2013

Started emptying the SoilSaver compost bin and sifting what was in it to get the black gold.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2014

Removed the partially composted contents of the 3x3x3 compost bin (it was not full) and moved the contents to the hardware cloth bin that already contained partially composted material. I put a layer of straw on the bottom of the empty 3x3x3 bin in readiness to start filling it with composting materials.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2015

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2015

Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2016

The living room started Canada Crookneck Squash are putting on flowers.
Fourth Year SFG in Canada - Page 13 Img_2017

**sanderson** 6/12/2018, 12:10 am

Nice leaf fines. I found I had to load up on greens to balance fine leaves.

You should do a new thread on leaf shredders if there isn't one already.

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