Sectioning off squares: A suggestion

I was never happy with the prescribed method for dividing my growing squares in my wooden beds. I tried wood strips and molding...anything I could find. I think they make the already tight squares even harder to work in and they kept coming loose. This fall, when I put my "crops" in, drilled screws halfway in at 12" intervals to create posts and stretched nylon twine in a grid pattern. So far it has worked great. In my new boxes made from cement mixing tubs I will drill holes in the sides near the top and the twine should work perfectly. Anybody have other suggestions that have worked?

I screwed small screws along the top of my raised beds and used nylon tomato twine (its stronger than regular garden twine and lasts thru the whole season and more) to make my grids.
I found that putting the screws on the inside of the boxes didn't work. The twine kept slipping loose over the screw's head.
The twine also makes it easier to get underneath for any weeding or harvesting efforts.

The tomato twine is also strong enough to twist your tomato vines around during the season so they don't need staking. I attach mine to wires running across from fence post to fence post at the bottom and to stakes wired across the top of those same fence posts.
Note: I put in two tall fence posts (see the green posts) at the north ends of all my boxes for either twining tomatoes and cukes or adding trellis netting for peas and beans. This way I can rotate crops each year and they are always there as needed for twine or trellises.

I use these screw eyes.

I tie one end of the nylon rope to a screw eye, run the rope across the bed and thru a screw eye on the opposite side, then along the side of the bed to the next screw eye and then across the bed again. At the last screw eye, I tie a knot that can be easily undone and then at the end of the season it is easy to remove and work in the bed, then string back again with the same rope.

yolos wrote:I use these screw eyes.

I tie one end of the nylon rope to a screw eye, run the rope across the bed and thru a screw eye on the opposite side, then along the side of the bed to the next screw eye and then across the bed again. At the last screw eye, I tie a knot that can be easily undone and then at the end of the season it is easy to remove and work in the bed, then string back again with the same rope.

this sounds like a great idea. I think I'll implement this method when I build my box.

I literally use a ruler. I mark the grid in the soil as I plant. I don't have the grid all the time, but once they're planted it doesn't matter. I got tired of trying to make a grid work, and slugs and snails hiding under the wood, string breaking, twine falling apart etc. I also have marks on the sides of my raised bets at 1' intervals, so I can see that way too.

As with anything else in life, there is always more than one way to do a thing and one works for one and not another.
We choose what works best for us as individuals.

I use what ever's handy. In this box it looks like I used rebar, bamboo stakes & some kind of skinny construction leftover wood strips.


I've also used twigs and thin branches. Next year I plan on trying radishes and carrots as my grids here and there.

CC

yolos wrote:I use these screw eyes.

I tie one end of the nylon rope to a screw eye, run the rope across the bed and thru a screw eye on the opposite side, then along the side of the bed to the next screw eye and then across the bed again. At the last screw eye, I tie a knot that can be easily undone and then at the end of the season it is easy to remove and work in the bed, then string back again with the same rope.

Better idea than mine. So lad I asked.

southern gardener wrote:I literally use a ruler. I mark the grid in the soil as I plant. I don't have the grid all the time, but once they're planted it doesn't matter. I got tired of trying to make a grid work, and slugs and snails hiding under the wood, string breaking, twine falling apart etc. I also have marks on the sides of my raised bets at 1' intervals, so I can see that way too.

Wow. Simple, but it works.

I often use rulers to mark squares. I picked up packages of 4 rulers at the dollar store and glued 4 together to form a square. I use them when planting and to mark the squares til the plants are up.


I also sometimes use the shim grid that Llama Mama suggested. Then have a couple of begs where long direction lines are hot wire(wire used for electric fence) attached with fence staples inside the wood ends of the bed.

In the gallery is a picture of my tabletop strawberry bed using shims. The shims are about a foot long so I push them in but on the skinny side. Carpenter shims are also tapered on one end so it is super easy to snap off the end to make perfect squares. If I want a rectangle or bigger square just remove a couple pieces and its done. I'm sold on it and not using anything else ever again.

daryl.weaver wrote:I Anybody have other suggestions that have worked?

There are several previous threads about this with some good ideas.
I myself use finish nails capped with cork pieces, so I don't jab my knees, and either cotton or sisal twine which is compostable. In the fall when I am planting my garlic I use the cork pieces as landmarks and press the edge of a thin board into the freshly prepared MM and create a depressed grid.

When I planted my garlic, I guess I used plastic forks:

Btw, my garlic sprouted! All but the purple B one. Which means that grocery store garlic is a better sprouter than locally grown garlic.
Hmm...that just seems wrong...

CC