6 inch wide boxes?

SewingMom 5/30/2011, 8:57 am

Is there any reason I can't do 6 inch wide boxes on my deck railings?

I have my regular 4x4 boxes out at our property which is a couple minutes from the house but I thought it would be really neat to have some lettuce and herbs just steps from my kitchen. The deck railings are 3 1/2" wide so I was thinking about doing 6" wide boxes to put on there. I'd mark off the 12" sections and plant lettuce 2 to every 6x12" section.

What do you think - good idea or bad idea?

pattipan 5/30/2011, 9:12 am

Good idea! I don't have a deck but I found this link awhile back on making boxes from cedar fencing boards. Mel's Mix is great in any kind of box! I use it in pots and planters for my herbs and strawberries.

http://www.wpharvestcenter.org/node/52

pattipan

**walshevak** 5/30/2011, 9:16 am

I tried mesculun mix in my deck railing planters last summer. Would have worked fine except the worms decimated them before they got to picking size and keeping up with watering was hard. One little worm completely wiped out a whole planter. But this was before MM and SFG knowledge. I sowed seed right down the middle of the planters just like planting flower seeds and then thinned. Think I had more like 10 to a 24" long box, but I never really got a chance to thin them to proper size. Choose the shady side of your deck during the summer heat. Also think about putting a few pepper plants and basil in pots on the deck to enhance those salads. Nasturtium plants offer a pretty deck planter and also spicy leaf and colorful flowers in the salad.

Kay

SewingMom 5/30/2011, 9:37 am

Thank you for the link - I just watched the video and downloaded the instructions. I'm inspired!! I hadn't thought of leaving space under the box for drainage, good thing I saw that. I like the box stacking frame he made too, if I get ambitious I might make one of those too Smile

Hmm, shady side - well it's a north facing deck with our house on the south side of the deck and we have trees back there. I guess I might have to come up with something to shade the boxes.

I'd love to do pepper plants out there - do you think they'd grow in the 6" wide boxes? I just planted some out in my 4x4's and the book said one per square.

Old Hippie 5/30/2011, 11:20 am

Never hurts to try. That is what gardening is all about. You may need to give them an extra scoop or two of compost throughout the season to make sure they have plenty of food and make sure to keep them well watered.

Gwynn

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6 inch wide boxes?

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