My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering.

shawn350 1/24/2012, 9:05 pm

You may have seen my post on the General Discussion Board. I am starting a 9 - 4x4 SFG all are on legs raise to 36" (seems like not bending over is worth the effort.)

So tonight I have started prototyping my Irrigation system. PVC grid for each box. A sprinkler valve on each box and a 12 station watermaster from Orbits.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img-2011

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img-2011

in the control box will be a King Rotameter so I can see exactly how much water is flowing to the boxes to help tune the system.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img-2012

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img-2012

I will continue to post pictures as the project unfolds.

martha 1/24/2012, 9:33 pm

We love pictures!

quiltbea 1/24/2012, 11:42 pm

Wow, what a great project. I can't wait to see more pictures.

Luci Dawson 1/25/2012, 2:30 pm

I'm sure we're all going to learn a LOT from your project...especially with pictures!

shawn350 1/26/2012, 7:42 pm

Here is a before shot of the back yard. I am headed to lowes tomorrow for Lumber and 40 bags of mel's mix!

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img-2013

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img-2013

Here is the basic lay out. the right hand side of the page is where I would be standing to take the picture above. you can see the 8 boxes with a isle running down the middle of the yard. the blue lines are for my irrigation grids.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Burban10

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Burban10

More pics coming soon.

newstart 1/26/2012, 8:00 pm

looks great want to plan out my yard too? JK really looks nice

Chopper 1/26/2012, 9:14 pm

shawn350 wrote:Here is a before shot of the back yard. I am headed to lowes tomorrow for Lumber and 40 bags of mel's mix!

Here is the basic lay out. the right hand side of the page is where I would be standing to take the picture above. you can see the 8 boxes with a isle running down the middle of the yard. the blue lines are for my irrigation grids.

More pics coming soon.

Wow! I cannot wait to see it.

**RoOsTeR** 1/26/2012, 9:18 pm

Very nice! Can't wait to see the progress you make!
I usually make my plan after I'm done Razz

shawn350 1/26/2012, 10:59 pm

Ok finished the prototype Watering grid.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Burban11

Here is a test in progress, I drilled one small hole in each grid section. look close you can see the stream of water.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Burban12

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Burban12

boffer 1/26/2012, 11:02 pm

You might be able to get some pointers here
http://sfgsupply.com/default.aspx

shawn350 1/26/2012, 11:05 pm

hmm I have to think about all those holes I would like a longer watering time seems like that would flood the top layer really fast. but I figure I can always add more, much harder to fill holes Smile

Also I put my water in the middle of the grid to keep a more balanced flow but looks like there's works well too. but 80.00$ wow!!

LaborDay RN 1/27/2012, 2:07 am

Hi Shawn, I'm just over the hill from you (Antelope Valley). I look forward to seeing your progress!

**gwennifer** 1/27/2012, 12:12 pm

I'm totally doing this! Shawn, if you read the description of the watering grids from the website boffer posted, it comes as a kit and you actually have to drill the holes yourself. So you wouldn't have to have all the holes. You also have to glue it yourself, and the PVC glue isn't included. I only see one extra part on theirs compared to yours Shawn, so would you mind sharing how much you spent on yours?

boffer 1/27/2012, 1:05 pm

shawn350 wrote:hmm I have to think about all those holes I would like a longer watering time seems like that would flood the top layer really fast. but I figure I can always add more, much harder to fill holes ...

I read someplace on the website that he recommends silicone caulk to fill unnecessary holes. It would be easy enough to experiment on a short scrap piece to see if it will hold.

shawn350 1/28/2012, 2:34 am

I think it was about 30.00 Max the hardest part was cutting the pipe and figuring out the length. 10.5 inches Smile

this makes a 47" Grid so you have a .5 inch around the edge do 10.75 for 48 exact.

Other news... I went to lowes and picked up the Mel's Mix and lumber.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Newhal10

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Newhal10

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Newhal11

Sunday I will take pictures as I build the boxes.

shannon1 1/28/2012, 2:43 am

So cool, you are going to have one beautiful garden. I can see you now after all the set up is complete with the plants loving their home. You'er there in the garden just watching the vegies grow. cheers

shawn350 1/29/2012, 10:47 pm

So here are the progress pictures. the first are the basic design of the box.

First we take the 1x12x8s and cut them in half to make the box.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7010

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7010

My Friend and his Son screw the 2x6 Legs (24" Long for a 31" height total) These are 3 1/2 inched up to make room for 2x4s later

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7012

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7012

My son the helper

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7014

Here is the box with all the legs on.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7015

Now the Cross braces this is why we put the legs 3 1/2 inches

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7016

Now we put the 23/32 Ply wood in, the nice part about this is you can just change it out without removing any screws it rest on top of the 2x4s I am 270lbs and I jump on this and wiggled it side to side. Pretty sturdy.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7017

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7017

Me running the table saw which I did for the next 3 hours.

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7018

after we built the prototype we made the rest assembly line style

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7019

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7020

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7021

There is my youngest and the reason the first two boxes are so short
My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7022

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7023

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. Img_7024

Now we need to load them with the mel's mix and plant!!

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. 40472710

duhh 1/30/2012, 12:17 am

wow! Love all the TT!! Can't wait to see them loaded vith veggies this spring/summer.

**gwennifer** 1/30/2012, 12:46 am

Wow! Those are great pictures - thanks so much for taking the time to post those!

*sigh*, my girls only get to claim one square apiece in my little garden. Your son gets two whole boxes! And table tops at that! Lucky boy (and a cutie-pie too).

Do you have plans for what goes under the boxes? Does it stay as-is, or are you going to mulch it perhaps? Just curious.

Chopper 1/30/2012, 1:28 am

I would say I was jealous but let's twist that to inspired. Man that makes so much more sense seeing it in pictures and the ability to drop the bottom in without screws is ingenious. Love it!

**Furbalsmom** 1/30/2012, 1:31 am

Shawn, Great photos and love the idea of two families working together to get it all assembled.

cheers

Congratulations on a wonderful start. bounce

Don't forget to water in each 2 to 3 inch layer as you put the Mel's Mix in the boxes, that is the best way to fully rehydrate all the peat moss. It will take a lot of water to rehydrate the mix in the boxes, probably 15 to 20 gallons for each box. My table tops had hardware cloth and weed cloth bottoms and they each took 19 gallons.

I also can't tell if you have drainage holes already drilled in each bottom. Usually 1/4 inch holes in each square foot and one in each corner are sufficient for plywood bottoms. You probably already had that under control Smile

Again, congratulations on a job well done.

LaborDay RN 1/30/2012, 5:06 am

Wow, they look wonderful Shawn! It must feel good to get the "hard part" out of the way! What is the tree with orange fruit in the backround? It looks very healthy!

**RoOsTeR** 1/30/2012, 8:33 am

Awesome! Thanks for all the progress pictures Shawn. You are gonna have a fantastic set up when all said and done My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. 3170584802

My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering. 3170584802

shawn350 1/30/2012, 9:00 am

Thanks for all the complements. The way it worked out is that our friends wanted a garden but the soil was too bad, we wanted a garden but had no room, they couldnt spend the money on a SFG, I could so a partnership was born.

Now to the questions

Not sure yet what is going under them but mulch most likely. I am going to find a tree trimming service and see if I can get it cheap.

The Trees are a Tangerine, Orange and Plum (Tangerine is up front)

No Drainage holes yet we have to finish cutting the bottoms today and drilling them out. Thanks for the tip on watering as we go. I was just going to dump it all in.

The Pictures will continue to come as I finish the irrigation and begin planting. I hope to take a picture a week of each box, all the boxes have names.

Omnicorp
Wayne Enterprises
Umbrella Corporation
Wonka Industries
Cyberdyne Systems
Stark Industries
Gringots
Weyland Yutani Corp

HillbillyBob 1/30/2012, 9:09 am

hey man could you give me the lowes Item number off of your mels mix,I'm trying to get my local manger @lowes to carry it. cyclops

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My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering.

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Re: My SFG Progress Pictures - 9 4x4 with fully automated watering.

Two Families, Together, To Garden

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