Herbs and Asian Veg.

MsCowpea · February 12, 2006

MsCowpea · February 12, 2006

6 table-height raised beds (approx. 10 feet long, 24" wide)

planted a bit different every year but concentrate on salad greens, Asian Veg., and herbs

Emaewest · February 12, 2006

Wow--I really like your set up. I'd love to have something like that. There are several problems that I can think of that this would eliminate: weeds would be easier to keep out, my poor back could be saved all the stooping, and my kitty would not be able to use it as a toilet.

What are you using to hold the soil? Containers? or some sort of liner?

MsCowpea · February 12, 2006

Emaewest, these are my favorite beds too. Love going out there and snip a salad of mesclen mix and asian vegs without bending over. :} I have a bad back too.

I use alot more herbs in cooking ever since I did this because it is so easy to get them.

I have also grown tomatoes in them and let them cascade over.

Lots of people come to the garden and they all gravitate to these beds.

Anyway, they are made with drainage pipe cut in half and wood. Here are some close up shots and photos from 2005 garden:

Mantis · February 16, 2006

Fantastic. I have paved area that could accomodate a setup like that. Thanks heaps for the idea. A winter project me thinks.
Mantis

GrowSeeds · January 28, 2007

I read this post and giving it a bump as I would like to know what is being used to plant in. I first thought it was tire tubes and was going to ask what kind then looking at it more it looks like some kind of plastic tubing cut in half anyway whould like to know what was used.
Thanks
John

MsCowpea · March 27, 2007

Grow Seeds,

Sorry, did not see your question until now. I had forgot I posted these pics.

The plastic liner is 24" drainage pipe cut in half. Plywood 1/2 circles (wrapped in plastic) caps off the ends.

I got 10 foot lengths for $80 so that works out to $40 for each elevated table. They will last FOREVER--much longer than the wood. You could also just build a box and line with heavy plastic but be sure and poke holes for drainage.

GrowSeeds · March 27, 2007

MsCowpea
Thanks for the information on the 24" plastic drainage pipe.

You say
"You could also just build a box and line with heavy plastic but be sure and poke holes for drainage."
If building an 10' by 24" box and lined with plastic about how far apart should the holes be and how big (1/8" )?
Thanks
John

MsCowpea · March 27, 2007

GrowSeeds, I remeasured my drainage pipes--they are only 21" diameter with an actually inside measurement of 18".

You might want to go about 16" wide unless you are sure you can support the box adequately.

As for as drainage --just drill a few holes, if the mix stays too wet for too long drill some more. I am not sure how many we drilled--I'll 'guess' around 10 about 1/4 " diameter.

It is important to use a LIGHT soilless mix.

A wood bottom has it disadvantages though as it would get wet from the draining water even if covered with plastic. Wonder if you could use plastic tubes to drain the water past the wood. I am sure something easy could be rigged up.

GrowSeeds · March 27, 2007

Thanks for the information MsCowpea.

honu · March 31, 2007

MsCowpea, Beautiful veggies and herbs! That's cool that you can grow carrots in there too. Thanks for the ideas!

zeroma · September 13, 2012

Wow, I just saw this thread and thought I'd bump it up again too. I really love the idea of your raised beds MsCowpea.

A few questions, do you change the soil each year and how do you handle 'crop rotation'?

saltmarsh · September 13, 2012

MsCowpea hasn't posted on Tomatoville since Feb 2008. Don't expect a response zeroma.

rockhound · September 14, 2012

Seeing her planters reminded me of some I made a few years ago, except no plastic liner. I used sheet metal for the liner and like her, 2x4's for the frames. All the materials were free since I had bought a place with an aging mobile home on it. I did like the height, nice to stand up to garden! Perfect for radish and micro-greens, not so handy for indet tomatoes tho.

zeroma · September 14, 2012

Thanks saltmarsh and rockhound. I'm always interested in new ways to do a raised bed.

February 12, 2006	#1
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	Herbs and Asian Veg.

February 12, 2006	#3
Emaewest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Timberlea, Nova Scotia Posts: 84	Wow--I really like your set up. I'd love to have something like that. There are several problems that I can think of that this would eliminate: weeds would be easier to keep out, my poor back could be saved all the stooping, and my kitty would not be able to use it as a toilet. What are you using to hold the soil? Containers? or some sort of liner? __________________ Rhonda "Some people have a way with words, and other people... not have way." ---Steve Martin

March 27, 2007	#7
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	Grow Seeds, Sorry, did not see your question until now. I had forgot I posted these pics. The plastic liner is 24" drainage pipe cut in half. Plywood 1/2 circles (wrapped in plastic) caps off the ends. I got 10 foot lengths for $80 so that works out to $40 for each elevated table. They will last FOREVER--much longer than the wood. You could also just build a box and line with heavy plastic but be sure and poke holes for drainage. __________________ "When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest we inherit their work." Carl Huffaker

March 27, 2007	#8
GrowSeeds Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Somewhere in the Universe on planet Earth in the USA in Alabama - zone 8 Posts: 113	MsCowpea Thanks for the information on the 24" plastic drainage pipe. You say "You could also just build a box and line with heavy plastic but be sure and poke holes for drainage." If building an 10' by 24" box and lined with plastic about how far apart should the holes be and how big (1/8" )? Thanks John Last edited by GrowSeeds; March 27, 2007 at 06:25 PM.

March 27, 2007	#9
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	GrowSeeds, I remeasured my drainage pipes--they are only 21" diameter with an actually inside measurement of 18". You might want to go about 16" wide unless you are sure you can support the box adequately. As for as drainage --just drill a few holes, if the mix stays too wet for too long drill some more. I am not sure how many we drilled--I'll 'guess' around 10 about 1/4 " diameter. It is important to use a LIGHT soilless mix. A wood bottom has it disadvantages though as it would get wet from the draining water even if covered with plastic. Wonder if you could use plastic tubes to drain the water past the wood. I am sure something easy could be rigged up. __________________ "When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest we inherit their work." Carl Huffaker

February 16, 2006	#5
Mantis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 1,241	Fantastic. I have paved area that could accomodate a setup like that. Thanks heaps for the idea. A winter project me thinks. Mantis

January 28, 2007	#6
GrowSeeds Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Somewhere in the Universe on planet Earth in the USA in Alabama - zone 8 Posts: 113	I read this post and giving it a bump as I would like to know what is being used to plant in. I first thought it was tire tubes and was going to ask what kind then looking at it more it looks like some kind of plastic tubing cut in half anyway whould like to know what was used. Thanks John

March 31, 2007	#11
honu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 270	MsCowpea, Beautiful veggies and herbs! That's cool that you can grow carrots in there too. Thanks for the ideas!

September 13, 2012	#12
zeroma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 637	Wow, I just saw this thread and thought I'd bump it up again too. I really love the idea of your raised beds MsCowpea. A few questions, do you change the soil each year and how do you handle 'crop rotation'?

September 13, 2012	#13
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	MsCowpea hasn't posted on Tomatoville since Feb 2008. Don't expect a response zeroma.

September 14, 2012	#14
rockhound Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 285	Seeing her planters reminded me of some I made a few years ago, except no plastic liner. I used sheet metal for the liner and like her, 2x4's for the frames. All the materials were free since I had bought a place with an aging mobile home on it. I did like the height, nice to stand up to garden! Perfect for radish and micro-greens, not so handy for indet tomatoes tho.