Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

General discussion regarding the techniques and methods used to successfully grow tomato plants in containers.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old September 10, 2015   #1
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default Container Makeover, Denver

I've got big plans. Construction has begun with moving some posts and taking down the the garden frame.

This is what I have, raised beds loosely arranged in an area 12x46, with a 8x20 spur left along the back fence line. This patch has produced very well at times, though along the right fence has been a troublesome high heat area.

The plan is to put fabric pots on slightly elevated off-ground 6" racks with white vinyl lattice tops for reflection and air circulation. The racks will be grouped more to the center, getting off the hot fence line, and will incorporate eye-popping trellis work with a gravity flow water system irrigating single or multiple racks.

I'll use the soil in the beds to make a gentle grade and fill other low spots in the yard. Materials should be minimal as I'll be using the lumber from the raised beds.

Here's how it will look, I'll keep you filled in as I go and comments are welcomed.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg makeover2.jpg (100.5 KB, 805 views)

Last edited by Ricky Shaw; September 12, 2015 at 03:24 PM.
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 10, 2015   #2
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

Here's the now.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg makeover1.jpg (202.3 KB, 800 views)
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 11, 2015   #3
lexxluthor
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: New York
Posts: 156
Default

Nice job !
lexxluthor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 12, 2015   #4
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

Working today on deconstructing one of the raised beds that held some played out determinants. From two of the sideboard 2x8's , I can get this 2'x8' platform. Took a while to get the wobble out, some ugly timber.

The warpage to the lumber has been considerable and it has me rethinking the idea of making the deck on these from vinyl lattice. These boards will continue to warp and buckle the decking in short time. Another alternative would be to buy shelving or bread racks and just place them crosswise. Sometimes I see stuff like this at the Habitat for Humanity store, I'll check it out.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg makeover3.jpg (90.4 KB, 752 views)
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 12, 2015   #5
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

This one was just to hold the lumber and I'll work on them gradually. I'm an old dude and things take time, but the racks are plenty sturdy and will get prettier as I go.

My Texas Tomato Cages came, and that UPS guy was grunting.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Makeover4.jpg (114.5 KB, 739 views)
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 12, 2015   #6
Zana
Tomatovillian™
 
Zana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,521
Default

Definitely interesting Ricky. Take your time, who knows....you might come up with variations on the original ideas while you're pondering the whole thing.
__________________
Zana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
There is a fine line between genius and crazy.
I like to use that line as a jump rope.

~Anonymous (but I totally agree with this! LOL)

Forgive and Forget? I'm neither Jesus or nor do I have Alzheimers.

~ Anonymous

Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.

-- Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Last edited by Zana; September 13, 2015 at 03:49 PM. Reason: correcting spell check
Zana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #7
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

Hi Lex, Zana.

Zana you're exactly right, I'm averaging an epiphany a day. Yesterday was the idea of adding a third trellis bed of pole beans along that fence and push the cherries to the back right corner.

And today, in building the lumber rack, the mobility of a smaller 2'x8' as opposed to a 3x8 or 4x8 platformed rack.

I've not had this much fun since the downstairs remodel, seriously.
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #8
ddsack
Tomatovillian™
 
ddsack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3
Posts: 3,231
Default

What a great project, it will look really classy when you are done. I always admire people with carpentry skills.
__________________
Dee

**************
ddsack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #9
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

Hi dd,

My carpentry skills are limited, I can build a box or a frame. I have made a lot of rustic furniture type things through the years, cabinets, end tables, headboards.

I like to work with southern yellow pine with varnish or shellac finishes as opposed to the modern polyurethanes. The furniture ages to a honey yellow over time, I like that. These pieces are about 15 years old and down in the basement.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Makeover5.jpg (154.1 KB, 725 views)
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #10
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Looks wonderful I made my head board out of 2x12 Douglas fir and my table saw.
I'll take anything over laminated cheap particle board.
Being what it was for I looked for stuff with knots in it.

Worth


IMG_20150913_1063.jpg
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #11
ddsack
Tomatovillian™
 
ddsack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3
Posts: 3,231
Default

Nice stuff, Ricky and Worth! I love natural all wood too!
__________________
Dee

**************
ddsack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #12
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

Very nice Worth. Is that one of those GoPro cameras clamped to the headboard?
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #13
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw View Post
Very nice Worth. Is that one of those GoPro cameras clamped to the headboard?
No it is the bottom of an old school lamp.
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #14
Hellmanns
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: kentucky
Posts: 1,116
Default

I built this Cherry library for a client a few years ago. A lot of the wood came from a big tree that a storm took down here on the farm back in '95.
Hellmanns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 13, 2015   #15
Ricky Shaw
Tomatovillian™
 
Ricky Shaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro
Posts: 1,910
Default

^ You my friend are a carpenter, I build boxes. Beautiful work.
Ricky Shaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:45 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★