getting a jump on spring

[majorcatfish]

well there goes the boat idea again, going to rebuild 4 of the beds. lumber,metal stakes,screws,black kow,etc..... ka ching.
going to be deliver on friday afternoon or sat morning....

 

[journey11]

Nice work. I am so very jealous! I wish I could get outside and get that much done in an afternoon.

Set posts first....then plant vines. I am going to have to remember that!

 

[the1honeycomb]

Hello Major looks like we are on the same walk!! Took me several days to get one of my raised beds. Leaned up did t garden last year but I have carrots onions and tomatoes planted  hooty hoo. Hope to get atleast one more box going this weekend I may just have my son burn them. Looking good was always I sure am y those beds!!

 

[ducks4you]

well there goes the boat idea again, going to rebuild 4 of the beds. lumber,metal stakes,screws,black kow,etc..... ka ching.
going to be deliver on friday afternoon or sat morning....

Do you till first, and then put up the sides of your beds? I got tired of digging into the corners and sides of my beds and just tore them all apart last Fall. I burned the rotten wood and put aside the good stuff.
NOW I'm prepping the soil, raking into a mound, then pounding in wooden stakes
http://www.lowes.com/pd_348946-199-...roductId=3387820&selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=[com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%404c4a4c4a]&storeNumber=0080&kpid=3387820&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-LumberAndBuildingMaterials-_-SiltFence-_-3387820%3A&CAWELAID=&CAWELAID=1023772845
on the outsides of the sides and on the insides of the 8 ft. long 2 x 6's to secure them.
I'm going to be tearing them all apart every year.
Even with amending the soil, it compacts along the sides and corners and I just get weeds.

 

[majorcatfish]

@ducks4you will be replacing 4 of 6 beds that i made back in 2013 so this will be a first for me... but the plan is..

remove the outside wooden supports, remove the dirt from around each corner, unscrew the corners, remove the wood. if everything goes to plan with the 1st one will have already have a new frame built and should slip right into place...fingers crossed on this.

had a couple years to think about the way i did the outside supports<always have to battle weeds in the corners of them> so this time around going to use, 24" steel rebar pins.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_9883-80032-831947_0__?productId=4008157&Ntt=
and screw them to the sides, yes in the short term it's a little more money ,but in the long term will be able to reuse<since made out of steel> them for many many more years...may have to modify them by count-sinking the hole to except a screw rather than a nail.. rather have the screw head flush than sticking out... plus think will be a whole lot easier to weed wack around them....

as for the corners doing 2x4 treated lumber, since that's one of the weak link's in all the beds here...

once the new beds are in place then will amend the soil with black kow and 13-13-13. and proceed tilling and popping seeds into them. old man winter has lost it's grip around here and really i am behind seeding cool weather crops...

@ducks4you a great soil amender is black kow

http://www.lowes.com/pd_92129-1321-00051524602218_0__?productId=3047339&Ntt=

as of now your lowes store is out,but
danville has 54 bags
bloomington has 219 bags
terre haute has 143 bags

of course gypsum is a great amendment to add as well. worth reading..
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/using-gypsum-in-garden.htm

http://www.allotment-garden.org/compost-fertiliser/gypsum-garden-use.php

it might a couple years to get the full benefit if it..but gypsum will not mess with your soils ph and it adds some key soil nutrients...

you have time to amend your garden young lady, make this 2016 season the best you ever had....

 

[majorcatfish]

Hello Major looks like we are on the same walk!! Took me several days to get one of my raised beds. Leaned up did t garden last year but I have carrots onions and tomatoes planted  hooty hoo. Hope to get atleast one more box going this weekend I may just have my son burn them. Looking good was always I sure am y those beds!!

well where have you been?? how are your blackberries doing?

 

[majorcatfish]

figure i better take a couple before the dw takes the camera to the gso civil war re enactment tomorrow...

did some prep work removed the hoops,plastic, blocks pulled all the weeds in every bed. weed eated and raked the whole area. dig around all the corners of the beds that are going to be replaced.

sorry for the blur

one bed is going to be a witch since it has learned over a bit..

till someone can prove to me that pressure treated lumber is 100% safe for a raised bed vegetable garden,will stick with replacing the beds every 3-4 years with yellow pine,,,,!!!!!

on a good note some of the children have sprouted...
lettuce,kale,bok chio and Brussels sprouts are up

yeah they are really back they in the bur...truth me...

 

[Mauldintiger]

Major, looks like the long range forecast out til March 20 is good. I may risk an extra early tomato or two. What do you think?

 

[majorcatfish]

Major, looks like the long range forecast out til March 20 is good. I may risk an extra early tomato or two. What do you think?

if it was was me... id go for it....

 

[majorcatfish]

big day today....
peas are in the ground planted double the amount a row on each side of the soaker hose....can check that off the list.

while waiting for lowes to show up decided to do a quick till in the main garden...of course they showed up while doing it..
if the rain holds off might run it thought it again tomorrow..

this will be the last time i use lowes store #2996 in mayodan nc....
while running the tiller i looked over while they where unloading.. shut off the till mid pass and walked over to them, told them i was not excepting warped lumber... picked though what they already dropped found 2 other pieces that were warped and they shorted me 1 rebar pin..... told them to take back the warped lumber and replace it plus missing the pin....

finished up tilling got to work and replaced 2 of 4 beds, spread 25 bags of black kow,13-13-13 and went to town with the cultivator, so have have 5 beds ready to start popping seeds..... hopefully get to do that tomorrow morning.

my sson was a big help lugging the new beds into place..... as he said the "new beds fit like a glove"....
really like the rebar pins compared to the 2x4.. might not have to screw them, their pounded down a foot.

this old fart is tired from today's play time...... it's beer 30