Tag Archives: raised bed trellis

Finished Raised Garden Bed

A finished raised garden bed is most satisfying. First because I really missed having it for winter greens. Second because it’s a big project completed.

That huge hole swallowed a lot of dirt and compost. I put it down in layers two to three inches thick. The dirt has a lot of sand in it, but adding more compost over the years will fix that.

As soon as the dirt was in, the temptation to plant took over. Spinach, lettuce, winter radishes, Chinese cabbage and bok choi seeds went in. Only two rows fit so each is a third of a row.

tent stake as tie down
The tent stakes are driven between the rock layers. I plan on tying baling twine to the hook on one side, over the plastic and to a hook on the other side. As I found with the shade house/greenhouse, a twine is tied between these about in the middle of each side. Using slip knots on one side would allow those twines to be untied releasing the plastic on warm days and retied for night protection.

August may seem early to plant fall crops as it is supposed to be hot and dry. That has changed. Fall weather now comes and goes in August.

The finished raised garden bed wasn’t really finished once it was filled with dirt. The winter greens may take a lot of cold, but there is a limit. Protection is a must.

The next step was putting in the two posts, one at each end. They are eight feet tall. I am five feet tall. Post drivers are heavy.

Between a step stool, the bed stone walls, leaning the posts over to start with, the post driver got onto the posts. Once the post was driven in, the driver was down just enough to shove it off onto the ground.

Old electric fence wire was wrapped between the posts every six inches starting a foot over the bed. The ends are duct taped. Plastic is slipped over a wire at the desired height.

finished raised bed
The trellis for the raised garden bed is from an idea in “Straw Bale Gardening” and is two posts with a brace between the tops. Smooth wire is wrapped between the posts every six inches from a foot over the bed to as high as you or the posts want. They do work for vines as is. They also allow for easy plastic covering slipped over the wires. The wire used can change as the plants get bigger. It’s easy to slide the plastic back on warm days. The biggest problem I found was securing the bottom of the plastic. I hope the tent stakes in the bottom tier of rocks will allow me to use baling twine over the plastic. Wind gets in under the plastic and puffs it out until it is blown off.

In the past I’ve used old lumber to secure the ends. This is not a great solution.

This time I bought some metal tent stakes and secured them in the stone wall. Baling twine will tie down the plastic to keep the wind from tearing it off.

Now I have a finished raised garden bed. And the first seedlings are visible.

Garden produce is entered in rural county fairs as in “Mistaken Promises.”