Easy and cheap vertical frame - square foot gardening

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After debating for a time on how to build cheap and effective vertical growing frames for my square foot gardens (4' x 4' ea), I went to the local concrete plant (where I also work, but that's something else) and bought 2 twenty foot 3/8" rebarr. I had them bend them, leaving two 7 1/2' legs and a 5 foot top bar. (think squared up horseshoe). I also bought one 80 lb bag of quick-crete. ($3/ea for rebarr, $2.80 for quick-crete- $8.80 total minus tax)

We dug down one foot on each side of the N. end of our beds, then pushed the rebarr legs another 6 inches in, then used about 1/4 of the quick-crete mix in each hole, let it set, then filled in the rest of the whole with dirt. This should leave you 6 feet of vertical growing space, with 1 1/2 ft of each leg buried in the concrete and dirt. I'm using twine to custom make my growing frame centers. I used this method to put up two vertical frames for two beds.

So, if anyone is looking for a cheap fix for your bed, this is cheaper than Mel's suggestions, unless you can find something for free. Hope this helps someone else as well. :-) It took us 20 minutes to dig holes, mix concrete, and put the rebarr up for two beds.

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), May 21, 2001

Answers

I've got to find something strong for my tomatoe rows. Last year I had T-posts every 5 feet with heavy wire strung. The tomatoes get so tall and heavy it makes the T-posts just lean over. The rows are about 50 feet long. I need something real strong, but I didn't know if cement would be a welcome thing in my raised rows. We have a hard pan out there under the rows. I want to make permanant real wood like fences made out of branches down the rows, but can't really figure out how just yet, I would have to sink them very deep. Like poles I quess. I need to do this soon, the tomatoes are allready in.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), May 22, 2001.

Sounds great. Something I tried was to cut a couple of small saplings that needed to be thinned out anyway and stretch a rope across them for a vertical. On the subject of concrete. I am considering using it to make my walkways out of next year.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 24, 2001.

Last month in my Sunset magazine they used an old ladder for growing vining crops, from peas and beans to cucumbers to baby pumpkins. It looked real nice too, gave the garden style. I find them once in a while at our thrift store.

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), May 24, 2001.

well my 2 younger ones are still using it, but in about 6 years that swingset is all mine!! whatdyathink? fred

-- fred in wi (sixuvusmeyers@aol.com), May 25, 2001.

I use rebar for my bean poles (I sink them into the ground using a hammer and make teepees by lashing them together with baling twine.) Great idea you have for the other crops. I may try it, although I don't think I want to use concrete. I may use a combination of pier blocks or something...don't want to have anything permanent or anything that I might run into while digging.

Thanks for posting.

-- sheepish (the_original_sheepish@hotmail.com), May 27, 2001.



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