Large planter advice.

GardenForums.com a friendly and growing community of gardeners. We feature a Garden Discussion Forum and Garden Photo Gallery. It's a fun and friendly place to talk with other gardeners, ask questions, share you knowledge, view and post photos and more! Whether you're a master gardener, or brand new to the hobby, you'll find something of interest here.



M

mikiejack

New Member
I have a 32 square meter area of wasted space, which is covered in awful concrete at the moment, and is looking rather scruffy. Tempted to get some large waist height wooden planters to grow more veg and plants.

Anyone have experience with planters like this? As they will be on the floor (to cover the concrete), will I have issues with drainage? If so, I imagine I could add a plastic greenhouse style roof.

I was planning on adding bark between the planters to tidy it up.

Thanks in advance
 
Please post some photos of the area!
They would really help us to visualize what you would like to do!
 
Hello Ron. Here's a picture. Not a great looking area, but the house was bought as a renovation project. I originally planned to cover in stone, but my wife came up with the planter idea, and I am becoming a keen gardener. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1339013327.861315.jpg
 
Good photo Mikie!
So the dimesions would be around 12ft wide by 20ft long!
Does that sound right?
I can see raise beds a good 24 inches high or a bit higher running along the left hand side of the photo, then another one 30 inches next to it and then smaller ones on the right hand side!
How does that sound to you?
 
That's pretty close, and an excellent guess. I measured in meters, and it is 4.3 wide x 8.0 meters long.

Sounds like a good plan, I just need to double check the sun coverage. I am actually tempted to build them myself, but it may be best to ask my joiner friend if I don't want to be woken in the night with a crash as one falls apart :)

Have you got any planters?
 
I live on the north shore of Lake Erie on 1/2 acre so no need for raised beds!
I did built rock retainings walls and made lots of gardens to keep me busy!

You can use treated lumber and line the beds with a heavy gauge plastic to prevent leaching!
The lumber can be braced and bolted together, it shouldn't be difficult to find a plan on how to do it (properly so you wont have to worry about it falling apart on you)!
I'd use a several inches of gravel for a base (for good drainage) with some garden fabric (covering the gravel) to prevent soil from washing down into the gravel base! Then fill the beds a good quality topsoil with well aged manure, peat moss and compost worked in, will meet your plants needs for healthy growth!
 
I did just this on a slightly smaller scale. Mine is 4'x7' and about 18" tall. I have it on a paver patio set over a concrete pad.

I used 2x4 untreated to build a frame and filled the inner area with 3/8" ply. I then sealed this off with linseed oil and fastened it with exterior deck screws. I don't trust treated lumber for edible gardens. There have been several studies going both ways on whether the copper will leach out of the wood and whether it will be absorbed by the plants. At least the new ACQ treated lumber is copper and not arsenic. You'll get a few more years, but not double the life time, for double the price of standard dimensional lumber.

It has been out in the yard for 3 full seasons now and starting on the 4th. There is no noticeable deterioration to it. I was just standing on the edges - one foot on either side - to harvest peas yesterday.

I would not go beyond 8 feet without braces in the center. If you do you'll start to bow out in the center as you don't have the ground to help hold it in.

I filled mine with straw bales and covered them with compost and planted into that. I did this to save money on the fill and it worked great.
 
Sounds a bit small Ron :)

Mr Yan - do you have any pictures? I am looking for ideas.

Thanks both for your advice so far.
 
Thanks crabber.
So right now I am thinking of having one of these as the centre piece, then corner shaped ones for the 4 corners. Covering the walk way between the planters with bark, then at the bottom part nearest the steps in gravel. Works out nicely as the gravel holding boxes, which I need to use to lay gravel on concrete safely are bordering on obscene in price per square meter.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1339090617.728883.jpg

What do you think?
 
I like the multiple box thing you posted MJ. I may use part of it if I can figure out where to put one.

Here is my bed:

bed_1.jpg



bed_2.jpg


This is a 2x4 frame with exterior 3/8" ply in the center. I then lined the edges with blue tarp. I am sure the tarp extended the life of the wood but am up in the air whether I would do it again or not. I did stain the wood and seal it with tongue oil or linseed oil - I can't remember which I had on hand. This is then screwed together with exterior grade deck screws.

This is sitting on paver stone patio which is over an old concrete pad.

The size is nominally 50" x 90" x 20" or 127 x 230 x 50 cm.

I used one 4x8' sheet of plywood and scrap 2x4's I had laying around.
 
My wife just pointed out that I had the year wrong. This is in the third season. Anyway there is no rot taking place in it. I checked for rot by digging back early this spring.
 
Way cool Mike! I have to show this to the husband person. Just what he needs....another project ;)

mr_yan,
very nice. As the body ages, I think more and more about not bending over so much. I could sit on the edge of that and work.
 
mr_yan said:
I like the multiple box thing you posted MJ. I may use part of it if I can figure out where to put one.

Here is my bed:

bed_1.jpg



bed_2.jpg


This is a 2x4 frame with exterior 3/8" ply in the center. I then lined the edges with blue tarp. I am sure the tarp extended the life of the wood but am up in the air whether I would do it again or not. I did stain the wood and seal it with tongue oil or linseed oil - I can't remember which I had on hand. This is then screwed together with exterior grade deck screws.

This is sitting on paver stone patio which is over an old concrete pad.

The size is nominally 50" x 90" x 20" or 127 x 230 x 50 cm.

I used one 4x8' sheet of plywood and scrap 2x4's I had laying around.
Click to expand...

Looks like you did well.


Crabbergirl said:
Way cool Mike! I have to show this to the husband person. Just what he needs....another project ;)
Click to expand...

I won't be making it myself, wouldn't look as nice as that. I am going to have the joiner varnish it in a lighter colour, as it is a little dark for my taste.
 
I like that you are thinking outside the box!
Looking forward to seeing your project as develops along!
Please post photos!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Gardenforums.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Back
Top