[jrko]

Just a thought Shieldsy but if your beds are resting or just a few inches into the ground theres no need for corner posts and a post 3ft in.

As long as the planks meet at the corners the posts 3ft in will easily support the plank 3ft with side of it (including end sections).  Just screw the sides to the ends or vice versa.  Like this the corners will still be the strongest part of the bed.

Saves of wood and effort

[Trillium]

I didn't do corner posts either on my 2 x 6's, but I did small interior ones for 2nd levels that I can move about, otherwise the dratted things fall off with a small touch 

I did make compost bins the exact same way, dividing an 8 ft length into 3 even pieces. The interior corner pieces lock the stack in place and I can adjust the height as needed, or remove to turn the compost. The bottom levels have no corner pieces, just lots of weight from above. If you're worried about rodents burrowing into the beds, set down a layer of wire mesh, like weldmesh, that they can't chew through but worms can access.

[Shieldsy]

Thanks again all,

Am hoping for a dry Sunday so I can crack on and get as much done as possible 

Cheers,

Al

[Mrs Bee]

What a brilliant idea with the blue hoops and frames Wavertree. Wow. this one is going onto the favourites to be shown to OH. He of the DIY abilities.

I am the seed, weed, plant and cook abilties.

OH has made brilliant raised beds which we can add more sides to make them higher  in future years, as we add more compost, and have been talking about a way to attach mesh to keep insects out but easy access for us. Yours look splendid.

[Wavertree Red]

What a brilliant idea with the blue hoops and frames Wavertree. Wow. this one is going onto the favourites to be shown to OH. He of the DIY abilities.

I am the seed, weed, plant and cook abilties.

OH has made brilliant raised beds which we can add more sides to make them higher  in future years, as we add more compost, and have been talking about a way to attach mesh to keep insects out but easy access for us. Yours look splendid.

Thanks Mrs Ball.

Yeah I too wanted them to be easy access. As they are 8 feet long it would have been awkward to manoeuvre them single handed hence hinging them seemed logical. They stay open with the help of a small chain - just visible on the pics.  As I've got the day off work today I went up there armed with the Veggie mesh.  Laid them out, staple gun at the ready then noticed they looked a bit short. Measured them and realised the supplier had cut both pieces to 320cm instead of 400cm. Fuming isn't the word. A few expletives later I phoned the supplier and they're sending the correct size out today. 

After attaching them I'm going to put batons around the point where I've stapled to protect the mesh.  Also going to leave a few inches over hang around each edge.  Theres a lot of timber involved and if I hadn't gotten it for free I don't think I could justify it but I've enjoyed making them - even if I do owe a mate a new cordless drill, whoops.

I'll put a picture or two up when they're done.

[Wavertree Red]

Thanks again all,

Am hoping for a dry Sunday so I can crack on and get as much done as possible  

Cheers,

Al

Excellent. Post a pic of your efforts if possible.  Oh and if it's the thick scaffold boards take a decent rip saw as they're tough going.

[Wavertree Red]

Managed to finish two of the cages.  How did you get on Shieldsy?

[compostqueen]

Don't forget you can add building, grit or sharp sand to your beds to save on soil and compost.  Manures can go in, spent hops, homemade compost, kitchen compost etc, leafmould.   I made mine 12' long as if you make them too long you'll end up taking a short cut across the bed 

[Shieldsy]

Hi all,

Well I managed to get 4 built and 3 partially built before a cold beer came calling :-)

I am hoping to get more done this weekend but the forecast isn't great so we'll have to wait and see.

Have done a fair bit of seraching for somone who does topsoil/compost and found http://www.grabloader.co.uk/ (Anyone used these before?) who deliver 18 tonnes of topsoil for around £200 or for a compost/topsoil mix its around £350........now 18 tonnes is more than my drive will take or I think I'll need so am now trying to see if they'll do smaller deliveries.

Once I have finished, which may be a couple of weeks off yet, I will post some pics.

Cheers all,

Al

[Trillium]

Wavertree, is that fine netting on that hoops, or poly sheeting?

[Mrs Bee]

Is that an allotment or do you have a big garden?

If it is your allotment, i am really jealous. Ours is a right tip, on a hill with very few paths except the ones we have made ourself and several of the plots are not worked so we fight with the brambles, grass and weeds from the other plots. No one from the council seems to bother with maintaining it.
Yours look just brill

[Wavertree Red]

Wavertree, is that fine netting on that hoops, or poly sheeting?

It's Veggiemesh Trillium.  Found it a lot cheaper than Enviromesh for the size I wanted and its the same stuff. I will beat the carrot fly  .

[Wavertree Red]

Is that an allotment or do you have a big garden?

If it is your allotment, i am really jealous. Ours is a right tip, on a hill with very few paths except the ones we have made ourself and several of the plots are not worked so we fight with the brambles, grass and weeds from the other plots. No one from the council seems to bother with maintaining it.
Yours look just brill

It's my plot.  Wasnt always like it is now, taken three years  . The area not shown behind the raised beds isn't so well looked after as there's massive leilandii trees from the adjoining gardens blocking the sun, basically the DIY and compost area.  Growing area is 40' x 30' - big enough for now.  I don't have a garden hence the enthusiasm in maintaining it.  The plots back on to gardens and a lot of the holders have managed to get the plot that directly backs on to their own garden so most are well maintained.  Our association have a lot of power tools including mowers and rotavators which help.  Our council do zilch except come around with a clipboard one a year hoping theyve turned in to a jungle so they can sell them off!

[Mrs Bee]

You have done really well   I look forward to the day ours looks like that.
We aren't doing too badly consideringhow long we have had ours and it was head high in brambles and thick sticky clay.

We also have a garden to take care of and develop as well, so we have to split the time.

Back garden isn't as pretty as it should be since we concentrated on growing the veggies.

I was taken to task about it recently by my son So will have to pull my socks up.

SOOOOOO impressed by yours tho' We could do with a few more people like you on our allotment.