What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

Perfect!

I have had success along those lines with something like this Google pic....

View attachment 3565703

I just used some 2X2's for the frame and tacked on some chicken wire. It keeps the rabbits and deer out of the raised bed. Most of my raised beds are 4X4 feet, so no big deal to lift it off if/when I need to. However, most of the time, the cage sits on top of the raised bed for weeks, if not months, after I set it up.

If you have longer, bigger, raised beds, you could attach the cage frame to the raised bed with some hinges and prop it up with a board when you need to get inside.

What I like about the lift off cage approach is that the same cage will fit on any of my other 4X4 raised beds. I often move my plants from year to year into different beds, so the cage just get puts on the bed where I need to protect those plants.

I could see that if you have a larger raised bed, maybe some heavier, more permanent 2X4 framing with removable panels would work better. In any case, it looks like it might be an excellent use of pallet wood 2X4's or other reclaimed lumber.

The deer have never pushed off one of my cages to get to the plants, but if they did, I'd just add some hinges and/or hooks to lock the cage down on to the raised bed.

I know in my case, it was much easier and more cost effective to protect my raised beds with a chicken wire cage where needed instead of trying to put up fencing to

 

[CNJ]

I wasn't sure if comfrey could grow in the tropics, since the direction says to put them in water and leave them in the ice box for 48 hours.

The seeds pushed out a tiny white shoot after 48 hours, I transfered them to a seed tray and kept it on a heat mat for 14 days and nothing came up, so I kind of gave up and place the seed tray outside in direct sun,

I kept the seed tray moist and they just started to sprout.

I thought daikon radishes grow over a foot long. Would they even grow in a shallow pot?

They have a tendency to grow above the ground level, about half stays in the ground and the other half above. But I made a mistake, its a 7 gallon pot about 15 inches deep. By the way, you are talking to someone who forgets where he parks his car after coming out of the grocery store.

 

[CNJ]

I'm going to try building 4 foot tall welded wire fence panels that will sit on the top edge of each raised bed. Two panels on each side, removable for access to the plants, fixed panels on each of the narrow bed ends.

I stuck a skinny 6ft bambo stake in four corners of my 4x4 bed and wrapped a cheap plastic bird netting around it. I used wooden close pins to hold them in place. It works for chickens, but I am not sure if it will discourage deers?

 

[Acre4Me]

No... I hadn't thought of that. What about black weed block cloth? I have a fair amount of that, but no plastic, other than garbage bags.

How do you keep the plastic from blowing away? I'd have to hold down the entire edge to keep it down.

I used the weed block fabric to try to pre-warm the soil. I took it up when I got the email I'd get my plants delivered on Thursday (can't recall the date). Except I got them the following Monday, thanks to UPS.

Rocks and boards hold down the plastic. We use rolls that are 4’ wide x50’ long, cut to length. Once the slips arrive, then we cut an X in the plastic add the slip into a quickly dug hole, then add the PVC rings. The wind sometimes pulls up this or that bit, so a rock gets placed there.

Black cloth would still help I think! Maybe the plastic holds in Moisture too, but hearing up the soil is one key part for us northerners growing sweet potatoes.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Soggy, soggy day again. We’ve got over 4 inches of rain over the past few days. We are supposed to get nearly another inch in the next 24 hours. The traditional barbecued ribs are going into the oven. Happy Birthday America.

 

[Smokerbill]

Two of my beds are 15 feet long and over 5 feet wide. They have trellises (tomatoes, beans), so a removable "box" type cover wouldn't work. Removable side panels the way to go.

Another bed is something like 14x14 feet.

The smallest raised be is between 3 and 4 feet wide, about 14 feet long.

Got the end framing in place on one bed, and it's ready for the welded wire fencing.

Ate a big steak, took a little break, and now it's time to go back to work.

 

[Sally PB]

I felt the wrath of a yellow jacket today. To be fair, I did shove a trowel into its nest.

That was the end of my very productive weeding session. It was going well, I didn't want to quit, and BOOM! on my right index finger. I ran back to the house and put some baking soda on it. It hurts a little bit (I know it's there), but NO swelling! I'm surprised!

 

[Sally PB]

I made it rain! It's POURING right now because...

You guessed it. I have laundry on the line. Second rinse.

 

[TJAnonymous]

It's Happy Hatchday here for my Merriweather! She's 9 today and still as crazy and spry as always.View attachment 3565683
View attachment 3565684

You should submit that bottom Pic for POW

 

[Smokerbill]

OK, so here's what I'm working around. Staked determinate tomatoes and indeterminate tomatoes climbing up ropes. I got the entire framework around the bed completed.

I will cut sections of the welded wire fencing and staple it in place on the 5+ foot wide ends. No need to access from the ends, so that'll work. Plus it will add a little more stability to the structure.

I need to build 4 frames approximately 7.5 feet long by 4 feet high to attach the wire fencing onto. These will be the removable side panels.

I should be able to get this bed's protection finished by the end of the day, and maybe get a start on the next bed. But this bed is the most important because it has my tomatoes and butterbush winter squash. It's too late to start over with those plants if the deer decide to totally ruin them.

I could cover the structure with plastic if I want to make a greenhouse for cold weather. Rig up a slanted roof of some kind.