500 Gallon Raised Beds in the Foothills 2015

[Backyard Farmer]

You still need to brace the cage or it'll flop in high wind

 

[StanKDanK]

You still need to brace the cage or it'll flop in high wind

we are planning on using 8ft tposts to support the cage.
how many posts per cage do you think ?

 

[Shcrews]

we are planning on using 8ft tposts to support the cage.
how many posts per cage do you think ?

just one is fine. all you are doing is securing the cage to the ground. we use bailing wire to tie the cage to the anchoring post.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

haha i have a pic somewhere from a friends garden where the remesh cage collapsed and took half the plant with it…definately anchor those bitches!

 

[Shcrews]

last year during a windstorm one of our cages was tipped off the ground and the whole plant went with it, that was before we anchored them

 

[StanKDanK]

^^we had our fair share of cage disasters on the farm last year too lol
they will be more secure this year.. live and learn

 

[StanKDanK]

4/19

4/19

 

[Noonin NorCal]

That perlite looks pretty fine, is it mixed throughout the medium that way or is it just top dressed? I been using chunky perlite

 

[sacramental]

Oh Yeah, lookin real proper. I need to make a makeshift greenhouse for next year.

 

[StanKDanK]

That perlite looks pretty fine, is it mixed throughout the medium that way or is it just top dressed? I been using chunky perlite

its #3 grade perlite and its mixed throughout the soil but alot of it rises to the top when i water the pots.

 

[sacramental]

I love how you have your greenhouse raised up on the blocks. Does that help with airflow? Im thinking of making one myself as soon as I have the funds. Any of your babies spittin hairs or sacks yet?

 

[WeetisPotPie]

Pulling up a seat, little late to the party. Best of luck this season. Looks like lots of work but with that view I'd be outside all the time anyway.

 

[Azure]

You're living my dream!

 

[Backyard Farmer]

last year during a windstorm one of our cages was tipped off the ground and the whole plant went with it, that was before we anchored them

I think I warned you that was possible too.

I just use a couple bamboo poles if my outer support is a cage but I like cages for when they're small letting them grow out of it and netting them at the right Time for their stretch to not need much more support than that one cage and a wrap and cap with 4 t posts..

 

[Team Microbe]

Great thread!! I'm pullin up a chair for this one...

 

[Team Microbe]

p.s. using rice hulls, pumice, or lava rock is a great alternative to perlite since it doesn't raise to the top or prohibit the harboring of microorganisms

 

[HatchBrew]

p.s. using rice hulls, pumice, or lava rock is a great alternative to perlite since it doesn't raise to the top or prohibit the harboring of microorganisms

The worms dig the rice hulls too! 50# bag for 7-ish dollars. Winery supplies usually have em the cheapest.

 

[Team Microbe]

The worms dig the rice hulls too! 50# bag for 7-ish dollars. Winery supplies usually have em the cheapest.

You betcha

 

[StanKDanK]

I love how you have your greenhouse raised up on the blocks. Does that help with airflow? Im thinking of making one myself as soon as I have the funds. Any of your babies spittin hairs or sacks yet?

the main reason we built the greenhouse on blocks is to prevent the wood frame from having direct contact with the ground. it does provide some extra airflow. we also have 2x6ft window vent that we prop open to let heat out when it gets hotter.
I havent tried to sex them yet but i havent noticed any balls or pistils so far. last year it was easy to tell the sex on most of them by early May.

Pulling up a seat, little late to the party. Best of luck this season. Looks like lots of work but with that view I'd be outside all the time anyway.

yeah its a sweet property. i love living in the mountains.

I think I warned you that was possible too.
I just use a couple bamboo poles if my outer support is a cage but I like cages for when they're small letting them grow out of it and netting them at the right Time for their stretch to not need much more support than that one cage and a wrap and cap with 4 t posts..

we used bamboo last year so i have a bunch of bamboo poles i could reuse to anchor the cages along with single 8ft tpost

p.s. using rice hulls, pumice, or lava rock is a great alternative to perlite since it doesn't raise to the top or prohibit the harboring of microorganisms

thats good info..I looked into that but the perlite route ended up being the most economical way for us to go. we will be topdressing all the pots with lots of earth worm castings. we get our ewc in bulk @ 200/yard to feed the microbeasties

The worms dig the rice hulls too! 50# bag for 7-ish dollars. Winery supplies usually have em the cheapest.

we are in wine country so thats good news

 

[mendo-local]

Just got my soil test back and I think I understand most of it but my ph. was 7.5.... High like yours. Did you ever get a 2nd test or figure out what to do about it?