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Heartbroken said:
Ben have you used those planters for a while? The price is attractive but the presentation has that whole "cheap chinese junk" look to it. Is it sturdy enough to last?
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Good question!

I am trying to answer that question for myself.

My first and only box of that type is just fine therefore I elected to invest in a second.

The 8x4x2 are not easy to assemble by a single person. They are not designed to sit on their side which complicates assembly.

20230703_192940_HDR.jpg


I added a wood ledge to allow sitting or leaning AND provide a base for the protective cages.

The center of the 8 ft run there is maybe 3" bulge. That is limited by straps between the front and back.

Ask me again in a year and two. ;)

Ben
 
About to get a bunch of my seeds going this weekend.

Looking forward to the growing season! Think i'll just be starting some different types of peppers and then move on to other things next weekend.

I'm about to dig through this thread and see what everyone else will be growing! Love this kind of stuff!
 
Neb said:
Good question!

I am trying to answer that question for myself.

My first and only box of that type is just fine therefore I elected to invest in a second.

The 8x4x2 are not easy to assemble by a single person. They are not designed to sit on their side which complicates assembly.

View attachment 122893

I added a wood ledge to allow sitting or leaning AND provide a base for the protective cages.

The center of the 8 ft run there is maybe 3" bulge. That is limited by straps between the front and back.

Ask me again in a year and two. ;)

Ben
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that thing looks like a fortress!! What are you growing in there? I don't even have my weed that well protected :)
 
sonya123 said:
that thing looks like a fortress!! What are you growing in there? I don't even have my weed that well protected :)
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It is not what is inside but rather outside.

Deer
Ground hogs
Racoons
Rabbits
Shrews

The cages open like a clam shell to allow for weeding and harvest.

Ben
 
Bacpacker said:
What did you make the cages out of? I like the looks of them
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They look good but are just a flimsy prototype. Those use 1/2 inch aluminum angle stock. Next version will try 3/4 steel. I will pick-up weight but gain stiffness.

The cage is made of 1 inch wire cloth bent in a break and stitched together with Stainless safety wire. I have no plans to change that.

I used cheap and/or on hand hinges. I will use better hinges next time.

Ben
 
Neb said:
They look good but are just a flimsy prototype. Those use 1/2 inch aluminum angle stock. Next version will try 3/4 steel. I will pick-up weight but gain stiffness.

The cage is made of 1 inch wire cloth bent in a break and stitched together with Stainless safety wire. I have no plans to change that.

I used cheap and/or on hand hinges. I will use better hinges next time.

Ben
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Check supplies for rabbit cages... J-clip pliers, j-clips, aluminum stock. Read up on making them. I thought i knew how to work with hardware cloth before i got rabbits. I learned a lot more afterwards. Like how to use hardware cloth as a structural component. Double layer seams with jclips and you might not have to use heavier aluminum stock. :) Holding up about 20lbs of rabbit here.

Rabbits (2) a.jpg
 
Peanut said:
Check supplies for rabbit cages... J-clip pliers, j-clips, aluminum stock. Read up on making them. I thought i knew how to work with hardware cloth before i got rabbits. I learned a lot more afterwards. Like how to use hardware cloth as a structural component. Double layer seams with jclips and you might not have to use heavier aluminum stock. :) Holding up about 20lbs of rabbit here.

View attachment 123066
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Is that 1/2 or 1/4 mesh?

I want to allow pollinators to come and go freely.

I will keep your suggestion in mind.

Ben
 
Originally it was one big cage, had 1"x2" welded mesh which gave no support to the structure. It was too heavy for one man, and awkward. I needed it to be 3 cages and light enough to handle alone, with the rabbits still in it!

I'd never had rabbits or noticed jclips/tools at the farm supply. Clip are very handy items and cheap, dozens of uses.

This pic was early, not the lightest version. I started with dividers of 1/2" hcloth, used tie wraps at first. The bottoms were of 1x2 originally, poor choice for the floor. Especially with coyotes and raccoons around. It sagged, the rabbits clearly didn't like it, didn't support their feet very well. Since I had hcloth in the shop. Got to thinking, always dangerous! 🤪

I shaped a few pieces w/hammer and an 8" vice. Found i could use it structurally with the clips. I replaced heavy parts over time. Finally got it light enough to be manageable.


Rabbits (6)sm.jpg
 
Neb said:
It is not what is inside but rather outside.

Deer
Ground hogs
Racoons
Rabbits
Shrews

The cages open like a clam shell to allow for weeding and harvest.

Ben
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we have electric fencing around the gardens ( one of them is in the sheep pasture) , 4 strands of electric tape, rabbits get in anyway but they really don't much, I guess there is enough food for them everywhere here)
The livestock dog eats the groundhogs and we shoot the racoons ( chicken murderers)
 
I spent a good part of yesterday dividing up the lettuce, spinach, and tomato sprouts that were started in the basement growing station; after re-potting they were move to the greenhouse growing station.

I have been monitoring the greenhouse temperatures since I added the curtain going around the growing station. The outside temperature (Low) was 15F, the greenhouse (bulk) temperature was 38F, and the growing station low was 53F (high was 59). The grow-lights are timed to come on at 07:00 and shut off at 17:00 all the plants but the cucumber are doing well out there, before I added the curtain between the growing station and the interior of the greenhouse the cucumber saw a couple of cold nights and that may have ended it.. Only time will tell.

I now have 2 types of greenhouse tomatoes started from store tomatoes, I am curious to find out how they do.

The 2 remaining Siam tomatoes in the basement growing station now have fruit on them. They are 4th generation and have lost much of their dwarf traits but seem to continue to self pollinate well.

The outdoor raised beds have about a foot of snow on their lids, when the weather came in there was lettuce, spinach, onions, parsley, and broccoli growing in them, once the snow melts off I'll find out how things went for the plants... :)

FYI, the garden solar panels have continued providing about 75% of the power for the growing station grow lights, I have brushed the snow off twice, but that's it.

The snow has completely covered the onions and garlic, I'm hoping that they are okay.

Have a great day.
 
UrbanHunter said:
I spent a good part of yesterday dividing up the lettuce, spinach, and tomato sprouts that were started in the basement growing station; after re-potting they were move to the greenhouse growing station.

I have been monitoring the greenhouse temperatures since I added the curtain going around the growing station. The outside temperature (Low) was 15F, the greenhouse (bulk) temperature was 38F, and the growing station low was 53F (high was 59). The grow-lights are timed to come on at 07:00 and shut off at 17:00 all the plants but the cucumber are doing well out there, before I added the curtain between the growing station and the interior of the greenhouse the cucumber saw a couple of cold nights and that may have ended it.. Only time will tell.

I now have 2 types of greenhouse tomatoes started from store tomatoes, I am curious to find out how they do.

The 2 remaining Siam tomatoes in the basement growing station now have fruit on them. They are 4th generation and have lost much of their dwarf traits but seem to continue to self pollinate well.

The outdoor raised beds have about a foot of snow on their lids, when the weather came in there was lettuce, spinach, onions, parsley, and broccoli growing in them, once the snow melts off I'll find out how things went for the plants... :)

FYI, the garden solar panels have continued providing about 75% of the power for the growing station grow lights, I have brushed the snow off twice, but that's it.

The snow has completely covered the onions and garlic, I'm hoping that they are okay.

Have a great day.
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I'm curious about the 'from store tomatoes ' do, please keep us posted!
 
Update on my tomato experiment.
The 2 Canadian greenhouse organic cherry tomatoes that I squeezed the seeds from into 2 starting containers produced close to 100 seedlings (I have divided them into smaller clumps, but will have to thin them out more).

The single USA greenhouse grape tomato (seeds squeezed into 1 starter cup in the same manner as above) produced 7 seedlings, I will let them grow another couple of weeks before moving the best into growing containers.

As for the difference between the two yields, I don't know if it's an organic vs hybrid, a cherry vs grape, or a Canada vs USA thing, but there was definitely a clear difference. Eh.. ;)
 
UrbanHunter said:
Update on my tomato experiment.
The 2 Canadian greenhouse organic cherry tomatoes that I squeezed the seeds from into 2 starting containers produced close to 100 seedlings (I have divided them into smaller clumps, but will have to thin them out more).

The single USA greenhouse grape tomato (seeds squeezed into 1 starter cup in the same manner as above) produced 7 seedlings, I will let them grow another couple of weeks before moving the best into growing containers.

As for the difference between the two yields, I don't know if it's an organic vs hybrid, a cherry vs grape, or a Canada vs USA thing, but there was definitely a clear difference. Eh.. ;)
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I let 2 Red Bull onions (a hybrid) go to seed the second year. Grew the seeds the next year. Very poor germination rate. Those that did grow were not like Red Bull. Some where actually yellow.

I don't entertain propagating any hybrids now.

Ben
 
Sunny outside....put cutting in ground to propagate red and black currants and some 'marge' elderberry cuttings too.

Messed with apple seeds i have saved as well as a few i bought from skillcult.

P1000639.JPG
 
My garlic and onions on the south side of the house are about 9" tall now, I hope they make it through the next 2 months...

The tomato experiment has reached a sad day, I will be culling about 50 sprouts as I only have room for about 10 plants.

I have been planting sprouted potatoes in plastic bins, they are small enough that when it gets warmer I can move them outside and add soil. The raised beds still have a nice salad going, I currently have parsley and thyme growing in a half dozen places each. The outdoor basil didn't make it but the plant in the greenhouse is doing okay...

The greenhouse cucumber seeds I planted are almost ready to be subdivided into larger individual containers. The indoor growing station maintains its temperature well enough for the cuc's indoors, but the greenhouse growing station gets too cold (I lost a plant to prove it).

The green onions that are growing in the covered raised beds are now almost the size of leeks! We have been eating them all winter but just not fast enough. The Brussels Sprouts appear to have made it through January, they look sad, but are putting on nice little fruits. I wish I had planted them in a place that gets more winter sun like the covered raised beds or the beds on the south side of the house.

Yesterday I received an order of seeds, mostly small/dwarf varieties that we may be able to rotate through the kitchen and front window planter shelves.

The modified ebb/flow starter trays are doing well, I only have to turn on the pump(s) once or twice a week (and even then it's less than a minute). I placed the bulkhead fittings about midway up the front of the starter trays and connected them to a manifold that is connected to the pumps in the water storage container on the bottom shelf, each shelf has its own pump and control switch. When I run the pump it fills up the trays and then drains back until there is about an inch of water remaining that the plants can use. I wait until the water is almost all gone before watering again in an attempt to avoid root rot.
 
We picked all the remaining parsnips yesterday before they flush. It’s been so warm the last week I was worried they would go. Ended up canning 14 quarts, that is a mess of parsnips for 1/3 of a raised bed considering how many we already had in meals this winter. I will get my onion, leek, and shallot seeds planted this weekend in the starter trays. We also trimmed all the fruit trees yesterday. The apricot tree needed a serious haircut. Most the others just needed a little trim. I also filled a two year old large tree stump with mushroom spores. Hubby cut deep lines all through it so I could fill it up and smush the sawdust back in the cuts around the wood plugs. It’s been a pretty productive way to get a mess of oyster mushrooms for a few years in other stumps we have. Being in a desert tends to slow down how fast they produce and what time of the year they fruit, but it’s been a great experiment that actually went right!
 
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