Cave City, AR on May 09, 2012

Red Neck Raised Bed

This bed is 10 feet long by 4 feet wide. It is 3 feet deep. I used a scoop shovel and my JD lawn mower and trailer to haul composted horse manure to fill the bed. Yes, it took a lot of it to fill the bed. I have yet to come up with a trellis to hold the cukes, squash, gourds and tomatoes. Any great ideas?

32 Comments Displaying 25 of 32 comments | See Previous

Jamie M Cave City, AR

Thank you Marsha.

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
Kathy R Rocky Point, NC

Just get tomato stakes and some rope. Should work.

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
Kathy M Arlington, TX

I love it!!!

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

being tall like that I hope the soil weight does not "bow" out the sides much. That is one common problem with raised beds. You might be on to something with this metal use.

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
Brenda R Salado, TX

I could see myself painting this tin with garden slogans. Is this area large enough for watermelon vines? We have them and they spread all over the garden and the watermelons get heavy also. I hope this area holds it all. May need to re-enforce it from time to time. I love your idea though.

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
Jamie M Cave City, AR

The year my husband passed away we had a commercial water melon patch. I was still picking and selling melons up to frost. The town I live in has a water melon festival every summer.
What can I do with paint to make the tin look better?

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
Jamie M Cave City, AR

I have thought about that happening as the dirt starts settling as I water it and it rains on it. The tin is screwed to the cedar posts and they are sunk about 1.5 feet. I might need to add more posts before it has a chance to bulge. Thanks.

on May 10, 2012 · Like 0
SheilaG, Plum Doodles Acworth, GA

Jamie, you should go check out Donna's Funky Junk blog, http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ She uses old junk in all her decorating, inside and out, very cool stuff. You'll find lots of inspiration there. Personally, I think your tin looks good as is, very rustic charming.

on May 10, 2012 · Like 2
Nancy Rhodes C Bessemer, AL

Did your Red Neck bed have to be completely filled with dirt? That's a lot of dirt isn't it??? Would love to have one of these.

on May 11, 2012 · Like 0
Jamie M Cave City, AR

I left about 10 inches of space below the tin. I figure it will take a lot more dirt in the next year as it settles from watering it and rain fall. It was easy enough to make with all the materials coming from my place. The dirt took half a day to haul from my horse lot using my lawn mower and trailer. I have bigger muscles now from using a scoop shovel.

on May 11, 2012 · Like 1
Donna McCrummen Bernardsville, NJ

I want one just to irritate my neighbor

on May 11, 2012 · Like 3
Jamie M Cave City, AR

I live in a rural area on a one lane dead end gravel road. No neighbors to be bother.

on May 14, 2012 · Like 0
Nancy Rhodes C Bessemer, AL

Jamie, I got tired of tomato stakes rotting so I bought long galvanized water pipes and had them cut in half at lowes. I had someone drill three holes all the way through the pipes where I can thread good strong string. After a rain I pounded them deep into the ground. I have four tomato plants with one metal stake each. Today I plan to buy more pipes today as I would like three around each tomato plant since tomatoes plants grow hung in the South.
- 1
on May 15, 2012 · Like 0
Jamie M Cave City, AR

Thanks for sharing a great idea. I am hoping my plants do good enough to need staking.

on May 15, 2012 · Like 0
Helen O'Brien Belton, MO

reminds me of growing up in SE Kansas.

on Feb 03, 2013 · Like 1
Wona Chennault Benton, AR

i bet galvinized pipe with holes drilled in it would work too

on Feb 25, 2013 · Like 0
Lorraine Staszek Oak Park, MI

For vertical trellus, use metal or wood 2x2 for poles amd staple or clamp chickem wire on it. Place them in the rear of the planter and let the plants climb. Put support stakes every 3-4 feet. Love your idea of a raised bed. I can't get on the ground anymore either.

on Mar 02, 2013 · Like 3
Jamie M Cave City, AR

Thanks Lorraine. This is a great idea. I will give it a try.

on Mar 04, 2013 · Like 0
Caroline Pfeiffer Gresham, OR

People that have tomatoes can also use tomato cages that work really well and you can always tie up the branches. I use them all the time and the branches stay off the ground. A lot of nurseries have them and so do catalogs.

on Apr 20, 2013 · Like 1
Jenni Cefalu Milwaukee, WI

I use peony cages for my 'maters because they get so big & heavy. Tomato cages are just too flimsy.

on Apr 21, 2013 · Like 0
Eileen Millsap Kansas City, MO

Cattle panels make great trellis for tomatoes, cukes, & etc. Held up with T posts, they can handle just about anything! My husband cut them in half with a welder, I think.
BTW, I like your idea :)

on Apr 21, 2013 · Like 2
Nancy Rhodes C Bessemer, AL

I gave my tomato cages to the bell peppers.

on Apr 22, 2013 · Like 1
Caroline Pfeiffer Gresham, OR

I love all these ideas that people have.

on Apr 24, 2013 · Like 0
Gayle P. Cantonment, FL

Now we are talking. lol

on May 01, 2013 · Like 0
Catherine Smith Fredericksburg, VA

Clever, clever! Love the idea and might be able to afford this kind of raised bed sides. LOL

4 days ago · Like 0

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