While looking over the various pages on my blog, I realized I forgot to finish the Raised Beds page so I added a few more pictures. Even though some of this can be viewed from the Garden Construction category, there are a few extra pictures that show a few extra steps.

Tonight I thought I might be able to get the deer net and/or the dividers put in, and ended up with about half of each. I would have posted a picture, but it was too dark when I stopped. Tomorrow I hope to finish that part, and plant the pea and spinach seeds. Finally, I think it might be all coming together!

I finished cutting and bending the conduit for the trellis and deer net supports today. I took a ten foot piece of half-inch conduit and cut it into a four and six foot piece. The six foot piece becomes a vertical support. I bent the four foot piece 90 degrees in the center and, combined with three others, will make a square that will be attached to the top of the vertical supports. The trellis net will be hung between the uprights on the north side of the box. The deer net will be tied to the top square and will be held secure to the base with shock (bungee) chord.

The support to hold the trellis and deer net.

It looks like I won’t be working outside today.

It snowed a little last night.

I began construction on the raised beds after I finished the compost bin. I was able to get all the boards cut and assembled, and added a groove where the shock cord will rest to hold the deer net tight against the base.

Trying to decide where to place the beds in the yard.

Finally, the compost bin is complete!

The completed compost bin

Continued working on the compost bin today. Again, I spent the morning running errands so I only had a few hours in the afternoon. This is what it looks like at the end of the day today.

The compost bin at the end of the second day.

Today I started building a compost bin so I can make my own. I spent most of the morning buying supplies, so I only had the afternoon to work. This is what it looks like at the end of the first day. 

The project at the end of the first day.

Today I ran around all over town to pick up all the remaining supplies for the compost bin and my raised beds. Vermiculite from Earl May, lumber from Menard’s, hardware from Home Depot, and shock chord from Scheels. Now to put it all together.

For the irrigation system, I wanted a way to control the water output to the different beds easily so I created a simple manifold out of PVC. I added valves to control the flow to each individual bed. I am not a plumber so it may look a little sloppy but I think it will do the trick. Along with the timer, hose, and drip line, this should about complete my irrigation system.