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Garden Gate:  Bentwood projects, living mulch & drift planting  |
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Unusual Farm Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Tammie
Ohio
USA
58 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 10 2012 : 10:48:07 AM
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Many of us have taken note on the odd warmer weather this month.
I even spotted chamomile sprouting through the leaf mulch in the garden! Today I became so warm I was in just jeans & a long sleeve T-shirt.
I am taking full advantage of it with pruning the apple trees AND have begun building a bentwood arbor along the middle path for growing the climbing beans. similar to this one using saplings I am thinning out from under all the tall trees:
The one above is more bare then the one being built now, I will add more pieces for the climbers to cling to. {I'm taking a lil lunch break before heading back outside}.
I am using the apple tree pruning's to build some 5 ft wide X 4 ft tall trellis pieces which will be used for the tomatoes- 30 lined along the picket fence and the trellis units will be on the other side of them. {the apple trees have been neglected for almost 20 years so plenty of usable branches & long suckers to use}.
Making some like this design:
The ground here is not frozen so I have been able to dig up the holes for the arch legs, making the process smoother.
We are due for the temps to drop after tomorrow which will have me working in the garage with a heater for the trellis pieces. Hoping to get at least 3 done before February.
I am also planning out the rows to try a living mulch of white dutch clover to help cut down on all the weed issues & till it under when the garden is put to rest. It will be in all the paths/walkways and close to almost under all the plants-minus the sandy bed where I plant carrots, parsnips & lettuce. If it works out as I hope, I will do this method from now on. Intense planting plan, living mulch & drift planting are the experiments in this years garden.
Anyone else try one or all of these methods?
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
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Unusual Farm Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Tammie
Ohio
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2012 : 03:30:07 AM
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Those are examples I found online.lol. I am only on the second arch of the arbor. My first few attempts had one of the sides snap when bent. I had to find a few more saplings to thin out so I could create more.
The square trellis is what I aim for and being our temps will drop into the 20's this week, I will attempt to make mine similar.
Its time consuming in gathering the right pieces & cutting them to size. I may just do 3 so I have 1 on each end of the tomato row & 1 in the middle with the rest more checkerboard for in between. Just happy we had this nice sunny few days to break up the winter blahs. :)
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JacquiePutters
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Jacqueline
Crystal Lake
IL
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2012 : 7:49:06 PM
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These are fantastic! How do you start? I know hammer. I know nails. I even know drill. But how do you attach them to the square boxes? Are they attached on the outside to prevent rot? Pre drilled then deck screws?
I'm pretty sure I can get a hold of tall straight poles. What do you do for the arches? Do you shape them yourself, in which case do you need to soak them first? Or do you just find the shape that you want and attach them? How do you attached them? Screws, wire maybe?
I'm sorry to pepper you with questions. This is exactly the next step I want to take in my square foot garden. I was going to buy 2' x 4s' but the natural structures you have pictured are so beautiful.
Peace! |
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Unusual Farm Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Tammie
Ohio
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2012 : 03:43:02 AM
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So sorry I have not been back on much this week. They really are not that hard to do but I HIGHLY recommend you see if your local library has this book to help in how to do these things.
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Bentwood-Trellises-Arbors-Fences/dp/158017051X
The first video I ever made for a short adventure homesteading series was with a well known Bentwood/rustic furniture maker named Rick Pratt. Being the first video I have made, it is not the best of doing BUT holds some great tips & info on working with wood to bend. In it he is teaching us how to make a bentwood obelisk. He teaches you the technique to get the sapling branch to bend easier and so on.
If you wanted to check the video out, it is in 2 {i think} parts over on my blog listed in the sig below. Go to the right sidebar to where I list "my videos & tuts". click on the one for the willow obelisk with Rick pratt. Bets of luck to you!
I will add a warning. Once you do this, pruning trees and such will never be the same. You will find branches and your mind will start to turn on what you can make from it. ; } |
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countrymommy85
True Blue Farmgirl
898 Posts
Krystle
MT
USA
898 Posts |
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JacquiePutters
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Jacqueline
Crystal Lake
IL
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Jan 22 2012 : 07:25:04 AM
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Thank you for the reference. I picked it up at the library yesterday. It's a fantastic resource.
Peace! |
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Garden Gate: Bentwood projects, living mulch & drift planting |
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Bentwood projects, living mulch & drift planting
