Tomato wires are rather expensive and u have to replace them every year. My tomato plants are growing great and I am not using wire at all! also, check out m…
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Question by Heisenberg: What size of planter box should I build?
My girlfriend asked me to build a planter box for her. She would like to grow tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, garlic, and various herbs. She wants to grow all the things to make salsa.
We live in southern new mexico in an area where the soil is pretty worthless for growing anything, so she asked me to build this. I know how to build it, but I have no idea how big to make it. Any ideas?
Best answer:
Answer by RobertB
I would do a 2 x 2 x 2 for each tomato and maybe a couple of 1 x 4 x 1 for the rest of them. I made a whole bunch of planter boxes out of old deck boards when the boards started to deteriorate and put some 3 x 3 x 3 for some alberta pines and some 1 x 4 x 1 for flowers and herbs. They worked out pretty good. I lined them with plastic garbage bags to prevent dirt from going through and also drilled some holes in the bottom (2 each) covered with screen. I made the bottom out of 2 x 4 pieces and the sides out of split deck boards. Put them together with screws.
Bottom was two deck boards on 3 pieces of 2 x 4. 2 x 4 was 2 1/2 inches longer than the width of the deck boards pressed tightly together to support the sides of the planter. Corners were deck boards sawn in half and lapped at the corner to cover the meeting of the sides. Screw into the 2 x 4 and the sides. Use a half board in the center to cover the center 2 x 4. I used a pipe clamp to bring the boards together to screw them into place.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
the reason for the metal pole you found, in surveying your plot they use those as a reference point for the property line (normally tie a neon plastic flag to it). Makes for a strong guide pole for your tomatoes.
tomatoes will be the biggest problem and require the most soil to actually produce many tomatoes.
So if you REALLY want to grow toms i would build a huge raised bed , like 2 feet deep and 6 feet wide and 12 feet long …. i too have sand for soil and hot climate ,, so for me the problem is the cost of the soil to grow toms. i have tried to grow the large containers but it just doesn’t work very well. i think one of the problems is that tomatoes need constant soil moisture and they drink a lot of water each day . And if you dont have a lot of soil it drys and then you water , it drys and then you water.
inconsistent measure causes ” tomato blossom end rot ” google that to learn more,, on the toms. and few good size fruit also ,, you dont just want to grow a tom plant , you want it to make a lot Toms too !.
So if you really like this woman you will need build her really large raised bed for her tomatoes.
call around to nurseries and find out how much it will cost to have 4 yards of good soil delivered to her house … it would take a hundred bags of soil to fill it and WAY too much money . you need buy bulk soil .. unless you know where you go dig up some good soil ,haul it home in your truck , add a munch of compose and stuff to it .
And you will need to build a tall frame over it ,like at least 7 feet tall. you will use this frame for 2 things . 1) where you live the sun is so hot , you will need to provide sun filtering material lower the heat on your raised bed and toms . 2) as her toms began to ripen ,, you will need to cover the whole garden with netting to prevent the bats and birds from eating them. , they are attracted to them as they ripen .
So design to grow tomatoes and any other veges and pepper will just enjoy the free ride 😉 and do well also.
so go get on the phone to buy 3 to 4 yards of soil ,, or get in your pick up or car with trailer and go dig up some good soils and bring it home.
google ” square food garden ” and also ” raised bed gardens ” to learn how to make some good soil .
building the raised bed frame is the easy part !! the soil is the hard part.