Acceptable slope on a raised bed - Page 2

rhines81 · April 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I also say "Terrace " it !, making it looks like 3 beds. It seems to me to be the simple solution.

Gardeneer

Even if I terraced it, I'd have to level each section. For instance, at the top of one corner the board is 4" off the ground, 3-8' further the board touches the ground, then 6' further, the board is about 6" off the ground. I'll have to dig that hump out to lower everything 4" and then fill the remaining gap at the other end.

This project started out to just build a small 3'x10' garden for my beans and peas and then quickly grew from there...

lrussillo · April 30, 2015

That's what happens...oh...just a little patch for some lettuce...and a couple of tomatoes...and the next thing you know, you're building the set for Ben Hur.

rhines81 · April 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrussillo

That's what happens...oh...just a little patch for some lettuce...and a couple of tomatoes...and the next thing you know, you're building the set for Ben Hur.

Gardeneer · April 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhines81

Even if I terraced it, I'd have to level each section. For instance, at the top of one corner the board is 4" off the ground, 3-8' further the board touches the ground, then 6' further, the board is about 6" off the ground. I'll have to dig that hump out to lower everything 4" and then fill the remaining gap at the other end.

This project started out to just build a small 3'x10' garden for my beans and peas and then quickly grew from there...

Yes. But it would be much easier to level a 12 foot length than 36 ft.
What I would do is to leave the top/up portion couple of inches less filled than the lower part. It does not mater to be exact level, especially if it is mulched well. Slope becomes critical if the land is naked and IT POURS WHEN IT RAINS.

Gardener

rhines81 · April 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Yes. But it would be much easier to level a 12 foot length than 36 ft.
What I would do is to leave the top/up portion couple of inches less filled than the lower part. It does not mater to be exact level, especially if it is mulched well. Slope becomes critical if the land is naked and IT POURS WHEN IT RAINS.

Gardener

I spent 5 minutes with a pickaxe on the hump and despite all of the rocks I was able to drop it by a few inches with still some more room for improvement (bugs found me so I had to get out of there). Now it is only off by about 2" on each side of the hump, so if I can dig it out another 2" inches my problem area will be done.

Right now it is one continuous 36x21 outer frame except for a 3' gap for a gate which is on the worst side (the side with the hump) and I could probably terrace at that gap and not make things look too bad. Regardless, I still need to dig out that hump a little more. On the perimeter I have 5 points where I can adjust the height. With each terrace I add there would be 2 additional points to level and run the risk of it just not looking right. It's really not steep enough to give it that nice stair-look.
Once the outside lines are defined, the inside area (a 30x16 frame with the same 3' gap) will be straight forward. It looks like I may have the same issue with the hump area on that frame too, but not as bad.
Raised beds on the inside of the 30x16 space can be a mix/match of sizes and shapes (still deciding on those) so those should not give me much issue either.

rhines81 · May 2, 2015

Well, the bugs cooperated this morning and I was able to get the whole frame leveled. I walked back about 50 feet and took a look and the whole thing appeared extremely crooked (an optical illusion). Long story short, it looked so bad that I tore it apart and terraced the northwest corner (where the hump is). I'll keep the rest of the frame intact for now and re-level that to decide if further terracing is needed - I think I'll need to do one more step down on the southeast side.

rhines81 · June 5, 2015

Just an update from a month ago. The 21' x 36' perimeter ended up with a total of 8 steps. As it turns out it was a total drop of about 2 ft from the NW to SE corners (yikes!). Each section is almost perfectly level except for one that developed a strange twist to it (I'll do what I can on that one tomorrow). Cardboard is mostly installed except for the bottom (southeast) section.

I have 18 yards of pre-mixed raised bed soil arriving tomorrow before noon and I still need to fill in some gaps in the bottom with some small cut boards and yard dirt which won't take long and then I will finish the 4 interior raised beds. After that fence, garden door and finally PLANTING TIME. My original raised bed is already planted with just corn for this year.

Worth1 · June 5, 2015

I wouldn't worry about the small gaps the soil will settle out a little and stop.
Mine have gaps way bigger than that.
Worth

rhines81 · June 5, 2015

Some gaps are still a full board width, so I will cut to length and fill, maybe a foot longer and bury them .. the southeast corner is street view so that has to "look" good.
I agree, it all settles out in the end.
But in the meanwhile I am still waiting for my personally autographed photo of Randall Mantooth and a baby's arm holding an apple; so time will tell what this turns out to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgjfi1DU1mQ

rhines81 · June 7, 2015

I was able to get the soil filled and the fence started over the weekend. Tomorrow after work, if the weather permits; I'll finish the fencing, build the gate and begin the planting. I still have 4 more beds on the inside to build and fill as well. I hope to be fully planted by the end of next weekend.

I also cut some 1/4" cedar plywood into 6" strips and lined the inside where I had any major gaps. I had that wood sitting around for a few years from a prior demolition project so I was finally able to get some use out of it. No soil leaks around the bottom, but I will still fill around the outside with some yard dirt to help the look.

Worth1 · June 7, 2015

Please keep us posted with pictures I cant wait to see the garden and watch it grow this year.

While mine burns up.

Worth

Gardeneer · June 8, 2015

Well of course you are in TX, where when it rains, it pours like GA. But in some other places (like PNW) some pitch/slope is ok, especially if you mulch the bed real good. That should prevent run off.

Gardeneer

rhines81 · June 10, 2015

Finally today I can say I am truly 50% complete... LOL! The perimeter is done. The fencing is up (although I still need to pull it tighter). The entry way is built, but gate is not installed yet. I planted all of my Beans, Peas, Tomatoes, Radishes, Carrots, Beets and Lettuce. The remainder of the week will consist of finishing (and filling) the inside beds and planting my peppers, cucumbers, okra and other assorted items as well as doing the finishing touches on the fence and entry. Next year will be SO MUCH EASIER!
Yes, by this coming Sunday I hope to crack open a beer and sit back and admire it a little.

Already thinking about mounting some PVC piping to make the watering chore a breeze.

rhines81 · June 13, 2015

I planted about 50 pepper plants today (which complete my perimeter plantings) and finished building one of the 4 inside beds - not as much progress as I hoped for, but I had a splitting headache all day so I took it slow. I decided to build the bed 112" long by 48" wide to leave a 3 foot path for my dump trailer on each side. Even though it was a small bed, the slope of the ground still caused some extra build time, at least there will be no more stepped beds to worry about.
Tomorrow, I will fill and plant the bed that I built today and hopefully get two more beds built. I think the final bed will need to wait until Monday or Tuesday.

Worth1 · June 13, 2015

This thing is really starting to look great please keep us posted with pictures if you can.

Worth

June 5, 2015	#22
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	Just an update from a month ago. The 21' x 36' perimeter ended up with a total of 8 steps. As it turns out it was a total drop of about 2 ft from the NW to SE corners (yikes!). Each section is almost perfectly level except for one that developed a strange twist to it (I'll do what I can on that one tomorrow). Cardboard is mostly installed except for the bottom (southeast) section. I have 18 yards of pre-mixed raised bed soil arriving tomorrow before noon and I still need to fill in some gaps in the bottom with some small cut boards and yard dirt which won't take long and then I will finish the 4 interior raised beds. After that fence, garden door and finally PLANTING TIME. My original raised bed is already planted with just corn for this year. Last edited by rhines81; June 5, 2015 at 08:46 PM.

June 7, 2015	#25
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	I was able to get the soil filled and the fence started over the weekend. Tomorrow after work, if the weather permits; I'll finish the fencing, build the gate and begin the planting. I still have 4 more beds on the inside to build and fill as well. I hope to be fully planted by the end of next weekend. I also cut some 1/4" cedar plywood into 6" strips and lined the inside where I had any major gaps. I had that wood sitting around for a few years from a prior demolition project so I was finally able to get some use out of it. No soil leaks around the bottom, but I will still fill around the outside with some yard dirt to help the look. Last edited by rhines81; June 8, 2015 at 10:06 AM. Reason: picture did not show up

June 10, 2015	#28
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	Finally today I can say I am truly 50% complete... LOL! The perimeter is done. The fencing is up (although I still need to pull it tighter). The entry way is built, but gate is not installed yet. I planted all of my Beans, Peas, Tomatoes, Radishes, Carrots, Beets and Lettuce. The remainder of the week will consist of finishing (and filling) the inside beds and planting my peppers, cucumbers, okra and other assorted items as well as doing the finishing touches on the fence and entry. Next year will be SO MUCH EASIER! Yes, by this coming Sunday I hope to crack open a beer and sit back and admire it a little. Already thinking about mounting some PVC piping to make the watering chore a breeze. Last edited by rhines81; June 10, 2015 at 10:20 PM. Reason: watering

April 30, 2015	#17
lrussillo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: virginia Posts: 57	That's what happens...oh...just a little patch for some lettuce...and a couple of tomatoes...and the next thing you know, you're building the set for Ben Hur.

May 2, 2015	#21
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	Well, the bugs cooperated this morning and I was able to get the whole frame leveled. I walked back about 50 feet and took a look and the whole thing appeared extremely crooked (an optical illusion). Long story short, it looked so bad that I tore it apart and terraced the northwest corner (where the hump is). I'll keep the rest of the frame intact for now and re-level that to decide if further terracing is needed - I think I'll need to do one more step down on the southeast side.

June 5, 2015	#23
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I wouldn't worry about the small gaps the soil will settle out a little and stop. Mine have gaps way bigger than that. Worth

June 8, 2015	#27
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,915	Well of course you are in TX, where when it rains, it pours like GA. But in some other places (like PNW) some pitch/slope is ok, especially if you mulch the bed real good. That should prevent run off. Gardeneer

June 13, 2015	#29
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	I planted about 50 pepper plants today (which complete my perimeter plantings) and finished building one of the 4 inside beds - not as much progress as I hoped for, but I had a splitting headache all day so I took it slow. I decided to build the bed 112" long by 48" wide to leave a 3 foot path for my dump trailer on each side. Even though it was a small bed, the slope of the ground still caused some extra build time, at least there will be no more stepped beds to worry about. Tomorrow, I will fill and plant the bed that I built today and hopefully get two more beds built. I think the final bed will need to wait until Monday or Tuesday.