Twiddling Thumbs

Hello!

I've been keeping Matthew and I super busy these university holidays already. The weekend just gone we planned, purchased and 3/4 built a plantar box for my growing vegetable hobby. Want to see how we managed such a feat? Perhaps make your own? Awesome - read on:

How to build a plantar box yourself.

Step 1: Buy it. Our plantar box is built with a wooden frame and corrugated iron exterior so we didn't need much wood. Alternatively if you're building one entirely of wood . . . good luck. Pick something strong because the outward pressure of the dirt is surprisingly high.

We bought eight lengths of 9cm x 3cm x 3.6m treated pine for the inner frame and two 15cm x 2.5cm x 4.8m heavy sleeper timber. Note: while handsome men buy your construction pieces, sneak off to the nursery and buy more plants. Yess!

Step 2: Saw it. I helped measure and mark out the required lengths of each plank. After we naughtily cut the timber in the gutter ( he he ) I marked each plank with the respective length or with an X if it was an off cut. Told you I helped!

Step Three: Screw it. Make sure to buy plenty of wood screws, we used nearly 100 60mm long screws and about 50 medium/short screws. Give the box plenty of support by screwing through beams and use the off cuts of timber as chock braces. 

This part was rather important so Matthew did all the hard work making sure the plantar box was square and equal at each corner. I helped chase the rain away.

Step Four:  Trim it. Not physical trimming but decorative. We centered the heavy wood grain sleeper timber over the frame to create an attractive ledge. Useful for holding my watering can and gardening tools! 

Told you I helped! I used a drill for the first time and was in charge of screwing down the ledge boards. Apparently I did excellently. Yes! Our plantar box doesn't have corrugated iron panels on it yet, but it won't be long. The final trimmings include stapling black plastic sheeting on the inside to retain water and soil, giving the wooden ledge a sand over and stain and staking some mesh for the vine plants to grow on. No-one likes splinters. 

Unfortunately the weather is very damp and miserable currently so I can't sand the wood yet. To fill in the time I've been busy working on the small touches, like making my own vegetable markers. 

They're white plastic markers in a pack of 10 for only $2. So I'm snazzying them up with a lick of paint and cute little pictures of what plant is near them. Keep watching for pictures of the finished product, will be a day or two. 

So now you know what I've been up to for the past few days. Busy busy building and learning new skills. Leave a comment on your thoughts. Until next time,

x x Take care x x