Hi, Betty! Haven't heard from you in a while. I got a rubber maid dump cart much like the one in your link. I use the heck out of it hauling soil, horse feed, mulch, concrete blocks, rock, you name it! I think you'd get good use of it.
This is probably a good time to check the clearance area for pots, too.
And you know, you don't have to spend all of it at once.
Just don't buy furnace filters and trash bags with it, it was a gift, lol!
Barb

Wow - what a wonderful delimma to be in!!! Gosh, I don't know what I would choose either! That cart does look awfully nice though.

Let's us know what you end up with!

Hi b2,

If you decide to get yourself a cart, I very highly recommend the Gardenway style carts. They carry a lot, and a lot of weight, and compared to a 4-wheel cart/wagon, they're SO easy to move and maneuver and unload---you just dump it straight over if it's something you need to "dump!" Gardenway is long out of business, but there are companies that still make that type of a cart. I've had mine for at least 40 years now, and I rarely use it anymore since I have such a teensy tiny yard now, but in the past even I could hardly believe all the stuff I was able to easily move with it. The bad news is that you can't get them from Lowes! But like you said, there are lots of things to "lose some money on" at Lowes! ;-)

When you decide to replace the pot, if you get another clay one, if you leave the soil in it over winter, be sure it's totally dry before it gets cold enough to freeze. I don't know if that's why yours broke, but when wet soil freezes in a clay pot, it's not at all unusual for them to crack when the soil expands. Just a heads up in case that's what happened to yours.

When I bought the house where I live now, the title company messed up something that made a real mess out of the closing, and everybody was so embarrassed that I wound up getting a $150 gift certificate for Home Depot. I finally decided to get one of those long-handle tree trimmers (and used the rest of it to help replace my lawn mower when I ran into some of the steel edging around the lawn with the old one!) I don't use it very often, but without it I'd have no way at all to trim high up in the two upright junipers in my backyard, so it's been very useful a few times---and my neighbor loves to use it too! (And I NEVER would have decided to spend "my own money" to get one of those!)

If you decide to go with soil, I think you should still get "a something" that's a "gift" kinda thing---like the gloves last year---that will make you think of your sister whenever you use it! Yeah, "dirt" would be a great gift for a Gardener, but I'm just thinking maybe you need something that somebody could have put under the tree with a bow on it! :-)

And, yes, definitely don't get furnace filters or trash bags! And definitely DO let us know what you decide.

Have fun shopping,
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: This is what a Gardenway cart looks like!

Hi Barb! That's a good point, about the filters and trash bags! Sounds like the cart might be a really good idea. Thanks!

Hi Msty! Thanks for your cart vote!

Hi skybird! Thanks for the info. I never saw a cart like that Gardenway before. Wow, that looks snazzy. Have you seen anything like it in local stores? or would it have to be a mail order item?

Interesting thing about that flower pot. It was one of the 'buried treasures', left by the previous owners, that I found hidden under years of debris in my yard. No idea how long it had sat there, full of snow and ice. I guess I'm lucky I got 4 years of use out if it!

Wow! If that pot was just something you found sitting out there, I'd say you're really lucky it lasted that long for you! I bet it was gradually developing "faults" that you weren't even able to see, and the Final Straw finally hit it! I have a big clay pot by my front door that I got REALLY cheap on the As Is table when I was working at Paulino's (tiny chip out of it), and I really like it and try to take good care of it, but if I were looking for a new big pot, I'm not sure what I'd go for! Somehow the clay pots still seem to be "classier" to me, but they're harder to keep watered since the water evaporates thru the clay. The synthetic pots they have these days can look really good, and they have the added advantage of not needing to worry about the Freezing Factor in winter---and they're much lighter and easier to move. If/when you get a new pot, I'd be really interested to know what you decide to get and why!

I see you had Snow on the Mountain (Aegopodium) growing out there! OMG! Have you been able to get rid of it??? AND, is that English Ivy on the right side? What a mess!!!

With the cart, I've never seen them locally anywhere and I'd be pretty surprised if you could find one in a retail store. But if I ever needed a new one (not likely since you can pretty much replace any of the parts if something should go wrong with it), it's one of the things that I'd consider worth paying for the shipping to get another one like my original. It's hard to describe just how easy they are to use! You can "turn on a dime" since it just has two wheels, so there's no "trying to back into position" like you might need to do with a 4-wheel type cart, and you can get it all the way up to wherever you're moving something, either with the front end or with the side. And it's almost unbelievable how much weight you can EASILY move if you get the load balanced over the wheels--and with the BIG wheels you can move heavy stuff easily even on soft grass or mulch or uneven surfaces. With a wheelbarrow you can turn easily, but with only one wheel you have to try to keep it balanced (something I could never do!), and with the wheel in front, you have to lift the whole load yourself! With a 4-wheel cart/wagon, it's much harder to turn in a small space, and because they have smaller wheels, it can be harder to move a heavy load, especially on soft surfaces.

I've always been really glad I discovered them when I was looking for a cart when I lived on a couple acres down near Parker. It got a LOT of use back then. Have a Little Red Wagon (as in: RadioFlyer) too, and between the two, it was NO CONTEST! When I got mine, Gardenway had three sizes---I got the medium size. If you're thinking about getting one, I could measure mine and let you know how big it is. I did notice that on the site I posted, there's a larger size you can link to down on the bottom. I'm guessing mine is closer to the bigger one---which isn't much more expensive than the one in the picture I linked. When I was searching for a picture, I also found a company called Vermont Something that makes a similar cart, but theirs are twice as much. I'm just not sure they could be TWICE as much better! (If you just search for "Gardenway Carts" you'll find the places that carry the "current version" of them) The only real visible difference is that the handle on the "Vermont" one was attached to the top of the "box" frame---which I'm almost sure is how mine is (it's out in the shed in the dark--and the COLD, and I'm not going out there tonite to look!), but I don't think that would make much difference when actually using it. I just noticed that the larger one on the site I linked has the handle all the way on the bottom. Not sure if I'd like that or not! Maybe it makes it somehow easier for moving heavy loads, but it seems to me it would "tilt" the cart more if you were moving something you wanted to keep more level!

The bottom line is, even tho I don't use it much anymore, I can't imagine being without it and consider it well worth the money---and, as I recall, mine was close to $100 way back in the early 70's! (Gardenway was the only company that made "that type" of cart back then!)

If you have any questions about it, let me know! I'd post a picture of mine, but I don't have any, and for now I don't have any way of adding pictures to WebAlbums. I'm still TRYING to figure out how to do things in the new Mac, and I haven't installed Picasa yet---and I really don't want to take the time to put anything else into iPhoto since I've checked out the possibilities of that with the pics that were transferred into it for me, and I don't like what I've seen. Not even close, compared to Picasa! And if there's a way to get pics from iPhoto into WebAlbums, I sure can't figure out how! So no pics for now that aren't already in WebAlbums!

Come this summer, we'll need to see some pics of what you've done with that side of the house!

Is it summer yet???

Skybird

Oh skybird! That whole wall was such a mess! It's the north side of the house, and it was way too tough for me to get rid of by myself. The same fella who helped me clean up the back fence was the angel who dug up the north wall too.

This guy, Marc

Here are the other before and after pictures for the north wall.

The ivy! I was convinced that the first gardeners here at my house were NOT locals... I thought most people here know that you can't plant stuff right up against the house because of our expanding soil. So I was very concerned about clearing it out during my first summer here. It's still a little bit of work every year, but nothing like it was before Marc got hold of it!

Thanks for the info about the cart!

The cart sounds very useful. If you get pots/planters, maybe get 3, 4 or 5 for a row across your porch. You have enough space there that one just doesn't seem like enough unless you get a huge urn or whiskey barrel.

Have fun shopping!

Gardenway Carts are fantastic. I have had mine for 30years. I have moved easily moved hundreds of tons of firewood and rocks over the years. Sorry they went out of biz.

On the pot front you can not beat those good quality foam pots. They are lightweight and can handle the worst winters. When we lived in upstate NY we had a pair of sprial spruces in 30"diameter. When we moved we planted the trees and took the pot. We have a Meyer lemon in one of them. When I bring the tree inside the weight helps.

I'll jump in and add that I bought my garden cart through Johnny's, I think, but the same design. I don't know what I'd do without it. We just shifted 10 cords of firewood using it. I once overdid it by putting a green willow stump in, took two of us to put it in using the cart as a lever, and was so heavy the cart ran away down the hill and crashed. The stump is still there where it landed. That 'oopsie' has required a cinch strap around the front to hold the sliding door in place, now on strap #2. Right now its outside the back door full of snow. Mine has the French flag painted on one side, courtesy of
DD and her paints, with a series of big red hearts on the other.

B2, you might look into some good quality, large plastic self watering pots, not some thin piece. My connection is dreadfully slow or I'd look and see if Lowes has any on their site.

Thanks, guys, for the info about the gardenway-style cart. But I guess I'll have to pass on that for a while. I've read some reviews of the ones that are on the market these days, and the good ones are more than I can afford. :(

There are some cheaper ones around, but the reviews on those are pretty bad.

So I might have to settle for the green cart from Lowes, but I think it will still be ok.

What would you get?

Okay.. still needing to decide how to use my gift card...

I have another post running in the Vegetables forum about my misadventures with growing yellow summer crooknecks.

Lots of nice replies there, and there's a recommendation for using a protective cover on cool nights.

(see link.)
Has anyone in our area ever used this little cover?

It looks like it's the same size as the raised bed I plan to put up. It looks fairly lightweight, so that I can just fold it away when it's not needed.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Betty

Here is a link that might be useful: pop-up seed house

I'll be interested to see what others think of that, b2, but I have a hard time seeing that as worth the money---especially for squash. If you decide you want to give them a little protection when they're small, I think floating row covers would be just as effective---and a lot cheaper. (Truth in Lending! I've never used them---am planning to start a thread in the next month or so with some questions about them! But other people around here use them, so hopefully they'll be along with an opinion on the subject!)

But, now that I've seen the ones you started from seed last year, I do definitely have some advice! [Who? Me? Advice??? ;-) ]

As someone on the Veggies thread said, I agree it's way better to just start squash directly in the ground---or, at least start them in pots just a week or two before putting out, and then keep the soil intact when you move them to the ground. But the main thing I'd like to recommend is to lose the peat pellets and pots! The may work ok in more humid places (tho I'm not sure I even agree with that!), but out here in our dry climate they can cause problems! I haven't used them for MANY years, but I "tried" to use them back in the 70's and found that it was extremely difficult to try to maintain the correct moisture level. They were always either too dry or way too wet! Then, when you plant them in the ground---if your plants make it that long---you need to remove the peat out here since it doesn't easily "go away" in the ground. IF you've managed to develop a good root system, at that point you tear it half apart! And if you leave the peat on and ANY of it is exposed above the surface of the soil, it "wicks" the moisture up and away from the roots. If you leave the peat mostly intact, but remove just the top part, it can take a long time for enough roots to effectively grow thru the peat---again, because of our dry climate. With the peat pellets, the issues are pretty much the same. Pure peat holds a LOT of water, and in looking at your seedlings that have started developing true leaves, they look very unhappy to me, and my first guess would be that they've been too wet. The root system of a plant is the most important part (think heart/circulatory system in a human being!), and if you put out a plant that has an inferior or a damaged root system, it may not have time to recover with our short summers. And as the one person on the veggie forum said, squash do have amazingly small and "delicate" root systems, so if that's "damaged," you're gonna have a problem.

Get some 2" and 3 1/2" plastic pots. You can use them over and over, and you can control your watering. The plug trays with the larger cells work ok for starting things too, tho you can't leave most things in them for very long. (Don't even think plug trays for squash!) Then get a good quality potting soil/mix, which will be mostly Canadian peat with perlite in it, and use that in the plastic pots. A "good quality" potting soil will be "light and fluffy" when it's moist!

Whatever you do, DO NOT use Hyponex! It's made up of mostly Colorado peat---which is "sedge peat"---which is MUCK! I don't know how they keep selling that stuff, but there are a lot of people in the world who think they can't grow plants! They're partly right! They CAN'T grow plants---in MUCK! But they think it's they're fault and they stop trying!

But with squash, I really do agree with their recommendation to plant them directly in the ground. It looks like you have some pretty good soil out there, and I bet you'll be surprised at how well they do. (And I think we established this last summer, but they do get a lot of sun, don't they?)

My squash plants are in some of the worst clay I have (getting a little bit better every year, but still has a ways to go!), and I always get big plants with HUGE leaves, but I get very few squash! My problem, though, is that my vegggie garden just doesn't get enough sun. After reading that veggie thread, tho, I think I may try the "crookneck" type this year. I've been growing the "straight" kind (Goldrush), and I thought it was pretty good, but with what people said about the crookneck having more flavor, I think I'll try it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!

Skybird

Thanks, skybird! Some questions...

- will I need those hoops that go under the fabric? One article said that for squash, you can't let the fabric touch the leaves.

- where would I get the fabric? I found about 10 different kinds listed, and I don't want to get the wrong thing. Some are for bugs, but some heavier stuff is supposed to be better for frost.

Any tips?

Thanks!
Betty

Still deciding how to spend my Christmas money!
And I still need to build my raised flower bed :)

So, to build the flower bed, I talked to a guy Nick at Lowes, who did some brainstorming with me about how to do it.

We're thinking that cedar would be good, since it's untreated.
It comes in 8 ft lengths, so if I got 4 boards, 6 " wide, they could cut the boards in half for me. So I'd have 8 boards, each 4 ft long.

$40 for the boards.

Then 8 corner brackets like the link just below:
8 x $5 = $40 for the braces.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_64774-1277-SP115BC_0?productId=3152499&Ntt=corner+brace&Ns=p_product_price:0&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_0_s%3FNs%3Dp_product_price%7C0%26Va%3Dtrue%26Ntt%3Dcorner%2Bbrace

Then, the bolts and stuff, and maybe a new drill bit, and washers.... another few $.
And some straight metal braces, maybe 10 " long, to attach the 2 4-ft squares on top of each other, and that should do it.

Questions--
1- Is 12 inches tall enough for the roots of the squash to grow in?

2- Do I need to be careful about the bolts holding the boards together? I mean, the inside of the bolts, with the nuts inside, by the soil, will they be bad for the soil, or the roots of the plants?

-Will #2 be a non-issue if I run the weed barrier up the sides inside the frame?

3- Any idea how many bags of garden soil I will need to fill up a 4-ft square bed, 12 " tall?

4- Is that MiracleGro organic garden soil for vegetables okay to use?
If I need a mixture, what should I mix it with?

5- Is the cedar ok? I read that it's important to use untreated wood.

Thanks!
Betty

Here is a link that might be useful: Cedar lumber 2x6x8ft

I'll try to answer some of the questions I think I know the answers to. I think 12 inches deep should be deep enough for squash. A lot of people have beds that deep. I think the math for your bed soil would be 4x4x1=16 cu ft. I probably am wrong, but that would be my guess.I'm not sure about their organic soil. I just use regular and mix in manure. Wow I just saw 1.5 cu ft bags on their website for $6.77 each at Lowes. That's 11 bags and $75 later. I think you'll be fine with cedar. Definitely try to stick with something untreated.

Melanie

Thank you Melanie!

So, it sounds like, altogether, it adds up to around $150!

So I can tell my sister,
"Thank you, dear sister, for my raised veggie bed. "

That will be just perfect. She usually come to visit around her birthday, July 20th. Maybe there will be some squash to share with her!

Thank again,
Betty

Oh.. I forgot.
Where do you buy your veggie garden soil?
Any special ingredients?
I've never bought manure before. ;) How do you decide what to get?

Thanks!
Betty

I just have a minute, so really quickly!

Before you buy a whole bunch of soil in bags, you should call around to places near you that sell bulk landscape materials to price soil mixes that would be appropriate for veggies. you really don't need anything too fancy for veggies, and should be able to find something you can get by the yard or half yard that would be much cheaper than bagged soils. Not sure how much delivery would be, depending on where you found it---if you have or know somebody with a pickup, you could bring it home yourself. If you do have it delivered, they'll dump it in the drive and you'd need to move it to the garden area yourself---but then, we all know you have a good cart for that now! ;-) The places that sell it bulk have it where you can go do a lookie-see before you buy it so you know for sure what your getting!

If you do decide to go with bags, the last time I checked out bagged soils--just out of curiosity, I thought MiracleGro was way overpriced, especially for a product that tends to be pretty inconsistent in quality. I'd compare prices for other brands for similar volumes before deciding which to buy. You could also consider getting a very cheap soil, bulk or bagged, and then add one of the large size bales (used to be 4 cubic feet, but they're less than that now, and I can never remember exactly what they are! Maybe 3.8 cf!) of Canadian peat and you should be able to EASILY grow veggies in the result. Baled peat is compressed, and when you moisten and fluff it, you get more than twice as much as it looks like in the bale! Haven't checked for a couple years, but the big bales used to be about $12 at the BB stores.

Gotta go,
Skybird

What skybird said. We have a house in Phoenix. This fall I made a 8x4 raised bed for Jan-May & Sept- Dec herb, greens and veg growing (Yeah those are the realistic growing periods for down there!!). I was able to find organic soil. Got a bulk amount (enough for the bed and extra ) for a fraction of what Lowes sells non-organic soil for. If you want organic you can find it.

:(

I have NO idea at all, how to go about finding, and buying, soil in bulk.

How do you look for it?

What kind of place sells it?

Isn't it expensive to have it delivered?

I'm pretty sure I won't be able to manage having it dumped on the driveway....the access to the back yard does not flow easily from front to back. It's uphill to the backyard. I'd only be able to do one or two loads at a time, so it could take me a week to get the driveway cleared.

I'm sure a bulk delivery would be much better, but I think I'll have to go with bags.

The store can put the bags in the car, (4runner), then I can dump one bag at a time from the back of the car , into my new cart :) And if it takes me a week to get all the dirt to the raised bed, that's ok.

Skybird,
(Or if anyone else knows, that would be lovely)

What is the 'BB store' ?

What ratio of soil to peat moss do you use?

BB is big box store. Was in a hurry, and just get tired of typing it out all the time.

Where are you located. I can't remember right now! Aurora? If Aurora, where? North, south?

I don't worry about ratios! I keep gardening as simple as I can! (And everything else too!) ANY store bought soil you get is going to be good enough to grow veggies in if they're not in small pots! (Exception: no "fill dirt" or plain "top soil.") If you buy the cheapest bagged stuff you can get and add a bale of peat, you're gonna be good to go!

A few years ago--in spring--I found bags of "soil" at Walmart for a buck a bag. I was using it to mix into my clay and to help raise the soil level where the perennials are behind the 2-high railroad ties in my backyard. I was surprised that is was pretty decent stuff! (I went back and got another trunk full to dump in the veggie garden!) I'm sure you could have raised veggies in that stuff right out of the bag, but adding peat would allow it--or whatever you choose--to hold more moisture and nutrients, if you fertilize. I'm sure they don't have it for a dollar a bag anymore, but I'm also sure you can find something really cheap there when they start to stock up their "garden center" in March or April. If you're willing to take the time to mix in a bunch of Canadian (not Colorado) peat, I'm sure any bagged soil/mix/compost (they call it all kinds of things) would work well for you.

If you wanted to try for bulk and don't want it in the drive, they'll dump it right against the curb in front of your house too, so you can get in and out of the garage while you're moving it. Cheryl at Paulino's got a couple yards of something a couple years ago to fill up two large raised beds she has her veggies in. If you want, I can ask her what she got and how much it costs now---it looks like really good stuff to me---but if you're in Aurora, I think the delivery expense would make it too expensive for you! Kelly at Timberline collects manure locally and makes his own compost, and mixes (some of) his own soil mixes, and I'm positive you'd get some good stuff there---but that's WAY far away from Aurora! Pioneer sells bulk soils--locations here and there--but I'd for sure go in person to check out what you're getting if you should decide to go that way. Tagawa on south Parker Road would be worth a call---just not sure if they carry bulk or not!

For bagged, I'd find the cheapest at a "BB store" that you can find, and add the peat----if it were me! [I just wish I had some way to dig out and get rid of my CLAY, so I could put in something I could actually grow things in, but that's not gonna happen, so I'll keep working with what I have! Makin' the best lemonade I can here!!!)

Don't sweat the "small stuff!" If I can do as well as I do in clay, you can grow great veggies in ANY bagged soil--especially with the peat added!

Skybird

P.S. If you're able to come to the Spring Swap, you'll get to see my "Clay Garden!"

P.P.S. May not be around posting tomorrow. Getting ready for company from Dirt---I mean, Silt!

Thanks so much, Skybird!

I appreciate your info so much!
And no, I'm not in Aurora (although I worked there a lot during the past 2 months), but actually live in Westminster, near 92nd and Wadsworth. So not that far from you, and I am definitely planning to come to the spring swap.

I still feel pretty ignorant about some things though. ;)

Um.. what is a 'big box store'?
And did you say something a while back about a poor-quality Hyponex product? was it something with peat?

Thanks!
Betty

Hi B2,

LOL! Big Box Store: "A large retail store whose physical layout resembles a large square of box when seen from above. A big box store is characterized by a large amount of floor space, a wide array of items available for sale, and its location in suburban areas. Big box stores often can offer lower prices because they buy products in high volume. Also called supercenter, superstore, megacenter."

Therefore: Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, etc. I think of them as the "cheap stores," tho some of them are definitely cheaper than others!

I don't have time for the long answer, but Hyponex is mostly Colorado "sedge peat," which is basically SLUDGE! Next time you're in a Walmart, go to the "garden" section and lift one of the bags of Hyponex! It's like lifting a bag of lead! (Compared to any other brand of soil mix you'd use for potted plants.) Plants don't grow very well in MUCK, so plants don't grow very well in Hyponex. (In my opinion, plants don't grow AT ALL in Hyponex.) The baled stuff is Canadian sphagnum peat, which is what you want. If you ever get peat in a bag, be sure that's what it is, but it's much cheaper in the bales (used to come in 3 sizes)---and you can keep it "forever" if you don't use it all right away! (It's already a few thousand years old!)

That's why I always specify Canadian when I'm talking about peat! It's a completely different animal from Colorado Muck---I mean "peat!"

Don't feel ignorant about asking things! The only way to learn something is to ask about it! My Mantra around here: The only dumb question is the one you don't ask! :-) [Now that's assuming you don't ask the SAME question over and over and over.......]

You're really not that far from Timberline. If you consider buying a bulk soil, run over there some day and ask to see their soil mixes. They show a "Planter's Mix" for $29.50 a yard. If you go, ask if Kelly is there, and if he is tell him what you're using it for and see if he thinks that would be a good choice. [Tell him Dee sent you!] If he tells you to get the "EKO Planter's Mix," tell him that's too expensive, and you're gonna add your own peat---'cause I said so!!! (And tell him I said Hi!)

If you decide to get it in bags, I still think you should wait till Walmart gets their stuff in, then pick up one bag of each of the 2 or 3 cheapest things they have, take them home to check them out, and then go back to get a bunch more of whichever looks the best to you. (Take it home to check it out because you want to moisten it to see what it's gonna be like when you're actually growing in it!)

It's been a few years now, but the last time I checked baled peat prices, it was cheaper at HD or Lowe's, so, since they carry the same sizes, compare prices on that one. Walmart was NOT the cheapest!

One other quick thing before I go! Gardening is supposed to be fun--the thing you do to Relax and Get Away From it All! (Yeah! I know it's work!) So don't take it too seriously! There is no definitive Right or Wrong! Try something, and if it works, it's RIGHT! Everybody does it differently, so figure out what's right and what works for you, and, while you're doing that, relax and enjoy it. If something doesn't turn out well, laugh, and try again! We'll all help you with the laughing part! You get to do the working part yourself!!! '-)

Gotta go! Was just checking back in before x'ing out of cyberspace for the nite!

Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Timberline Gardens

Betty,
Skybird has given you the recipe for great soil. I get a yard (pick up bed full) of planter mix or compost from Renewable Fiber every spring. They aren't near you, they're in Ft Lupton and Greeley. It is cheaper to go that route, but without a pick up, delivery charges add up and it sounds like you'd prefer the bagged route. When I buy bagged, I mix 1 bag composted manure, 1 bag humus or garden soil and 1 bag compost, then mix in peat. I buy a bale of peat every year.
I set aside some of my horse manure in the winter and then mix that in, too.
Like Skybird said, there's no right or wrong and you'll learn what works. I've heard that some people are staying away from the mushroom compost as it has some questionable ingredients, but I don't know specifically what the issue is.
I usually buy from Walmart since it's the closest, but have gotten some deals at Ace Hardware, too.
Costco and Sam's Club had some raised bed kits last year that were made of composite material. I think they were around 50 bucks for 2 4 x 4 sections. I debated getting a couple until they were all gone, then kicked myself for it. They are much more expensive on their online sites now. Have any of you tried them? I'm curious in case they sell them again this spring.
Barb

I just started paying attention to this thread, I can make much, much more than a 4x4 box with 150.00. I built two 4x6 x 8" cedar frames this year for underground insulation and I doubt I spent more than 70-80.00 including deck screws.

You don't need corner braces for that tiny amount of soil, 1/4 lag screws will hold no problem, especially if you stake in the middle of the span. And reinforcing above, bagged soil is about as inefficient as you can get, and as soon as you realize you can build a couple boxes and need much more soil, bags just won't cut it. Borrow a pickup and save the money for something else, like seeds or plants or fertilizer.

Dan

Betty,
I saw a post on another forum that said Home Depot has raised bed kits on clearance right now. Check with Lowe's, too. Home Depot has 4'x4'x6" cedar kits for $30, regularly $60. Might be worth a look.
Barb

Fun! I have this odd not expensive thing I use constantly. It's a tarp with like a drawstring around it. e.g. you rake weeds onto it, then gather it up and carry it like a bag to the compost pile. Very useful item I recommend.