In Mother Earth News I read an article about instant raised beds...

Take your bag of store-bought growing medium (whatever you choose) and lay it down. On the underside poke some drainage holes and then on the topside cut away the plastic leaving enough along the sides to contain the soil. Then you just plant right into it.

How many stalks do you plan to plant per sqft for corn?

You can use a store bought plastic swimming pool. Just spray paint the sides so it looks nicer, maybe cover the sides with rock or something. Drill holes in the bottom for drainage, then fill with soil.

I've threatened to use the man's amplifier/speaker cabinets if he doesn't start running sound professionally again soon.

Again, at this point we're only in the threat stage, but he knows I'll make good on it. At least it gave him the motivation to scrounge up a three day gig this weekend :)

christyboulter what an awesome idea,how many times have u seen these pools in yard sales for next to nothing,or stores trying to close them out late in the season ill try it.thanks

I only plant my corn 1/sqft, and might try to grow a few in some of the earthtainer scrap pieces....
The small swimming pool is an idea, but I would probably plant something else in one, if I had it. Talk about an instant garden, though!

The thing is....I have this municipal garbage can that has a broken wheel on it. I'm trying to figure out how best to utilize it's size/depth. Anybody got an idea?

EG

This one's a little unusual, I think. ;o)

{{gwi:3266}}

Al

EG, lay it on end and saw it in half and drill holes just like if you'd use a swimming pool....you'll have two planters that way!

Al, you win. That is certainly unusual. :)

Cutting it in half would be my suggestion too.

EG, if you have access to cheap non-toxic barrels, you could cut them in half like the trash can.

I'm going to make a planter out of a plastic milk box. I have all this periwinkle blue Fusion spray paint left over, and a packet of blue morning glory seeds. Thought I'd paint the box and line it with landscape fabric and fill it with morning glories.

I have all kinds of sun faded plastic pots. Fusion plastic paint holds up great outdoors. Too bad I can't find it in a terra cotta color!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

EG, Use that garbage can to grow taters! Plant them in a small amount of soil and add soil as the tater plants grow. I don't know if it works, but it's worth a try.

Wow, that's alot of ideas! Liisa, you have stimulated my brain....hee hee. Oh boy.....I'll be planting something in it for sure, now!

EG

I got it EG. I call it the raised bed container. Every Lowe's I have been in and that is all around Knoxville, east and west of Knoxville, and all the way down to Chattanooga and places in between, also in Kentucky have these 18 gal totes. They are $3.44 and made from recycled plastic. You could cut around 3 inches off the bottom and still have a small but 12" high raised bed. At the top they are 23" long by 17" wide. I bet you could get at least 6 corn plants in each one if not 8. Compared to the price of wood these make really cheap raised bed, and should last longer. I am gonna use straw as mulch in all of mine. I am going use mine for squash, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelon, and cantalope. They will help me keep things more seperate and easier to care for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Old Whites Mill Farm

Hellow from beautiful sunny Orlando FL. I'm a newbie just signed up a couple a days ago. I'm loving this gardenwed! I'm using old galvanized wash tubs and buckets they are exellent for growing anything in. happy gardening!!

dapper - I have three leftover pieces from the earthtainer construction, and I think i'll go ahead and use those for the corn. They are about 16" deep, and should work great. I figured out what to do with the old garbage can. Thanks to everybody for your ideas and comments...

EG

Okay Al, that's the first time I've ever "AWWww'd" out loud in response to a plant.

...

Okay, I lie. I do that to every little red clover seedling that managers to attempt to meek out an existence in my pots before I rip it out.

Also, the only weird thing I've used *yet* was an old pan my mom had. It's wide and shallow (I'd say, hmm, 26" by 6"?), metal but it's (glazed?) blue with white flecks on the side. Has a metal handle bar. No idea what it was used for, but still mostly shiny and was easy to put a few drainage holes in the bottom. Last year I tried to put a few Big Sky series echinaceas in it, but the red clover won that over, so I'm going to go with some annuals in it this year.

..... you sure that 'little red clover' isn't Oxalis? ;o)

Al

I think it's really cool, too, Al.
I'm sorry to mix in another idea eg, but I'm thinking about using an old pc frame. I've heard there's an epidemic of old computer parts littering the landfills and I'm wondering if I could just line them with landscape material and put potting soil. I could only grow truly short root crops in them, but I think it would add interest to my wall o' swc's.