Garden Assembled!

 So today was the day I was determined to get the raised bed started. It just so happens to be clear, warm and only slightly breezy. Warmer than expected and comfortable but we pressed on.

Firstly, the instructions gave no indication of what size bolts and nuts were in the package and no indication there were any tools. There was a hex wrench thingie that would have only taken care of part of the assembly and so gathering a power tool and my sweetie we traversed down to the garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Instead of assembling it on the ground and having to bend over a lot, we used the unused and shaded gazebo tables. Much easier.

 

Secondly, we discovered that using all the pieces in the box was WAY bigger than any of the garden space I had available.

The measurements for the size I was given were 29x24x40. This was more like the size of a toddler bed at 48 or 50 inches long and 3 feet wide. The height was the only thing that was to spec.

A neighbor lady stopped to see what we were doing and chat for a bit during the final assembly.

 

Instructions said due to variations in manufacture +/- 50 mm is expected. That's only about two inches. this was way bigger than plus 2 inches even if it were every piece. It also didn't come with the threaded rod I thought it would need, which looking at it I personally thought it would.

After getting it out there and while my sweetie was taking the trash away, I decided to take out one of the side pieces and shorten it which made it more square than rectangle but would fit the space I intended much better.

So back to the tables we went. Luckily it isn't very heavy and despite the warnings, the top and bottom edges were rolled so I only scratched myself on one of the bolts when we were turning it over.

As we say sometimes 'mas mejor' much better fit for the area I needed it to fit. So now that the assembly was done and power tools no longer needed, my sweetie went back upstairs taking everything left over and left me to the gardening bit.

The neighbor lady that came to chat said she 'loved the bush in the corner, I hope you don't do anything to it'. I told her no I wasn't going to do anything to it. Tried to tell her that it was originally in a pot that fell over. She was in disbelief. I now am wondering if she was thinking of the lemon tree.

 

 

 

So after pulling up the plastic border I laid the frame down and it fit like a glove. Not sure how level it is but frankly, doesn't matter. I got the shovel and leveled out the soil inside the frame, tucking in dirt to fill gaps at the edges. 

Then the next harder work. Adding the chicken wire back in. I had to use all the netting because I was tired and hot enough that I didn't feel like going back up to the apartment to get my wire cutters to make a better fit.

Had to use the shovel to hold down one corner but you can see how it's triple at the front, double half of the back and single later where the shovel is. Technically that should have been down flat first and put the frame on top but you know what, I wasn't thinking straight at the time being hot and tired already. So I started putting logs in and half way through realized that the smaller logs needed to go last. Again with the not thinking straight.

Yep filled about halfway with logs, not very level but wasn't expecting that. This isn't true 'hugelkultur' this is using logs as filler so I don't spend $100 on soil. I still need screen or shade cloth to go on top of the logs before I put soil in otherwise I'll be losing a lot of soil through the logs. I wasn't going to use the huge logs and left plenty of logs for lizard homes. I heard a cricket and only saw one spider that ended up in the corner of the new bed. Might have been a black widow, don't care at this point as it will now be part of the ecosystem of the bed. Even what mulch I have left won't fill all the gaps and I may be short with just that bucket for covering the planting area when I get soil in.

I didn't use the rubber tube for covering the top edges either but that's fine. It would only decay over time and if I need it i have it.

So it's finally started! Will reassess tomorrow in the morning when the light is coming from the other direction and maybe, if I have enough energy, redistribute the logs so larger on the bottom and smaller on top. 

Yay! Garden Assembled! Total time from first picture to last is about an hour and a half.