how to build raise garden beds

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A collaborative effort to enable people to create an easier way to grow their own food and flowers.

Claude Lewenz & friends

This is a work in progress. Pages 24 to 38 are still blank.

Please contribute your knowledge.

How to Build a Raised Bed Garden

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First Edition 3� December �008Author & Photographs by Claude Lewenz

Copyright © �009 Claude Lewenz – All rights reservedJackson House Publishing Company

ISBN �44�4�805-9 (Print only)EAN-�3 978-�44�4�805-0 (Print only)

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Raised Beds - The story

In �008, we were invited to a raised bed workshop on Waiheke Island, New Zealand run by Northland’s Grant Steven in which he brought along a set of pre-cut and hinged timber moulds. The workshop was to make a raised bed by clearing the ground, setting the moulds up, mixing a concrete-like aggregate and then pouring this into the moulds. The moulds were then removed, put on the other end and the process is repeated. Once the aggregate had set, it was smoothed off and then finished. Simple enough for several dozen people over a weekend, and the host got a raised bed to plant and feed his family.

Our garden presented a slightly different challenge... it is bigger and we did not have a dozen volunteers to do the work; we would have to pay for labour, which means designing the process to keep the hours down. We needed �3 beds, not one. Having designed and built five buildings using the same aggregate - called earthbrick on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, I began work at my desk using a CAD program, rather than in the garden. We needed a variable length form that could be placed on the ground in a minute, with little set up, and then filled to pour the whole bed. Also, we wanted the forms to be durable, so they could be reused by the community thousands of times. Therefore, the moulds needed to be:

A complete, pre-shaped form that is set on the ground and the whole bed is poured in one stepThe bed-walls must be variable length, so short, medium and long beds can be pouredThe lifting points should be easily managed by two peopleThe complex angles be made of steel (or aluminium if you have access to affordable welding services)

While this seems like a fairly simple matter to make, pour and begin using, it turns out to have all sorts of little details if one wants to get it right. In this short manual, such details are set out.

Perhaps the most important detail is the specifications sheet for the steel moulds. At the back pages of the book, you take a photocopy to your local welding or engineering company and ask for a quote. It includes the shapes of the steel and the welding notes. It should be sufficient for a shop to give you a quote. If you then want to get fancy, take the moulds to a nearby auto paint shop and ask for a quote to degrease the welded moulds and spray them with durable protective paint... of whatever colour car they happened to paint last... white is good, it demonstrates to the next person who borrows the moulds what a good cleaning job should look like on return.

The ideal earth surface is flat, but because the aggregate flows, it will fill underneath and make up some irregularities in the soil... although this also requires more material. There are details to remember, like have a water pipe plan in advance (you do need to water the garden and forever dragging hoses around seems a bit un-smart after all the smart work of making a raised bed garden). This means remembering to put the access pipes on the ground below the mould before pouring and have pipes come high enough out inside the bed to connect irrigation later. If you are doing a full garden (rather than modifying an old one), you might also want to bury electrical cables so you can set up your electric chipper, hedge trimmer for the lavender or other appliances with a simple plug-in. More details: When poured, but still wet, you press in plastic pipes (rigid bits of water pipe or electrical conduit will do fine) to enable bent rods to be set up over which netting or windcloth will be laid. After the aggregate hardens, you need to coat it, both so it looks beautiful and to make it distinctly difficult for snails to climb up and get into the plants. And finally, once built, there are all sorts of details about drip irrigation, companion and isolation planting.

So, dear reader and gardener... enjoy reading, making and eating the fruits of your labour.

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Let us begin by honouring the work of Grant Steven and Jonah Aslund of Northland, New Zealand who introduced this particular type of raised bed system to Waiheke Island, hosted by Transition Towns - NZ’s James Samuel. Of particular note is the aesthetic aspect of their design. Walls could be boring, even ugly, straight boxes and accomplish the same thing, but the gentle angle of the walls, the 45° corners and the orange-brown tint introduce an atheistic intended to make the garden beautiful as well as practical.

The difference between the Aslund/Steven system and the Waiheke method is one of detail.The Aslund/Steven moulds are made of timber using hinges. Only one end is built with an end-shutter (as in the

photograph above left) and the mould is then disassembled and reversed to finish the bed. Waiheke steel moulds are made of welded steel on the ends, with variable length 300 x 50 (�x��) wooden

sideboards. It is designed to set the whole mould for the bed on the ground at one time, and then to fill it with aggregate. When filled, the side timbers lift off first, then each end mould is lifted off. In this way, the set up time is significantly reduced with an experienced team of two builders setting, pouring and lifting one set of mould in under one hour.

The difference between the Northland hinged mould and

the Waiheke welded mould can be seen in these photographs. The Waiheke mould is set on

the ground in a single unit where the complex angles are fixed, thus requiring no set up time.

The welded units are bulkier to transport (fit in the back of an

SUV) but much faster to set up and to remove when poured. In addition to the steel, note the wooden board that joins the

ends. In the photo below right, four of these 300 x 50 mm (2x12) boards form the variable length

side walls

Note that in the steel

mould at first a rope lift was tried, later this was discarded

and steel lifting handles were

welded on.

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How to Build a Raised Bed Garden

In Italy in �989 the Slow Food movement was born out of a realisation that our machine age was taking away the timeless experience of food, of eating and drinking, giving us food not as life, but as fuel. To join the slow food movement (www.slowfood.com) a local community creates a convivium. They explain “We call our chapters convivia because it is through these local groups that our philosophy of conviviality is best expressed. Through our convivia, our members come together to share the everyday joys food has to offer. Slow Food is founded first and foremost on our right to pleasure and our consequent responsibility to protect our heritage of food, traditions and cultures that go along with it.” To become a real slow food convivium, a community needs to grow its own food. However, food gardening faces some challenges:

To address these challenges, one solution is to shift to solid-wall raised bed gardening. Yes, it requires an initial capital cost to put the beds in, but once done, gardening becomes a whole lot more about raising food and a lot less about battling nature and the elements.

Weeds and blowing weed seedsWind and stormsBirds and rabbits eating plants and digging up soilInsects and snails attacking the plants

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Burning summer sunInsufficient summer rainPoor soil and thin topsoilAching backs from weeding

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Why raised beds?Weeds: Instead of weedy ground, you have the opportunity to start out with weed free soil. The bed has rods or hoops over which you drape various types of agricultural cloth that keep blowing seeds out. If you use a light soil it is easy to weed. Weeds that would come through the walls cannot penetrate the solid wall that has no openings.Wind and sun: The hoops can be draped with wind cloth to protect from wind damage and shade cloth for burning sunWarmer earth: Sunlight strikes the walls and warms them. They hold and release the warmth, creating a micro-climate. It’s the equivalent of being a few hundred miles further north.Birds: The hoops can be draped with bird cloth to keep out birds, rabbits, hedgehogs, etc. It works brilliantly.Insects and snails: The surface of the walls have no openings (unlike railway sleepers or timber) which prevents insects from finding a way to crawl through. The vertical walls prove to be difficult for snails in part because of the sand & clay bagging on the wall surface.Water: The system uses a drip feed watering system, under the mulch, so little water is lost to evaporation or windPoor soil: Because the full bed is for growing, and it needs filling (about �50 mm - 300 mm), a good soil mix can be put in. Underneath it is open so worms will soon find it. The beds can be custom layered with various types of soil, and drained if bogging is a problem, since the bed bottom is at ground level.Aching Backs: The bed sits about 300 mm above the ground, a comfortable height to sit and tend the garden. The bed width is intended to enable a normal person to reach slightly more than halfway in with comfort.

Why not just use ponga logs or sleepers?

They rot and bugs & weeds crawl through the cracks. They can be more expensive to buy, but over time certainly are more expensive because of their shorter service life. The beauty of the crushed rock aggregate design is that it remains beautiful, solid and is more functional.

Why not just make boxed concrete walls?

You can, and for the most part performance will be the same - they will be ugly, however. Some aspects of the design are practical - the 45 degree angles make it easier to use wheelbarrows without clipping the corners. The gentle angle of the sidewalls uses less aggregate since it has a wider base but less above. However, beyond the practical, these design elements are specifically intended to make the beds beautiful, because life needs beauty and a beautiful garden is worthwhile. It’s not just about eating the food, it’s about taking an early evening walk and enjoying its beauty.

What will it cost?

It depends on whether you are a do-it-yourself gardener or you lack the time, skills or strength and have the money to pay to get the hard parts built for you. Likewise, if you want to pay professionals to take your “as is” yard and convert it to fully finished raised beds, it will cost more than if you are running a charity project for the retirement village where you will seek volunteer labour, donated aggregate (called Gap-40 on Waiheke Island), cement and sand, D�0 rods (rebar) and all the soil and mulch. This manual lists what you need, estimated costs and suggestions on keeping costs down.

So how do we begin?

The first question has to do with the moulds. Are they available, or do they need to be made? If they need to be made, we have created a set of designs that are intended to be given to several engineering shops in your area to request quotes. The moulds are made, for the most part from flat, common steel, 3 mm thick. They are cut to precise size, then welded into the mould shape.

We created one complete set of moulds, so one decides how long the bed will be, selects 300 x 50 timbers of the

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appropriate length, and then the whole mould is laid on the ground. By whole mould, we mean that the whole bed is poured at once. One sets the mould up, mixes the aggregate, pours it into the mould and a few minutes later lifts the timbers and then the two mould ends and the bed is done. Of course it then needs to sit for a few days to harden and cure before it is plastered.

In summary the steps are as follows:Secure the moulds (make them or borrow, rent or buy a set already made).Decide how long and wide the beds will be. Here, we enter the first area of debate, so we set out your choices below.Build reinforced beds over water pipe, insert hoop pipe-rod-holders, allow to cure then plaster the visible walls and top.Add soil mix, drip irrigation pipes, protective hoops, water pipes to drip irrigation, cover walkways with chip, stone or grass, begin planting.

The Width Debate

Many of the books say to keep the width to three or four feet (about 900 to ��00 mm). Some prefer a wider bed, closer to �400 mm or even �500 mm – noting that the extra width provides more growing space for little extra cost – which is true. However, if the primary gardener has short arms and legs, it makes some sense to design ergonomically, and the set of moulds we made were set at ��00 mm width because they were designed for a woman’s reach (as tested). Also at ��00 wide, one six metre rod will make two squared reinforcing hoops. As a concession to big-width advocates, however, the mould design specifications for future moulds was modified so the middle steel panels are now split into two, allowing a user to unbolt them and insert a “stretcher” block of �00, �00 or even 300 mm. This enables the mould to be �300, �400 or �500 mm wide, respectively. This does change the symmetry however.

The Length Debate

With the Waiheke steel design, there is no limit to how long the beds can be, because length is determined by the length of the side timbers. The realistic limit therefore is the timber yard limit of � meter 300 x 50 timbers giving an effective length of 7.� meter for the bed. One could go longer by joining long timbers, but this would require an additional angled locking brace.

The debate on length is generally about cost vs function. The longer the mould, the less aggregate is used per square meter of growing soil. However the books say if you make it too long, you will not walk around the raised bed, but take a short cut through it, compacting the soil and spreading mud. Sure, one can put in walking stones, but this seems a compromise. Also, at one point the length of the bed begins to look more industrial than romantic, and romance is important in creating and loving a garden. Available land determines what you can build. If you are limited in land, you must use shorter beds. If your land slopes and you can’t terrace the beds, the longer they are, the more likely the water will run downhill in a heavy rain and pool at the lower end (in some cases where we had too great a slope, cut a piece of spouting pipe and laid it under the mould to provide drainage). Also if you grow mint, blackberries, Jerusalem artichokes or other plants that can take over a garden if not blocked, the smaller bed can be allocated solely for that plant to stop the plants from spreading too far. For some of these plants you may want to consider the smallest side timbers so the bed is a perfect octagon.

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1200 wide is just right for this gardener

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Notes on Sizing

The first set of Waiheke steel moulds (with a fixed width of ��00 mm interior at top) have three sets of timbers:

4.� m long bed using four 3 m long 300 x 50 timbers (right)3.0 m long bed using four �.8 m long side timbers (above right)Octagon using very short side timbers (above left)

4.� m is the longest bed that will use one � m longitudinal hoop for draping shade or bird cloth. Also, this uses four 3 metre boards. 4.� is about the longest mould one uses with one middle support brace. If you go longer, say to � meters, make up a second middle support brace to prevent the side timbers from bulging when they are first poured.

Design and Aesthetics

We suggest you measure your site and then use whiteboard and erasable markers to create a scale model of the garden. For a garden of about �0 m x �0 m, we found a scale of � meter = � inch (about �:40) worked well. This is because most people have access to a metric tape measure and an imperial ruler. We also suggest you cut out of paper the three bed sizes (if you use the

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Photo of a middle support brace used to keep the timbers from bulging.

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4.�, 3.0 and octagon moulds) so you can easily move them around as you get creative.Draw out what is fixed... trees, walls, hedges, etc. Then consider various geometric layouts, noting that some plants need

an east west line, whilst others may be happier with north-south orientation of the raised beds. The ends of the moulds have a 45 degree angle, both for atheistic, and to reduce wheelbarrow damage when turning a corner. Work with the possibilities.

When you have completed your on-paper design test it out on the land. Make sure you have allowed at least � meter between beds for wheelbarrows and walking. Also pay attention to drainage. You don’t want puddles. Make sure everything actually fits and looks right on the ground. Put pegs in the ground to show where the eight 45º corners will go. You can use the moulds, if you have them, to assure you get the placement right.

Prepare the Land

The beds do not need a foundation, but they do need good ground that will not subside later, or they may crack. Clear the land of junk, of vegetation that will break down and other unstable debris. Tightly cut grass is apparently OK. Note that in the costing, if you are paying workers by the hour or asking for a fixed quote, this is one of the biggest variables. If you have flat land with all the topsoil stripped (and set aside), with a layer of Gap 40 compacted in the subsoil (note this is an extreme example, not an expectation), where all the workers do is lay the moulds down and pour, the job will take less than an hour per mould (and could be faster if we can figure out how to pour the wheelbarrow contents into the mould instead of shovelling it out – we need some sort of funnel on the barrow or mould, we figure). However, if you are retrofitting a current garden and want to save particular plants, and the workers have to spend hours in preparation, expect costs to rise.

Tools Needed

� set of steel moulds for both ends (See the last two pages of this book for a cut-out request-for-quote form if you need to order a set made).4 equal length 300 x 50 side timbers w handles (each set uses four side timbers)� cement mixer with power (electric or petrol)� bin / half barrel to hold open cement bag (a 55 gallon steel barrel cut longitudinally works great because it is rounded)Protective tarps or ground cover (if required)� shovels (one at mixer, one at beds)� wheel barrows (fill one / pour other)� bucket for water (hose nearby)� buckets for clay paint (raw & strained)� wind cloth filter to strain clay paint� hose or bucket/brush for cleaning toolsTape measure to check work� hacksaw or bolt cutters to cut D�0 rods� saw or hacksaw to cut plastic pipe� pliers to twist D�0 ties (overlapped rods)� crowbar to break side timbers loose (lever)� pairs double-dipped fisherman’s rubber gloves Appropriate safety equipment

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Shopping Checklist☐ $___ Steel Moulds (both ends) See spec sheet

☐ $___ Wooden 300x50 (2x12) side moulds (four per set) Length is variable

☐ $___ Steel side brace for longer moulds (holds timber) Prevents lateral bulging of the timber mould

☐ $___ Cement Mixer, shovels, wheel barrow, gloves Use normal safety precautions

☐ $___ Optional reinforcing steel for the beds This prevents long term cracking

☐ $___ Aggregate (on Waiheke called Gap 40) Get local advice on best mix

☐ $___ Bags of cement

☐ $___ Sand for “bagging” the finished surface

☐ $___ Local clay (should be free from the earth)

☐ $___ 300 mm rigid plastic pipe (about 13 mm OK) for rods Look for surplus or used pipe

☐ $___ D12 or 12 mm steel rods for hoops

☐ $___ 13 mm light gauge flexible black pipe to cover hoops Make sure it slides easy over the pipe

☐ $___ Irrigation pipe that goes under garden & moulds This is your underground water plan

☐ $___ Irrigation shut-off valve With drip feed, one valve is sufficient

☐ $___ Tee connectors to join all irrigation pipes Branch out into each bed

☐ $___ End connector to terminate pipes

☐ $___ Drip feed water pipes & tap-in fittings

☐ $___ Bird netting to cover beds as needed Allow 3-4 m. to drape over sides and ends

☐ $___ Wind cloth to cover beds as needed Allow 3-4 m. to drape over sides and ends

☐ $___ Shade cloth to cover beds as needed Allow 3-4 m. to drape over sides and ends

☐ $___ Good topsoil

☐ $___ Weedcloth or large cardboard (from appliance store) Covers the soil to prevent in-ground weeds

☐ $___ Wood chips or other ground cover for footpaths

☐ $___ Plants and seeds

☐ $___ Make sure you have an adequate water supply

Calculating the materials depends on how many beds you make, how level the surface and how long the beds are. a cross-section of the bed is about 0.05 M� which means if you multiply the 3rd dimension of the bed (it’s circumference) you should get an “exact” material total. Problem is “exact” rarely works in the real world. Order extra. See lines E through J on the next page for the calculation (note: it is easier to key these specs into a spread-sheet). Note that we put in 40% extra for the irregular ground and it worked out right when we actually did the job.

What materials depends on what is available. On Waiheke Island, the aggregate is sometimes to “bony” meaning it lacks enough small fines (stone dust or clay), so they add about �/4 scrapings - the surface aggregate that has more clay in it.

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quote Materials Work Sheet one 4.2 bed, fill in for yours Calc 4.2 m bed m bed

A Total number of beds of each size Fill in 1 beds _____ beds

B Length of side timber Fill in 3 m _____ m

C Total Length of both end moulds (fixed 1.85 m x 2) Fixed 3.7 m 3.7 m

D Length of each side timber x 2 (B x 2) Calc 6 m m

E Total circumference of mould (add C plus D) Calc 9.7 m m

F Cross section of each mould (fixed 0.054 m²) Fixed 0.05 m² 0.05 m²

G Total M³ of mould (E x F) Calc 0.52 m³ m³

H Allow additional mix for irregularities 40% Fill in 0.21 m³ m³

I Total mix for each bed (Gap 40 w “fines” **) (G+H) Calc 0.73 m³ m³

J Total mix for beds of one sizen (A x I) Calc 0.73 m³ m³

K $___ Total mix for all beds to buy 1 m³

L Cement at 13:1 ratio with mix (Gap 40) (J / 13) 0.08 m³ 0.06 m³ m³

M Cement bags (25 bags = 1 m³) for aggregate 1.92 bags

N 6 m Lengths of D10 rebar steel rods - each bed Calc 2

O Total steel for beds of one size (A x N) Calc 2 rods

P $___ Total D10 rebar steel to buy 2 bars

Q 290 mm 13+mm rigid water pipe/conduit (1/m. x E) Calc 10 pipes pipes

R Total pipes per beds of one size (A x Q / 290 mm) Calc 3 m m

S $___ Total plastic pipe to cut in 300 lengths 3 mRigid plastic pipe can be scrap

or recycled

T Surface area for each bed’s plaster (E x 540 mm) Calc 5 m² m²

U Plaster = 6 parts sand, 1 cement, 2 liquid clay *** Info

V Total sand per bed (T x .01 m / 10mm deep plaster) Calc 0.05 m³ m³

W Total sand for beds of one size (A x V) Calc 0.05 m³ m³

X $___ Total sand to buy for plaster 0.1 m³

Y Total cement per bed [1 bag=12 m²@10mm] (T/12) Calc 0.4 bag bag

Z Total cement for beds of one size (A x Y) Calc 0.4 bags bags

AA Total cement bags for plaster 1 bags

BB $___ Total cement bags to buy (M + AA) 3 bags

CC Total 10 mm hoop rods per bed (6 meter lengths) Calc 2.5 rods rods

DD Total hoop rods for beds of one size (A x CC) Calc 2.5 rods rods

EE Total hoop rods to buy 2 rodsall rods

= 12m. (presumes all beds covered)

FF $___ Total alcathene pipe (12 mm) cover hoop rods 12 m

GG Soil (250 mm deep x 1200 mm wide x length) Calc 1.05 m³ ea m³ ea

HH Total earth for beds of that size (A x GG) Calc 1.05 m³ m³

I I $___ Total raised bed soil to buy or find (weedfree) 2 m³

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Material Needed

On the prior two pages, we provide a spread sheet with calculations. These are logical calculations based on our actual experience. However, as any builder will tell you, precision is difficult given the variables in the field. Use these as guidelines, but use your brain and common sense. Order extra and come up with a plan to use leftovers.

Bulk Material

One of the challenges in writing a booklet like this is writing for some people who live on our island, and others who do not. The bulk material for people on Waiheke is easy - order it from the quarry and ask that they mix lots of “fines” in with the Gap 40. Since the quarry workers are familiar with earth brick building on Waiheke they tend to understand what is needed. If the Gap 40 batch looks bony, change the order so a percentage is what the quarry calls “quarry scrapings”, the first layer of subsoil removed as they begin quarrying - a layer with more clay in it. For our beds, we ordered � m3 of Gap 40 and � m3 of Scrapings. Please note that this is somewhat of an art, because the material from the quarry is not consistent. The fines (as in fine or small particles) are important for our purposes. The goal is to get a mix the consistency of stiff porridge when poured into the wheelbarrow that then absorbs enough of the water that in �0 to �0 minutes or so the mix in the mould is strong enough not to slump when the moulds are removed. The “fines” and the bit of clay in the scrapings are what causes this to absorb the water and cause the mix to set. Note that when the moulds are lifted, the mix is still very soft, almost like gelatin. The mix is different than normal concrete, where moulds have to stay on much longer because the only hardening that occurs in normal concrete is the chemical reaction.

The bulk material for people living elsewhere requires a bit more research. The first place to start is to go to your local road mix quarry and see what they have on offer. Basically, you want a mix that will set in a few minutes sufficiently strong that it does not slump. If you are unsure, ask if you can do some tests. In the Waiheke system, we use �3 parts of aggregate to � part of cement and only enough water to make it like thick porridge. The ratio is not, pardon the pun, set in stone. It derives from the amount and size of stone in the mix. This is why mortar, made of sand and cement requires as 3:� ratio, while concrete made of a mix of aggregate including larger stones only requires �:� to get strength. The mix we use is not like mortar or concrete because those bulk materials cost considerably more and give an engineered strength not needed for a simple bed used to grow plants. Because we do not need this, the bulk material is far more flexible. The main thing to avoid is something that will crack due to shrinkage; break due to weakness; wear away due to softness; or take too long to set, meaning the workers must wait around to lift off the mould and start the next bed.

How much?

Because each mould is of a different length, you need to do some calculations. See the spread sheets. On our job, we ordered � m3 of Gap 40 and � m3 of Scrapings and �0 bags of cement. We ended up with half a bag of cement and a small pile of Gap 40 and scrapings, perhaps �/� m� which is why we put such a large irregularity percentage. Our ground surface was not level, and we used some to fill in the gaps (very easy to do as the boards are straight – if the ground underneath undulates, it will simply take more mix to fill it in). Also the first two beds poured did not have bracing on the side timbers, and we observed that they were bulging out in the middle. Thus not only made the side timbers harder to lift off, it used more mix. On Waiheke, note that delivery cost may exceed the cost of materials. You are better off ordering more and planning to use it somewhere else, rather than need an emergency truck delivery to finish the beds while your workers wait.

Cement

In simple terms you first divide the sum total of all beds by �3 (since you are using �3 parts aggregate to � part cement

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– if you need to add more cement to assure strength, vary the cement calculation accordingly). Then you divide the plaster by � (since you are using � parts sand to � part cement). The easiest way to do it is to arrange that extra unopened bags can be returned to the store, and buy a few extra.

Plaster

Plaster uses � part cement � parts sand and � parts clay paint (made from free clay you dig out of the earth). Estimating the amount of cement depends on how thick you plaster. We did our calculations on �0 mm thick plaster. Your surface area is �90 mm high plus �50 mm on top length. We only plastered the top �00 mm of the inside wall.

Prepare the Mixing Area

A truckload of Gap 40 requires a large dumping space right next to the mixer. Water is required to add to the mix and to clean up (very important). Power can be electricity or petrol depending on the mixer. The Waiheke loaner mixer is electric. Unless you want the leftovers to stabilise a driveway or footpath, lay down protective tarps or fabric before setting up. Remember that the workers must wheelbarrow the mix from the mixer to the moulds.

We recommend two wheelbarrows if you have two workers. If you use just one, you will find one worker standing around waiting. We recommend having a plastic bucket to add the water, estimating with a hose is inaccurate. Also have two solid shovels., one for mixing, one for filling the mould. If you can find a steel barrel cut end to end, it makes an excellent bed to drop the cement bag into for shovelling. Order the Gap 40 and other materials so they arrive shortly after the workers have completed preparing the mixing area. If it is to sit, best to cover it with a tarp. Make sure the cement is protected from water or damp. If you have access to a pressure washer, this is strongly recommended for fast cleanup. Otherwise have cleaning brushes and a hose. You will be cleaning not just at the end of the day, but during the mixing. In the photo above, the work site is about 3m x 3m in the corner of a driveway made of the same quarry material, so we only needed to scrape away the 7-�4 surface stone. It is very helpful if you can get running water to the mixing site, as it is essential to clean up constantly. Wet cement is easy to wash, hard to remove when dry.

Setting up the Mould

Before making the mix, the two workers set the mould on the ground. Make sure that the mould is square and plumb. In some cases, on irregular ground you will need to put stones or some sort of spacer below parts of the mould. This is OK, it just means more mix will be used to fill in the gaps. Make sure that the wooden side timbers are wet. Some people apply releasing oil, but we did not find this was necessary. Also store-bought releasing oil smells awful and we wondered what chemicals we might be embedding in the raised bed walls. We found that soaking the timbers was adequate to

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assure it would break free. While it should seem obvious, make sure the timbers have the handles facing upward and the slightly trimmed ends facing inward – the trimming makes a smoother transition from the steel to the wood. Otherwise there is a 3 mm bump to smooth out afterwards.

Making the Mix

�3:� aggregate to cement ratio. Pour a bucket of water into the mixer firstShovel in � shovels of gap 40One shovel of cement - make sure each shovel is equal amountMore water to keep it mushyOne Shovel of the quarry scrappingSix Shovels of Gap 40Add enough water to be mushy, like porridgeWhen mixed pour into wheel barrow and make the next mix. Depending on who is ahead, the mixer or the pourer wheels the barrow over.If you take a break, add a bucket or two of water and keep mixer moving to clean it out whilst on break

Setting reinforcing steel, water pipes & drainage

Reinforcing steel is not required, but in the opinion of our experts, its cheap insurance. If the ground moves (such as shrinking in a drought), the bed may lose some of its support, as it has no foundation in the ground like a normal building. Specially designed deformed steel (also called rebar) is embedded in the middle of

the mix and its tensile strength keeps the bed from cracking. Engineers tell us two rods one about �00 mm above the other are even better but we opted for one. Basically, the

worker beds the �0 mm (D�0) rods in the shape of the middle of the mould and drops them in. Overlapped rods can either be welded, or a 400 mm overlap tied with steel wire (see photo).

Buy both from building supply stores.

You will note the old, ugly looking galvanised power pole bolts we used to create a bending jig. This was one of the add-ons. We observed the workers

were hand bending, trying to guess the bed dimensions, and we realised repeating this �� times would add some serious labour time. So

foraging in the garage came up with some old bolts that we welded onto the moulds. We also welded the washers about �� mm below the bolt head so the rebar would not slip down while being bent. In the photo you also may note the ropes used to lift the mould off.

This did not last. As we observed how the workers handled the

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�.3.4.5.�.7.8.

9.

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mould we made up steel handles and welded them on the moulds at the right balance point. This field work probably added to the total of 3� hours (time two men) it took to make the �3 beds. The first day we made one bed, the next day, five.

Decide where the water pipe will come up and have a valve attached to the drip irrigation. Run the water pipe under the mould to where a “tee” connector will link it into the water system. We observe that many people forget this stage and then have a garden with hoses running all around. Over time, hoses are far more expensive than buried black plastic pipe connected with permanent fittings. They also look messy and get in the way.

If the bed is on a slope, or if your subsoil has very poor drainage, you may want to install a drain coil or a piece of left over spouting pipe under the lowest side (see arrow). Otherwise in a hard rain you may find you built a bathtub and all your recently germinated plants are awash.

Pouring into the Mould

At this point, we found the mould top too narrow to allow us to pour the mix into the mould directly from the barrow. We thought about altering the mould to allow pouring in, but the lead builder, Gordon, felt the time savings would be minimal. So for now, shovel it in. Begin with pouring into the side mould part because the side timbers come up first, so this will be the first to set or “jell”. As you pour, lift the D�0 rebar so that it ends up suspended about in the middle of the mould, both vertical and horizontal.Use a rod to tamp the mix to make sure it fills all the gaps.As you are pouring into the moulds, be sure to insert the hoop rod pipes. These pipes can be made of any sort of rigid plumbing or electrical conduit pipe. We made ours out of all the surplus pipe left over from the job site. The best pipe is wide enough to easily allow the rods to drop in, but not wide enough for the covering alcathene pipe so that the alcathene stops the hoops from dropping further in. See arrow.NOTE: We did not put full length pipes in our job, and found the first rain they filled with water. Water and steel rods don’t mix well over time, so we had to drill out through the bottom to drain out the water. Put �90 or 300 mm pipes in so the bottom is in touch with the earth. To be safe after they have been inserted, drop and tamp a piece of the hoop steel (or any leftover D�0 rod) to make sure no aggregate mix got into the bottom of the pipe

�.

�.

3.4.

5.

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NOTE: We put in one pipe on each long end, and then evenly spaced hoop pipes on the sides. We find this works well except on the corners where the wind catches the cloth and lifts it. In the photo, the arrow shows where would had to lay a rock to hold it down. We now tend to think it would be better to add additional pipes at each angle. The pipes serve a dual purpose. They not only support the hoops in raising the cloth above the ground, but the cloth can be anchored in the pipe by lacing the hoop through it. In the drawing above, we provide a revised suggestion on where insert the plastic pipes.When the mould is full, smooth off the top with a trowel (or wooden block)NOTE: James and Grant prefer a rounded top, it looks nicer, but there is debate on seating comfort. If you live on Waiheke Island, best to stop by both James’s garden and Gabriella’s to see which one feels more comfortable for sitting.The clay in the mix should rapidly absorb water at a microscopic way, so the mix will not slump when lifting the mould.

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7.8.

9.

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Lift the Moulds

Knowing when to lift is an art. A Waiheke mix jells about �0-�0 minutes after pouring, enough to lift the mould off without it slumping. The only way to know is to test. Begin by lifting the side board brace (used on longer side boards).

�8

Next lift the side boards. Use a pry bar to break the bond if the timber is sticking to the mix. Note that the builders found it faster to lift both moulds upward at the same time. As soon as the timbers are off, wash them clean. This allows more time for the end moulds to set.

Note: In our first set of moulds, the timber slides up vertically. An alternative design would have one side of the outer pocket be bolted on. In this way the outer pocket would be removed and the timber peeled away.

Lift up and remove the end moulds. Note how in the first lift (left), the workers had straddle the bed to get the mould off. In the second photo it shows where metal handles were welded on. Wash the end moulds

The pouring is now complete, but the bed has many rough edges, especially where the timbers slot in. Shortly after, when the mix feels stable, brush off the new bed using a soft broom or rubber gloves.

Check your work to make sure pipes have been installed. While wet, the bed still can be altered.

Plaster the beds

There are several ways to plaster. Grant has a particular recipe, but we relied on the recipe of Gordon and Matthew, as they have been making mud brick buildings for over a decade. At one time they made a standard mortar plaster that was grey, and then applied a clay slurry. However with experimentation they found they could add clay to the plaster and get a soft yellow-orange colour that will never wear through because it is part of the plaster. The recipe is simple: six parts sand - one part cement - two parts clay slurry. Mix in the cement mixer to get a stiff plaster that can be applied by hand wearing double dipped fishing gloves or with a trowel.

Make the clay slurry

First make the clay part. For people on Waiheke, the landscape supplier next to the quarry has a bank of clay that is the right colour. For people who do not have access to it, look for a rich golden red clay, and conduct experiments. See the upper left photo for the approximate raw colour of the Waiheke clay. If you wish to test different clays, remember that the dry colour is significantly different than the wet.

Crumble the clay and put it in a bucket. If it is wet, that’s OK too. Add water slowly and mix with a plaster mixer (an attachment for a drill) or by hand. When completely mixed, place wind cloth or

�9

a screen over a bucket and pour the clay through it. This will filter out all the stones and larger particles, thus making you a bucket of clay slurry. The consistency should be that of thick paint. Not bad for free.

Preparation and plastering

Normally you allow at least several days before plastering. You want the beds to harden and do any shrinking before plastering, but it is good if they are still somewhat “green” so the chemical and mechanical bonding of the bed and the plaster is strong.

Do not start too late in the day. After the plaster is applied, it needs to sit for several hours and then you come back wearing rubber gloves to hand smooth off the surface. If it gets dark, you may not be able to see what you are doing. If you leave it until the next day, the plaster will be so hard, you won’t be able to get a good finish.Soak the walls of the bed. This is important, especially so on hot sunny days. Otherwise the water in the plaster gets drawn out.We find apply the plaster by hand wearing rubber gloves allows the worker to fill all the cracks. A good plaster can do the same with a trowel, but a novice will sometimes find gaps – although in some cases they won’t find the gaps until a few years later when the plaster falls off.You may want a tarp on the ground to capture the plaster that falls off. Reuse it, but make sure it does not get too dry.We find the best earth-brick plasters use a sort of hand-flicking motion that fires the plaster into the wall, and their hand then presses it in further. Keep practising. We did our material calculations based on �0 mm of plaster.When you are done, clean up the equipment and take a break.Come back about 3 hrs later and hand rub off all the ridges and bumps. At this time they should come off easily. If you leave it overnight you may find it solid and impossible to smooth.

Finishing the beds - soil and water

We do not claim to know everything there is to know about soil. Suffice it to say that different plants need different soils, and different gardens need different layers of soil in the raised bed. It does make sense however to have a good idea of what you are planting before you decide what soil to put in. However, whatever you put in, you don’t want weeds from the original ground surface growing up into the bed.

The best advice is to go to your local appliance store and ask for the discarded cardboard boxes. Unlike the wine merchant, whose boxes are small and sometimes coated with inks, the boxes for appliances like refrigerators are big and clean. Lay the cardboard on the bottom and it will block out the sunlight that the weeds need to grow. Do not lose your irrigation pipe that should be at the bottom of the bed wall.

Fill with earth. For cheque book gardeners in New Zealand, a company called Living Earth (www.livingearth.co.nz) provides a mix

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especially for raised beds. It is not inexpensive, but it is guaranteed to be weed-free and to have all sorts of things that will make plants happy. Whatever soil you use, be sure to cover it with mulch. Protect your soil.

Note the black pipes running along the ground outside the bed. These are standard farm pipes. We set them on the ground and dug a �0 mm trench so they were just below the ground surface. All were connected up to the water source with Tee connectors. At the raised bed end install a shut off valve and then a drip-feed pipe that runs either on or just below the surface of the soil. In this way, you get a complete watering system that should never need maintenance or replacement.

Drip Feed Irrigation

We went to www.fruitfedsupplies.co.nz to purchase drip feed irrigation. We purchased the surface mount pipes, the alternative are the slightly larger embedded pipes. More than just plastic pipe with holes in them, the pipes pressurise in a way that �00 mtres of pipe equally distributes the water to the whole system. The pipes have some sort of device behind each hole that regulates the water to keep flow going t all �00 metres of the pipe. Your installed farm pipes coming to each bed are blocked off at their end, and a small plastic fitting is pressed into the large pipe, piercing a hole in the side of the pipe. The drip-irrigation pipe is pressed onto the fitting and then draped in the bed. You should allow two to three lengths meaning if the bed is 3 metres long, loop it twice (� metres) or thrice (9 metres). Why two or three? It has to do with the extent to which your soil spreads the water (capillary action). We found our topsoil which is light and drains well needs more pipes because the water does not spread but flows rather quickly to the bottom and then into the subsoil. We need three lengths which then waters rapidly and effectively. At the end of the drip-feed pipe the easiest way to terminate it is to take a one inch (�5 mm) section of the �3mm plastic farm pipe, slice it linearly, fold the irrigation pipe over and use the sliced farm pipe to hold it folded over.

The Hoops

One of the key elements of a raised bed is the ability to protect the plants and soil from wind, too much sunlight, birds, animals and other crawly creatures. To do this each bed gets its own canopy of various weaves of cloth... wind cloth, bird cloth, shade cloth. Part of our improvement over the original system was to embed recycled rigid water and conduit pipe into the bed itself so that we could drop in metal hoops covered in black alcathene pipe.

Round or Rectangle, that is the question

In our workshop we saw a beautiful demonstration of bending a �0 mm road around a large barrel and then around a jig to produce a pigtail upon which to affix various tie-downs.

However, we then spoke to another local veteran of decades of raised bed gardening who said it took him years of pushing cloth back up and having it slide back down again to make his hoops

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rectangular. Up 875 mm, 90º bend, across ��00 mm, 90º bend back down, 875 mm. This comes out of a 3 m rod which means you get two hoops out of a standard � m length. The same 875 height means the longest bed you can fit one � m longitudinal bar is 4.� meters, which is one reason why we made our long bed that size.

You can either use deformed D�0 rods, or purchase round �0 mm rod. We bought the round rod, but found it cost more than the D�0 deformed rods. Best to shop around. Then buy standard �� or �3 mm alcathene water pipe in �00 metre rolls. Be certain to ask for the best price here. We did and was astounded when the “best price” was about 40% of the list price.

Cut the straight rod in half for the side hoops and cut to size for the longitudinal hoop (measure the bed end to end between the end pipe slots and add �700 mm for the vertical (850 x �).Slide the alcathene pipe over the rod, but do not cover the last �00 mm of the rod. Cut the alcathene off. Then slide the pipe �00 mm, so at each end the steel rod has �00 mm exposed.Put the plastic covered pipe in a vice and hand bend it 90º �85 mm from the end.Turn it around and do the same on the other end. When you make the second bend, make sure it is on the same plane as the first. Have someone help hold it parallel.All the short side hoops will be the same size, even for the octagon.Your first few may not look great. Best to bend and test.

If you have done it right, the hoops should slot into the embedded pipes in the beds and sit tall and strong. When you drape cloth over them lift the hoop out of its pipe sleeve, tread the hoop through the fabric and put the hoop back into the pipe sleeve. This anchors the cloth. If the cloth has holes smaller than the �0 mm rod, you may want to either make a strong hole or use some sort of clipping device.

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Finishing the garden

The beds are now done and ready to plant. What’s next?

The footpaths. Hopefully you have spaced the beds � meter apart and they will not be used for growing but for walking and wheelbarrows. You have a wide range of choices. You can leave them in grass, you can cover them in stone chip or even brick paving. What we decided to do was to lay down more cardboard from the appliance store and then put down �0 m3 of freshly chipped pine from our friendly island firewood supplier. Pine keeps insects away. It is wonderful under foot and feet feel dry even after a soaking rain. Eventually it will break down, giving us a free supply of mulch right next to the beds.

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This book can 40 pages for the same price - so let’s add more knowledge:

Please contribute your knowledge

The re is more to know about raised bed gardening. This book is a collaborative effort. It is being sold at the printing cost, and the print-on-demand service we use charges the same price for �4 to 40 pages. So this becomes an opportunity to record more knowledge for the reader.

As prime author, I am not a gardener but a designer. So I designed the moulds and then recorded the steps so someone unfamiliar with the subject could follow them and get the same results we did.

This creates the opportunity for others with expertise to provide their knowledge, so the book gets better.Because it is print-on-demand, we can keep updating it.

To help us, please email [email protected]

The next pages have suggested headings.

�4

Gardening Tools

What’s best to buy. Make your own. Historic tools.

Help Wanted Completing this section

�5

Sun, wind and water control

When is there too much sun? When does wind hurt and what to do about it? When is the right time to water?


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Good bugs - bad bugs

What insects are helpful, which are bad, and what to do about them.


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Companion Planting

Some plants help other plants. Providing a list is helpful.


�8

Sequential planting.

If you plant all the tomatoes at the same time expect a bumper crop all at once, far too many to enjoy and then they are all gone.


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Isolation Planting

Some plants keep to themselves and which spread like crazy. The latter should be in their own beds; in some cases they are best done in octagons – the smallest size raised bed.


30

Compost Bins

How to make them


3�

Compost

How to do it


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Bocashi - composting on boosters

How to do grow them


33

Topsoil

How to make it better. The art of topsoil


34

Growing plants from seeds

How to do it


35

Seed saving and heritage seeds

How to do it


3�

Fruit Trees

How to grow them


37

Pruning & Grafting

How and when to do it


38

Canning

How to do it


39

.290

.156

.342.244 .244

.314 .314

.290

.100.050

PLEASE SEND QUOTE TO:Name ______________________E-mail______________________ Phone _____________________ Address: ________________________________________________

QUOTE SUMMARY

$___________ Total Materials$___________ Labour to Weld$___________ Delivery$___________ Tax @ _______%===========================$___________ Total Quote

1.294

.647 .647

These 8 brace plates are used to hold the timbers. These useangle iron to hold the timberin place

The Exterior Braces hold the inner and outer sides of the forms together. Cut 3 mm flat stock in 50 mm strips.Fabricate on the forms as you build.Make sure top opening is 150mm, bottom 220mm. Cut a 12 mm "lifting bolt" hole in ALL top braces. On straight braces weld inner & outer 50 mm angle-iron to form Timber Slots to slide in the side timber forms. NOTE: If side timbers are over 3 m in length, on one of each timber end slots, do not use an angle iron but a removable support so the timber can be pulled away instead of pulled up - otherwise the friction is too great.

6 OUTER ANGLE PLATES (symetrical).292 mm H x .620 mm Top x .648 mm Bot0.1851 m2 each $_________ x 4 =$________

(Then cut two of them in half - see STRETCH PLATES below)

6 INNER ANGLE PLATES (symetrical).292 mm H x .500 mm Top x .466 mm Bot0.1410 m2 each $_________ x 4 =$________

(Then cut two of them in half- see STRETCH PLATES below)

4 OUTER STRAIGHT PLATES (asymetrical).292 mm H x .186 mm Top x .200 mm Bot 90d0.0564 m2 each $_________ x 4 =$________

4 INNER STRAIGHT PLATES (asymetrical).292 mm H X .124 mm Top x .109 mm Bot 90d0.0340 m2 each $_________ x 4 =$________

HANDLES 30mm wide 2 bends ea. 4 for moulds 0.0075 m2 each $_________ x 4 =$________30 mm w. 4 bends ea 8 handles for ea timber set0.0105 m2 each $_________ x 8 =$________

Variable Width Raised Bed Forms Order Sheet 3 mm common steel

.310 .310

90°

.250 .250

.233 .233

.292 .292

Stretch OuterAngle Plate tomake wider bed (Cut 2 from below)

StretchInner Angle

Plate to make wider bed (Cut 2

from below)

.292

.620

.648

.310 .310

.324 .324

.292

.500

.466

.250.250

.233.233

These plates make the inner & outer angled forms at the ends of the moulds.

After Assembly of Plates - On the middle stretch plate weld a supporting Exterior Brace so it lines up with the other cut stretch plate . This enablesa user to insert a wooden "stretcher" to make the mould wider.

.050

.150

.050

Drill 3 screw holes

each side

.150

.050

Make 8 Lifting Handels for the timber side moulds

NOTE: Drill 3 holes in each endScrew into timber using

stainless steel screws.

At the top of the mould, weld lifting handles where

one end is on the inner angle plate and the other

end is on the outer angle plate

Jig Bolt

Timber Slot

Lifting handles for side timbers(Make 8 per set)

Lifting handles for steel moulds(Make 4)

.290

.156

.342

On 8 of the brace plates, drill 16 mm holes to allow stretching the mould widthusing a user-suppliedtimber insert Exterior Brace

(Make 8 with

stretchers &

8 withangle iron)

.292

.186

.200

87°90°

93° OuterStraight Plate(Make 4)

87°

.292

90°

93°.109

.124 These plates connect the angled end forms to the straight wooden boards. After Assembly of Plates: Welded to both sides, one Exterior Brace is affixed to connect the inner and outer sides of the moulds. The side steel for these braces is 90 degree angle iron that forms the pocket for the Timber Slot to connect the 300 x 50 timber side forms. NOTE: If side timbers are very long (3-6 m) on one end of the "pockets" do not use an angle iron, but instead fabricate a removable outer plate so the plate can be undone and the timber pulled away from the form, rather than lifted upwards.

InnerStraightPlate(Make 4)

OuterAnglePlate

(Make 6)

InnerAnglePlate(Make 6)

This is a stand-alone brace that straddles themiddle of the side timber forms and keepsthem from spreading. It may be easier tomake 50 mm wide strips and cut them to fitthe actual timber when assembled. For timber longer than 3 m. make a second brace

NOTE: If the stretch plate is used with inserts,make the width of the bar to match.

Timber middle support brace

Note: The original design is for a 1.2 m wide bed. Some prefer a wider bed so in this design the middle inner and outer plate iscut in the middle. An additional Angle exterior brace is cut for each end and 16 mm holes drilled so a stretching insert (wood)can be bolted in, making the mould wider.

.324 .324 90°90°

BRACES (all 50 mm wide) 3 mm steel perpendicular to plates

TOP 256 mm long (make 16) (this is 156 mm plus 50 mm + 50 mm) 0.0180 m2 $_______each x 16 = $___________ Drill one 16 mm hole in each in the middle of all 16 of the braces

STRETCH SIDES 342 mm long (make 8) (this is 292 mm plus 50 mm) 0.0171 m2 $_______each x 8 = $___________ Drill three 16 mm holes in these plates (centre & 50 mm from each end)

TIMBER SLOTS (make 8)- 50 mm angle iron 342 mm high (see photo below) 50 mm angle iron 342 mm each $_______ x 8 = $________ Timber slots weld onto straight exterior brace to form a sliding pocket for the 300 x 50 timber forms - When setting the pitch angle of the angle iron, test an offcut of the actual timber thickness to assure the 300 x 50 will slide easily.

NOTE: If side timbers longer than 3 m are used, the user may wish to fabricate a different way to hold the board so it peels away on one end, rather than pull upwards where the sliding friction is greater. Consider a hinge or bolt & nut.

MIDDLE TIMBER BRACE 50 mm wide x 4.622 m long = Total of 0.2311 m2 in 7 parts = $_______ (see diagram for 7 parts)

BENDING JIG BOLTS Weld on 4 16 mm x 400 mm bolts 250 mm above thetop of each angle to bend the D10 reinforcing rod in the shape of the bed (see photo)

For users intending to stretch themoulds for wider than 1200 mmthis brace is cut into two partsdrill holes are cut and a parallel100 x 50 board is affixed to widen the span

On the stretch plates, cut in half then weld an exterior brace on both halves (wherethe plate was cut) with 16 mm holes aligned so they can be bolted together. To stretch a user cuts a board of the desired width and bolts it in.

.226.226

(allows for3 mm steel)

Indicates 90 degreeAngle-Iron Inner & OuterTimber Slot (see photo)

STRETCHPLATE(Inner)

From below

STRETCHPLATE(Outer)

From below

40

.220

.150attop

.150.620

.220at

bottom

.620

.500

.220 .150.162

.162.238

.238

135°

1.1 bottom to bottom

.109.200

.648.466

.648

.Straight Exterior Braces

with Angle Iron Timber Brace

135°

.461

.461

.332

.332

1.2 m top to top .186.124

.220BottomInner

Side ofForm

.226BottomOuter

Side ofForm

(3mm steel)

.66

.290

CrossSectionshowingtimberforms

300 x 50(dressed 290 x 45)

CrossSection

Viewwith

SteelForm

.150.156

.350

Jig tobend

D10 rebar

Lifting handle

Any Length 300 x 50 timber (actual 290 x 45)

Timber Middle Support Bar (separate piecedrops over timbers to prevent bulge)

LiftingHandle

Two Exterior Bracesside by side and bolted

Bolt with3 16 mm

bolts

Top (bird's eye) ViewOptional Stretcher

Exterior Brace

END FORMS - (Make two)

1.57

NOTE: This diagram shows a standard 1.2 m wide bed. To expand the width (for example to 1.4 m) simply cut the central angled

plates (top and bottom in this diagram) and weld in a duplicateExterior brace. Then separate them and insert a drilled piece of wood.

Example: to get 1.4 wide, add a 200 x 50 mm x 292 mm to the center

Due to 2D aspect of thisdrawing, the connection of

the timber form to the angleiron form may be confusing.

Inside of each 300 x 50side timber is flush with

outside of steel form.This produces a 3 mm"bump" due to timberlaying on top of 3 mmsteel. You can either

hand smooth afterwardsor trim end of timber so

it is flush w inside of steel form.

Make certain thatthe pocket of thetimber holder isprecisely 100 mmin overlap so whenyou make boardsthey can be equal length

Jig for D10 rebarOn one mould, weld four 16 mm x 400 mm galv bolts so the top is in the middle of the mould. At about 15 mm below the bolt head, weld a large washer.

how to build raise garden beds

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