It's Showtime. In the Garden

For some  the expression ‘living in a fish bowl’ doesn’t seem strong enough. For some, a family dinner on the back patio might feel more like performing live at Madison Square Garden. On New Years Eve. Even attempting to count all the windows in the surrounding homes that have a view of their patio would weary the wings of Time itself. 

Fortunately, Dan Banker and his wife don’t have such a large audience viewing their backyard. Nothing close to a ‘fishbowl’, yet the layout was in clear view of a handful of nearby homes.  More like playing a song or two on the guitar at a local open mike night. And, their brand new, covered deck provided a little more privacy. 

Already a seasoned organic gardener, Dan had enjoyed several successful harvests in the raised beds that he had built and installed himself - in the backyard, right behind the deck.

This well-chosen organic garden site is south-facing, which means the garden has more than enough sunlight to grow any edible variety. And, Dan’s three 4’x8’ raised beds were also easy to reach with the garden hose AND close to the kitchen ;  these are the three most important factors we look for when evaluating an organic garden site.

Nice work, Dan.

So why did Dan call us? 

Well...the raised beds did look a little tired after a few seasons. And they weren’t exactly level, which is common with DIY projects. The three 4’x8’ raised beds looked a little like three snow sleds at the top of the slope, poised for another fun ride down.

Pro Tip - taking the time to level any outdoor project, like raised beds, greenhouses, chicken coops, compost bins, garden sheds, etc. makes it look better. WAY better. Much more beautiful and professional looking. The big exception to this would be a patio, driveway, walkway, slab, etc that should be made with a gentle slope so that water runs off in the right direction.

Yet, if not perfectly level, Dan’s three raised beds were still in the perfect site for an organic garden. And his harvests were consistent and abundant. But after a few seasons of sore joints and an achy lower back, he mused that perhaps his garden beds might be a little too low to the ground.

So Dan’s new raised beds needed to taller, level, and look more polished. 

No problem, that’s what we do.

“Also” Dan continued. “We have had some issues with rabbits nibbling some of the produce. We’ve tried everything, with no luck.”

“Could we build a 3’-tall fence around the garden to protect it from rabbits?”, he asked.

Of course we can. And, in fact, we have an excellent rabbit barrier design that’s just over 3’ tall, and sits right on the ground. it requires no digging, no setting posts, no concrete, etc. 

Our rabbit barrier design is framed with rough sawn red cedar 2”x2”,  and clad with 1/2” galvanized hardware cloth ; a rugged steel mesh that can’t be chewed through by rabbits, and lasts for many years outdoors.

But here, the plot thickens somewhat. The stakes get a little higher. The pressure to deliver ratchets up. Next, Dan proposed a new twist in his organic garden design that would make things more interesting. And put Team Microfarm to the test.

“Could we build A 20’-wide by 6’-tall trellis made with red cedar, and mount it on the back side of the three cedar raised beds.” Dan ventured. 

 

It was a pretty good idea, actually, and this large cedar trellis would serve as the back side of the rabbit barrier, give climbing garden plants plenty of room to ramble, AND add more privacy to the deck. 

But could we really deliver such a large cedar trellis, installing it perfectly level, plumb, and square? Right there ‘on stage’, between Dan and his small neighborhood audience?

“Of course we can.”, we said, summoning the needed confidence that the moment required. After all, everything we make is plumb level and square. That’s our goal, anyway.

But, Dan earns his living as an engineer. He’s paid to closely scrutinize measurements and small details.

And with such prominence in his backyard, the trellis, garden, and rabbit barrier all had to be virtually perfect. Any mistakes, miscalculations - however subtle and small - would be right there on display. Impossible to miss, like the Goodyear Blimp. 

So with a plan in place, and a little extra time and attention, we set about crafting the elements in Dan’s new garden design. And on the appointed day - our meeting with destiny - we carefully installed and filled the three 4’x8’ cedar garden beds, installed the 6’tall by 20’ long cedar trellis, and the 3’-tall rabbit barrier with hinged gate.

Now, to come all this way,  and skip the decorative pebble and flagstone pathways seemed silly. Unsound, even. So, next, we carefully placed commercial landscape fabric around the raised beds, and covered the fabric with the decorative pebble and flagstone varieties that Dan had selected.

With the project finally completed, we quietly held our breath and presented our best effort to the Engineer for approval. And Dan didn’t go easy on us either. With a thoughtfully serious countenance, he walked around all sides of the trellis, inspecting it closely - more than a few times. He tested the action of the rabbit barrier’s gate for the required smoothness of operation. He austerely scrutinized the entire project - from a myriad of angles - before he finally flashed smile and nodded his approval...perhaps the way a mathematics professor might smile when a student solved a famously-difficult calculus problem.

Edible Curb Appeal

Essential when selling a house. Helpful when buying one. It can keep you on good terms with the neighbors. Or, if lacking, can result in their displeasure. Perhaps, even their utter contempt - underscored with fines and censure from the neighborhood HOA. 

Such is the power of curb appeal.

Efforts towards its attainment might win you points with your spouse. Neglect could create problems. 

If it’s appealing enough, your home’s curb appeal might even put a smile on your own face as you pull into the driveway after a rough day at work. A tidy lawn, delightful ornamental plantings. A fresh coat of paint on the house. A newly-pressure-washed driveway. 

Who could fail to be pleased by this level of curb appeal. How could the very apex - the slender and lonely pinnacle of curb appeal like this possibly be any more appealing? 

Only one way ; If there was an edible organic garden out front.

If there were a handsome pair of 4’x8’ cedar garden beds placed just a few feet from the very curb itself, onlookers would quickly gather to get a closer look. Police might even be needed to keep the street cleared and traffic moving along. 

Instead of furtively peeking through the blinds at your new cedar garden beds, your enchanted neighbors would simply raise the blinds, and set a chair in front of the window -  to get the best possible view of your new organic garden.

And that’s just on the first day. 

Imagine the force of your now-soaring cub appeal once your cedar garden beds produced their first edible harvest?

Just the mental image alone of the swaying throng of eager organic garden onlookers - jostling one another like rugby players just to get a glimpse of your cedar garden beds - might be too upsetting to some readers. 

So let’s move on with our story.  

Now, the Sagor family was already keenly aware of the dramatic and positive effect that an organic garden would have on their home’s curb appeal. So it wasn’t a coincidence that they boldly included two cedar garden beds in the complete redesign of the front yard landscape of their Charlotte home - in the Historic Cherry neighborhood, practically in the shadow of Uptown.

 

At this point, we should probably briefly disclose that at least some small part of the reason for all this emphasis on the Sagors’s front yard might be that their backyard is completely shaded by a towering canopy of trees. And this scenario is not at all uncommon in Charlotte, either. Especially in the city’s older neighborhoods, where ancient, colossal hardwood trees often shade both the back and front yards. 

Nevertheless, we maintain that it was almost entirely the desire for the ultimate enhancement of their home’s curb appeal - and not the completely shaded backyard - that ultimately drove the Sagor family’s decision. 

So do the two cedar garden beds really enhance the home’s curb appeal? We think so. 

And the Sagor family sure seems happy with the prominent placement of their new organic garden.

But ‘appeal’ - like beauty - is a very subjective thing. 

And curb appeal might be guided by some general framework of standards - some precedent of what’s accepted as appealing from the curb.

Beyond these too-often nebulous whims, though, curb appeal is judged solely by those looking on from the curb - the very judge, jury, and executioners of curb appeal itself.

The right pair of pink flamingoes might work wonders for the curb appeal in a mobile home park. 

The wrong color on the third story shutters could be a curb appeal disaster in another part of town.

So do the two 4’x8’ cedar garden beds really enhance the Sagor family’s curb appeal like we think they do?

Have a look, and decide for yourself.

But we both know that the answer could only be an emphatic and thundering, YES! YES! YES!

Something For Everyone

Is it silver? 

Is it grey? 

Is it some combination of both?

Like teak, ipe,  and a handful of other durable wood species,  Eastern Red Cedar lumber will eventually weather from bright shades of pink, red, or even purple, to the iconic silver color that’s so easily recognized in raised garden beds, pergolas, arbors, benches, and cedar-framed greenhouses. 

And the weathered silver/grey is an iconic look, that has certainly stood the test of time. 

In fact, the large majority of our customers very strongly prefer the silver/grey color that our red cedar projects will soon show. Some customers are even so averse to the bright red color of their new cedar garden beds, that it’s with visible consternation that they ask, “So..the color won’t stay red like that, right? How fast will it change from red to silver/grey?” 

 

It’s in times like these, we’re extra thankful to that nearby, life-giving star - our Sun - and its variety of rays. Relief, sometimes tinged with joy, replaces that consternation as we explain that the UV rays from sun will not fail in their work to turn the pink color of those new cedar garden beds to silver/grey. Perhaps in only a matter of days.

Now, personally, we love the bright color of red cedar lumber as it comes right off the sawmill. After all, that red color is what instantly sets this special tree apart from other wood varieties.

And some few customers do heartily agree with us. They’re just as enamored with those lovely shades of pink, red, and purple, as we are. Not to mention the powerfully aromatic fragrance of newly-milled Eastern red cedar. 

So, instead of asking how soon the bright red color will turn to silver, these red cedar fans seem disappointed to learn that the color will eventually fade with exposure to sunlight - little comforted that, even though the color fades, the wood will still retain every bit of its powerful, resistance to decay and insects, for many, many years.  

“Is there a way to keep the red color?”, they ask ( ironically, with the very similar consternation as the ‘silver/grey fans’ just noted above). 

“Is there something we can apply to preserve the red color - some sort of exterior wood sealer that will prevent the cedar from turning silver/grey?” 

“Sort of.” is our answer. 

And we can apply clear wood sealers that contain UV blocking agents to the exterior of our cedar raised beds. Many of these clear exterior wood sealers are effective in mitigating the change in color, for only for a while. Even with UV-blocking ingredients, products like clear spar urethane wood sealer simply slow down the color fading process ; they won’t entirely prevent the eventual fading of the red cedar color to silver/grey. 

 

But to be fair, clear exterior wood sealers, like spar urethane, certainly do protect the exterior of the wood, help it age more gracefully, and give the exterior of cedar garden beds a cleaner, more polished look. 

But, again,  even the very best clear sealers, with the strongest UV-blocking ingredients, won’t prevent the fresh red cedar color from eventually fading to silver gray from exposure to sunlight ( something that we’ve carefully made sure that the raised beds will get plenty of.)

So what’s the answer in cases like this? 

How do we prevent the inevitable fading of our cedar garden beds from red to silver/grey.

By applying three coats of a pigmented, semi-solid exterior stain.

And it’s a pretty good Plan B, too. 

 

It usually only takes a quick glance around the garden site to find an existing color that can be closely matched or complemented - A deck that’s already been stained, or the trim on the nearby guest house, fence, or detached garage. Whatever the case, the customer simply chooses the color that will replace silver/grey for the raised beds. Sometimes a customer even has a fresh can of stain leftover from a recent project that we can apply to the garden bed - ensuring an identical color match. 

Or we can work with the customer to select the right stain color from scratch. We’ve done it many times. And if we are choosing a brand new stain color, we recommend one of the Sherwin Williams SuperDeck Semi-Solid Exterior stain colors. Through experience, we’ve found that three coats of this premium-quality, waterborne exterior stain delivers even coverage of the selected color, while still showing the beauty of the rough sawn cedar wood grain. Plus, three coats of exterior stain helps protect and substantially extend the life of the cedar planter. 

Now, remember that the amount of color pigment varies depending on the type of exterior stain. We’ve found that semi-solid stain is the best choice for our rustic outdoor cedar projects because it has just enough pigment to deliver even color coverage, while still showing the natural wood grain. Solid exterior stain has the most color pigment, but is essentially like an exterior paint that won’t ever crack or peel. Solid stain actually tends to conceal natural wood grain, and three coats of solid stain would render a rough sawn cedar board as smooth as a sheet of cabinet grade oak plywood. 

 

And semi-transparent stain? it just doesn’t have enough pigment to give the desired results in this case. With experience, we’ve found that three coats of semi-transparent exterior stain - or even more coats - just doesn’t have enough pigment to cover the natural cedar color: ( remember, that bright red color that will tragically fade to silver/grey? )

And so... the old adage “There’s something out there for everyone”  seems the most fitting way to wind down this story.  Are you appalled with the silver/grey color of weathered cedar? For goodness sake, don’t come unhinged - simply shop for the right stain color.

Is the silver/grey of naturally-weathered red cedar the look you’ve always wanted? Your first and only choice? Your ‘jam’, as they say?

No action required. 

Just sit back, relax, and let those UV rays go to work.

A Fresh Start. In the Same Place.

“Begun is half done”, says the ancient proverb. 

And so it is - even here in the world of organic garden design.

Often, our garden designs start from scratch ; a raised bed layout we’ve drawn, built, and installed in a brand new garden area at a customer’s home. Sometimes, we simply build the cedar garden beds that are already drawn into a new landscape design illustration - building and fitting these small pieces into the larger puzzle, exactly to spec. These projects can often be something like ‘an easy lay-up shot” for us, as the raised bed size and edible garden location have already been selected, and the work site has already been neatly leveled for us, with the irrigation water supply clearly marked and ready for connection.

But, not infrequently we’re asked to replace existing raised garden beds that have begun to show their age. In many of these, the wood has become so soft and deteriorated that boards have come loose, spilling sad-looking piles of soil on the ground as a sort of S.O.S. for help ;  the ‘smoking gun’ evidence that instantly validates the customer’s verbal testimony of the garden’s poor condition. 

But no wood lasts for ever - especially when it’s in perpetual contact with wet soil. But most of these examples we’ve replaced are clearly well over ten years old - not a bad run for raised beds. And, thankfully, the raised beds have been carefully placed in the best possible site on the customer’s property. The irrigation system is still working. The decorative ornamentals planted around the garden years ago are now really hiring their stride. The pebble pathways still look like they did the day they were installed.

So, in cases like this, we’re all too happy to honor the excellent work of a capable predecessor,  and recreate the very same raised bed design that’s been so thoughtfully planned and delivered.

This process begins by carefully removing the old raised beds - often requiring heavy-duty trash bags to collect and transport the most badly decayed sections of the garden planters. 

With the garden site fully cleared of the old planters, and a final measurement with the customer to confirm the exact size of the new cedar garden beds, it’s off to our Charlotte workshop to begin building. 

Frequently, our customers ask that their replacement raised beds are built taller than their old planters. Many raised garden beds out there are only 11” tall - or even less - which is functional, but not very far from the ground. 

Our 19”-tall Kitchen Garden design is very popular because this seemingly slight increase in height actually makes a HUGE improvement in comfort while working in the garden.

This was the case with Jessica’s garden, and while we did build her new cedar garden beds to the exact scale as the old design, her new planters are substantially taller than her previous raised beds. Which she loved.

Jessica’s organic garden design includes an L-shaped raised bed that’s about 4’ wide, 16’ on the long side, and 11’ on the shorter side. The rectangle shaped raised bed measures about 4’x9’.

Fortunately, we’re almost always able to use any soil that’s leftover from a previous garden as a base in the bottom of our new cedar garden beds, as was the case here. 

But because of the substantial increase in the height of the new cedar garden beds, an additional three cubic yards of premium organic soil was needed to top up the new planters.

With new drip irrigation grids fitted and installed - just below the soil surface , where the water can soak directly into the root zone - it was time to pack up our gear, snap a quick photo, and hand Jessica the keys to her new organic garden.

Does she love her new garden? We sure do hope so.

And with a smile that would melt a glacier - and those chic red garden boots - It sure seems like it.

McCrary Elementary's 8'x12' Cedar-Framed Greenhouse

Organic gardening programs are thriving in primary school science education curriculums. And why not?  It’s a fun topic to study and even more fun to experience. These hands-on school garden programs help teachers to demonstrate organic garden essentials like seed germination, plant life cycles, effects of seasons, sunlight, temperature and air flow. All up close, and first hand, where the impact and lessons learned are far more meaningful.

The organic garden education program at Asheboro, NC’s Charles W. McCrary Elementary school had been well established, and was already very popular with both students and staff. The school’s garden learning area included many raised beds dedicated to growing edible plant varieties, and pollinator plantings as well.

With these essential pieces in place, what the school needed to expand their organic garden program to the next level was a greenhouse. And after extensive and careful search by school staff - months of scrutinizing greenhouse designs, costs, quality ratings, and reviews - the school’s administrative department contacted us to learn more about our cedar-framed greenhouse designs, which they had already reviewed online.

Through email correspondence and a phone call or two, we methodically addresses and explained every aspect of our cedar-framed greenhouse designs, including the timeline for assembly and installation, options for the greenhouses glazing, type of base and floor, and cost and design options for tiered cedar greenhouse shelving and a child-sized cedar workbench that would make their greenhouse a true garden learning environment.

 

The school’s garden program staff had already measured and selected an excellent site for their greenhouse; a sunny area right in the center of the school’s courtyard, and in the very midst of the sprawling series of edible raised garden beds. This well-chosen greenhouse site was already level, and also in an area protected on two sides by the school building. This site is an excellent example of a microclimate ; an area where nearby buildings, vegetation, fences,  and other features (natural or artificial) contribute to a modification in climate - perhaps warming it several degrees from surrounding area, for example. In this case, the close proximity to the school building shelters the greenhouse from high winds, and also provides passive heat from the brick wall on the right side of the greenhouse, just a few feet away.

The school staff requested an 8’x12’ gable greenhouse for their garden program, and asked that if be installed in their designated site. Timing was also a major factor for this project as they required that the greenhouse be completed during the summer, while school was not in session.

Like all of our gable greenhouses, we built the frame with rough sawn red cedar. This robust gable frame design features 2”x4” rafters spaced 24” apart, and anchored to a 2”x6” red cedar ridge beam. This greenhouse design yields an incredibly strong greenhouse frame that easily withstands high wind, snow, and ice loads - yet, while still allowing maximum sunlight into the structure. 

To ensure a smooth, efficient installation process at the work site, we alway cut and ‘dry fit’ every cedar greenhouse frame at our Charlotte workshop - ensuring that all of the pieces fits together perfectly, before transporting the partially completed frame sections over to the work site for assembly.

McCrary Elementary’s 8’x12’ cedar-framed greenhouse is glazed with 8mm twin-wall, clear, polycarbonate glazing, which is secured to the cedar greenhouse frame with a combination of 2” galvanized roof screws with neoprene washers,  and 1/2”x3” cedar trim. This high-performance greenhouse glazing has excellent light transmission, better insulation value, and is safer to transport, cut, install, clean, replace, and - perhaps most importantly in this example  - work underneath, than single plane glass glazing. 

8mm twin-wall polycarbonate greenhouse glazing is virtually shatterproof, and FAR less likely to be cracked or damaged by falling limbs, rocks, and other debris than glass glazing. And this is an especially important consideration when building a greenhouse for use by school children.

The first step in the installation process of a greenhouse  project like this one is to build, level, and square the cedar base, which must measure exactly 8’x12’ on the outer sides, in order for the frame to fit it correctly. Our greenhouse base design is made with two courses of 4”x4” rough sawn red cedar timbers, joined together with 6”-long structural steel screws.  

With the cedar greenhouse base in place and level, the next step is to place commercial landscape fabric inside, and fill in the floor with about 3” depth of a decorative stone variety, usually selected by the customer.  We recommend darker-colored pebbles as it’s easier to keep the greenhouse floor looking ‘cleaner’ than with lighter-colored pebble varieties. The darker-colored stone also absorbs more heat from the sun during the day, radiating it after sunset, and helping warm the greenhouse at night.

And why do we recommend decorative stone pebbles for a greenhouse floor instead of a concrete slab?  

-Water drains down through a pebble floor anywhere inside the structure ; there’s never a chance of a drain clogging up. 

-A decorative pebble floor is easier to install, costs less, and is more attractive than a concrete slab.

-There’s less chance of slipping and falling on a pebble floor than on a concrete slab ; greenhouses floors made with concrete frequently become slimy and slippery, especially if the slab isn’t poured correctly and the floor doesn’t drain properly.

 

McCrary Elementary School’s  8’x12’ gable greenhouse design includes a total of four automated roof vent windows - two on each side. These 2’x2’ greenhouse vent windows are designed much like a boat hatch - combining a hinged a window that fits tightly over a cedar baffle lip that extends above the surface of the glazing. This proven design helps keep rain water from dripping inside the opening, even if the greenhouse vent window is open.

The school staff liked the single, 36”-wide hinged entry door, and especially the slide bolt that can be secured with a removable padlock - helping to ensure that their cedar-framed greenhouse can be safely secured when not in use. 

And lastly, to bring this hands-on organic garden learning environment to life, we built tiered cedar shelving and a cedar work table with a 32”-tall main work surface  - lower than the standard 36”-tall height, and much easier for elementary school students to gather around and get growing.