Gardening Please help me get started...What Size Birdies should I get? (Small Farm)

[JacksPlace]

yes as mother goose said same as i did ealer width work with one you can handle easy with out having to extend reach by leaing in and over bed. its not simple ergonomic less reaching = less upper and lower back strain and will reduce strain on back of legs at same time i'm not short either (203 cm ) and even i dont like escessive wide beds its nice extra width for crops but the little extra doesnt out weight times spent and strain on anyone not my size, i even find at 900mm wide is more then i like to reach in to, and you will notice ones i choose were two widths 426mm and 822mm.

one guy years ago told me one key for comfort when i built my original wood beds. armpit it wrist length -15% for max distance edge to center of bed, and up to -25% for comfor. So if of average heigth 6 foot arm length under arm to wrist will be in18.5 inch 470mm range / -15% roughly max 400 mm edge to center. 350mm edge to center for comfort

Thanks for the insights @daveb! It sounds like you've really put some thought into the width of the beds. I totally get what you mean about finding the right balance between width for crops and ease of reach. And that tip about measuring from armpit to wrist for comfort is intriguing—I'll have to keep that in mind for future projects. It's all about finding that sweet spot for less strain and more efficiency, right? Appreciate you sharing your experience!

 

[JacksPlace]

Hi @JacksPlace,
i personally have a disability affecting my feet. i prefer the lower raised garden beds as i sit on a milk crate with an old bar seat base on top for comfort. this works well for me as i can reach what i need to in my beds without standing for long periods of time. my beds are 1 metre wide. over the years i have planted tomatoes lettuce onions parsley basil garlic several chilli varients and a curry leaf tree
i have recently planted 2 cherry guava trees in the ground near my back fence.
my raised garden beds are along the side of my house which get great sun exposure.
a few things to keep in mind when setting up your beds is what will require trellising and what the expected root/depth of plants trees will be ie no point planting something which will need a deeper root space being planted in a shorter bed
reading all the other comments are also great help for me as i pick up things from the more advanced gardeners in here

good luck for your upcoming garden beds
you are doing all the research needed to ensure your adventure will be a success which is great
look forward to seeing the progress your garden
shep

Hey @shep!

Thanks for sharing your setup! It's awesome to hear how you've adapted your garden to work with your needs—I love the idea of using a milk crate and bar seat base for comfortable gardening. Your variety of plants sounds delicious and diverse!

And those cherry guava trees sound like a fantastic addition. Sun exposure is key, and it sounds like you've got a prime spot for your garden beds along the side of your house.

You're absolutely right about considering trellising and root depth when setting up beds—it's all about planning for success. I'm glad you're finding inspiration from other gardeners here too. It's such a supportive community!

Thanks for the encouragement and well wishes. I'll definitely keep you posted on how things progress. Looking forward to swapping gardening tips along the way!

Cheers, M!

 

[daveb]

Thanks for the insights @daveb! It sounds like you've really put some thought into the width of the beds. I totally get what you mean about finding the right balance between width for crops and ease of reach. And that tip about measuring from armpit to wrist for comfort is intriguing—I'll have to keep that in mind for future projects. It's all about finding that sweet spot for less strain and more efficiency, right? Appreciate you sharing your experience!

as disabled vet and accident ive found little thing to make it simplier and easier to reach and work around. as you put it its finding that balance

 

[Alpenrose]

G'day you all in Australia. OMG! how we miss Australia and our friends there-it i good to hear from you! I am right now getting ready to buy my first birdies and to lay out the plan for several more in years to come. My biggest difficulty is that I live in Zone 4 USDA Map. We hit -40F just temperature no wind chill. It was only a few nights but it gives you some idea of how bad the winter weather gets. We are all really worried here right now. Usually our first snow is in September and by the ned of October we have 2 ft on the ground. By December our snowpack in the mountains should be 18-25 feet. Our snowpack right now is only 20-25%. We have had hardly any snow in the valley and just a dust on the mountains. It is a very bad situation coming for everyone downstream that is dependent on those rivers. Last summer we had rain every day from April to September! Our ranchers got three cuttings of hay--they never had that before in recorded history. A typical summer provides 11/2 to 2 cuttings, but never 3 full cuttings. I mention all of this so you can see the extreme variables I am looking at for my Birdie's beds garden!
1. I have been thinking that the wider bed would stay warmer longer in the fall and maybe warm up a little faster in the spring--what do you think?
2. I am putting my garden in the middle of an old pasture that is covered with tall beautiful wild grasses--usually about 3 ft tall. I have wanted to do a fancy gravel platform for the garden bed, but I am worried so many grass seeds from outside of the area will take root in the gravel and I will end up having to pick out too much seed. Mark did
a talk about this in one of his videos. But, oh my the gravel surround looks so neat and tidy! I have been told that I should re-seed the garden area with something like Kentucky Blue grass (a lawn type seed). The idea being that it would be more even and look nicer than just plain pasture grass, also easier to cut. Would love to hear your thoughts on this also!
3. The area is in direct sun for both east and south sun--a real blessing given my short growing season. On the other hand that direct hot sun (summer sun for one month used to be about 95F. I have been thinking of a permanent wooded framed tall plexiglass cover. Not the sides just the roof over top. Tall enough for people to be able to sit under and enjoy. Any ideas about using fabric instead of the plexiglass?

Thank you again for all your support this dream has been a long time coming. Who knows with the way the weather has changed in the last two years I might get a longer growing season. Typically it is from May to mid October before the first freeze--with the odd night of 32F temperatures right in the middle. I have had snow up there in July that would be your January!
Love to all
P.S. with regard to politics--don't do as we have done!! Keep Australia Australia!

 

[daveb]

G'day you all in Australia. OMG! how we miss Australia and our friends there-it i good to hear from you! I am right now getting ready to buy my first birdies and to lay out the plan for several more in years to come. My biggest difficulty is that I live in Zone 4 USDA Map. We hit -40F just temperature no wind chill. It was only a few nights but it gives you some idea of how bad the winter weather gets. We are all really worried here right now. Usually our first snow is in September and by the ned of October we have 2 ft on the ground. By December our snowpack in the mountains should be 18-25 feet. Our snowpack right now is only 20-25%. We have had hardly any snow in the valley and just a dust on the mountains. It is a very bad situation coming for everyone downstream that is dependent on those rivers. Last summer we had rain every day from April to September! Our ranchers got three cuttings of hay--they never had that before in recorded history. A typical summer provides 11/2 to 2 cuttings, but never 3 full cuttings. I mention all of this so you can see the extreme variables I am looking at for my Birdie's beds garden!
1. I have been thinking that the wider bed would stay warmer longer in the fall and maybe warm up a little faster in the spring--what do you think?
2. I am putting my garden in the middle of an old pasture that is covered with tall beautiful wild grasses--usually about 3 ft tall. I have wanted to do a fancy gravel platform for the garden bed, but I am worried so many grass seeds from outside of the area will take root in the gravel and I will end up having to pick out too much seed. Mark did
a talk about this in one of his videos. But, oh my the gravel surround looks so neat and tidy! I have been told that I should re-seed the garden area with something like Kentucky Blue grass (a lawn type seed). The idea being that it would be more even and look nicer than just plain pasture grass, also easier to cut. Would love to hear your thoughts on this also!
3. The area is in direct sun for both east and south sun--a real blessing given my short growing season. On the other hand that direct hot sun (summer sun for one month used to be about 95F. I have been thinking of a permanent wooded framed tall plexiglass cover. Not the sides just the roof over top. Tall enough for people to be able to sit under and enjoy. Any ideas about using fabric instead of the plexiglass?

Thank you again for all your support this dream has been a long time coming. Who knows with the way the weather has changed in the last two years I might get a longer growing season. Typically it is from May to mid October before the first freeze--with the odd night of 32F temperatures right in the middle. I have had snow up there in July that would be your January!
Love to all
P.S. with regard to politics--don't do as we have done!! Keep Australia Australia!

they would stay warmer slightly longer but spring would actually take a bit longer because of the same extra mass that holds heat longer unless set a mini green house of sorts to hold the collected heat in more.

trick setting down a path or even where you put the bed, Mow it down as tight to ground as can, rake away any cuttings , lay carboard down to smoother the grass from growing back, then a landscape fabric over the cardboard follow by the gravel or mulch.

 

[JacksPlace]

G'day you all in Australia. OMG! how we miss Australia and our friends there-it i good to hear from you! I am right now getting ready to buy my first birdies and to lay out the plan for several more in years to come. My biggest difficulty is that I live in Zone 4 USDA Map. We hit -40F just temperature no wind chill. It was only a few nights but it gives you some idea of how bad the winter weather gets. We are all really worried here right now. Usually our first snow is in September and by the ned of October we have 2 ft on the ground. By December our snowpack in the mountains should be 18-25 feet. Our snowpack right now is only 20-25%. We have had hardly any snow in the valley and just a dust on the mountains. It is a very bad situation coming for everyone downstream that is dependent on those rivers. Last summer we had rain every day from April to September! Our ranchers got three cuttings of hay--they never had that before in recorded history. A typical summer provides 11/2 to 2 cuttings, but never 3 full cuttings. I mention all of this so you can see the extreme variables I am looking at for my Birdie's beds garden!
1. I have been thinking that the wider bed would stay warmer longer in the fall and maybe warm up a little faster in the spring--what do you think?
2. I am putting my garden in the middle of an old pasture that is covered with tall beautiful wild grasses--usually about 3 ft tall. I have wanted to do a fancy gravel platform for the garden bed, but I am worried so many grass seeds from outside of the area will take root in the gravel and I will end up having to pick out too much seed. Mark did
a talk about this in one of his videos. But, oh my the gravel surround looks so neat and tidy! I have been told that I should re-seed the garden area with something like Kentucky Blue grass (a lawn type seed). The idea being that it would be more even and look nicer than just plain pasture grass, also easier to cut. Would love to hear your thoughts on this also!
3. The area is in direct sun for both east and south sun--a real blessing given my short growing season. On the other hand that direct hot sun (summer sun for one month used to be about 95F. I have been thinking of a permanent wooded framed tall plexiglass cover. Not the sides just the roof over top. Tall enough for people to be able to sit under and enjoy. Any ideas about using fabric instead of the plexiglass?

Thank you again for all your support this dream has been a long time coming. Who knows with the way the weather has changed in the last two years I might get a longer growing season. Typically it is from May to mid October before the first freeze--with the odd night of 32F temperatures right in the middle. I have had snow up there in July that would be your January!
Love to all
P.S. with regard to politics--don't do as we have done!! Keep Australia Australia!

Hey there @Alpenrose

It's so heartwarming to hear from you, even though we're miles apart. Your dedication to creating your Birdie's beds garden despite the challenging weather conditions is truly inspiring.

Regarding your questions:

1. Wider beds could indeed help retain warmth longer in the fall and possibly warm up faster in the spring. The additional soil volume can act as thermal mass, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. Plus, wider beds offer more space for insulation, which can help protect your plants from extreme temperatures.
2. The idea of a fancy gravel platform does sound appealing, but I understand your concerns about grass seeds taking root. Re-seeding the area with a uniform grass like Kentucky Bluegrass could definitely provide a neater appearance and easier maintenance. It might be worth considering if you're aiming for a tidy, manicured look. I also agree with @daveb above, if you do go gravel - landscape fabric will do the trick!
3. Direct sun exposure is fantastic for maximizing your growing season, but it can also lead to overheating in the summer. A permanent wooden-framed plexiglass cover sounds like a great solution for providing shade and protection from excessive heat. As for using fabric instead of plexiglass, it could work too, but keep in mind that it might not offer as much insulation or durability in the long run.

It's amazing how you're adapting to the changing climate and making the most of your growing season. Your perseverance is truly admirable, and I'm rooting for your garden's success!

Sending love and best wishes from Down Under,
M!

 

[Alpenrose]

Hey there @Alpenrose

It's so heartwarming to hear from you, even though we're miles apart. Your dedication to creating your Birdie's beds garden despite the challenging weather conditions is truly inspiring.

Regarding your questions:

1. Wider beds could indeed help retain warmth longer in the fall and possibly warm up faster in the spring. The additional soil volume can act as thermal mass, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. Plus, wider beds offer more space for insulation, which can help protect your plants from extreme temperatures.
2. The idea of a fancy gravel platform does sound appealing, but I understand your concerns about grass seeds taking root. Re-seeding the area with a uniform grass like Kentucky Bluegrass could definitely provide a neater appearance and easier maintenance. It might be worth considering if you're aiming for a tidy, manicured look. I also agree with @daveb above, if you do go gravel - landscape fabric will do the trick!
3. Direct sun exposure is fantastic for maximizing your growing season, but it can also lead to overheating in the summer. A permanent wooden-framed plexiglass cover sounds like a great solution for providing shade and protection from excessive heat. As for using fabric instead of plexiglass, it could work too, but keep in mind that it might not offer as much insulation or durability in the long run.

It's amazing how you're adapting to the changing climate and making the most of your growing season. Your perseverance is truly admirable, and I'm rooting for your garden's success!

Sending love and best wishes from Down Under,
M!

Thanks for your support and encouragement--all of you! I will get this done this summer! Say prayers !

 

[Alpenrose]

Hello again:

I just came from the lumber yard and was given these three different colors of plexiglass to use as a roof over the small seed shed my DD and her husband built for me several years ago. It is 8ft square and currently has no roof! The squirrels love it! I plan to put a roof on this spring and thought I would write and get your opinions here.

I can't find the "clipboard" here on this site so I will just post the link here:
https://www.selfsufficientculture.c...hat-size-birdies-should-i-get-small-farm.3841

I am looking at the three colors--not the green. Clear with a little wrinkle, or slightly cloudy with a little wrinkle, or solid white with wrinkle. The sales person said that the wrinkle helps to diffuse the light. I like the crystal clear wrinkle because it lets in more light, but may be I don't need the full light in August. I also like the other two, his suggestion was the white one because it would diffuse more light and not show up the dirt so much. What are your thoughts? Should I diffuse the light, or not?