Garden Flagpoles

In our Square Foot Garden, we’re using bent PVC pipe with nylon netting for vertical plant support (see picture). This will be our first year with the netting, but I think it’s going to work really well. My only concern is that it’s only four foot high. Last year our tomatoes easily could have grown five foot high and our watermelons six foot or more. Our solution last year was to route the watermelon across to the other side, which shaded the plants.

So how do I grow higher. with this configuration? This morning I had an idea… how about putting a flagpole in the center? This morning, while checking on the garden with the kids, an idea popped into my head. How about putting a flagpole in the center of the box? Okay, not an actual flagpole, but a piece of PCV pipe about six to eight feet tall.

I could push the bottom into the soil, slide it in between the nylon netting and zip tie it to the top of the existing support pipe. The top could be tied with four (or eight) pieces of twine, each one anchored to the four lower pipes. The climbing plants (watermelon, squash, beans, etc.) could grow up could the twine really high. The lower structure with the netting could hold all of the heavier fruit. The best part is that the kids could make flags to fly on the pole.

What do you think, crazy, genius, error-prone, not enough shade?

03/30/2008 | hugh |

Comment

  1. I will have you know your dad was mentioned several times in connection with gardening in the combined Relief Society/Priesthood meeting today in the Ute Creek Ward. Those Ropers are famous for their gardening.

    http://roper5.com/images/79.jpg

    Sarah
    Mar 30, 07:06 PM

  2. Seems like a good idea – let me know how it works! I really like the idea of putting flags on the top :)

    http://roper5.com/images/79.jpg

    Kim
    Mar 30, 07:51 PM

  3. We used cages like your dads when we did this in GJ. Our tomatoes and melon plants where quite tall and really produced. Would a single pole be sturdy enough for your plants?

    http://roper5.com/images/79.jpg

    Becky
    Apr 2, 03:23 PM

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