the vegetable gardener’s book of building projects — book layout and design

THEVEGETABLE

GARDENER’S

BOOKOF

BUILDING

PROJECTS

ß

to increase thebounty and beauty

of your garden

39ESSENTIALS

Raised Beds • Cold Frames • Compost BinsPlanters • Plant Supports • Trellises

Harvesting and Storage Aids

THE VEGETABLE GARDENER’S

BOOK OF

BUILDING PROJECTS

FROM THE EDITORS OF STOREY PUBLISHING

4051_BuildProjBLAD.indd Sec1:94051_BuildProjBLAD.indd Sec1:9 11/25/09 10:55:55 AM11/25/09 10:55:55 AM

WHETHER IT'S A COLD FRAME for getting a jump on the season; a rack for storing

rakes and shovels; or a sturdy, lightweight box for gathering newly picked produce, the right prop can save you time, effort, and frustration. In this book you’ll fi nd plans for 39 woodwork-ing projects that fi t the bill. From hard-working essential equipment to complementary garden furnishings, this collection answers every gar-dener’s needs and dreams for a well-outfi tted haven for growing and enjoying a bountiful harvest.

Many of the projects can be made easily by beginning woodworkers in a couple of hours, and others will provide satisfying challenges for more experienced craftspeople. To ensure success, all the plans feature a shopping list of materials (including the types and lengths of wood you’ll need to request at the lumberyard) cutting diagrams, and an exploded view for assembly. There are also written instructions and helpful building tips for every project. By the time you’ve completed a project or two, you just may discover that you have a brand-new hobby along with a well-built garden!


CONTENTS

1 2

3

Building Projects for

PLANTING AND GROWING

Window Sash Cold Frame 18

Shallow Raised Bed 22

Deep Raised Bed 24

Classic Compost Bin 28

New Zealand Compost Box 30

Small Sifter 32

Large Sifter 34

Circle Plant Support 36

Triangle Plant Support 38

Horizontal Tomato Support 40

Cylindrical Tomato Cage 42

A-Frame Bean and Pea Support 46

T-pea Tower 48

Handy House 52

Tool Rack 54

Potting Bench 56

Lattice Shade Cover 60

Hanging Planter 64

Window Box Planter 66

Square Planter 68

Rose Arbor 72

Garden Gate 76

Gate Latch 80


HARVESTING AND PRESERVING

Berry Box 86

Solar Dryer 88

Outdoor Storage Bin 90

Garden Bench 92

Handy Lightweight Bench 96


RELAXING AND ENJOYING YOUR BACKYARD

Picnic Table 102

Adirondack-Style Lawn Chair 109

Westport Chair 115

Garden Swing 119

Pitched-Roof Birdhouse 126

Hinged-Roof Birdhouse 133

Nesting Platform 136

Platform Feeder 138

Single-Sided Hopper Feeder 141

Two-Sided Hopper Feeder 145

Weather Vane Feeder 146

Flower Press 148


Project No. one daydayy

This type of compost bin has been a popular choice for many years. It is easy to assemble and use — particularly when the compost is ready to turn. You simply take the sides apart, reassemble them beside the compost pile, and fork the pile back into the bin.

New Zealand Compost BoxMATERIALSLumber1" ×6" cedar (thirteen 8' foot lengths)

Ten 2" ×2" ×3' cedar balusters

SuppliesOne hundred twelve 1⅝" galvanized wood screws

Four 1¼ " galvanized wood screws

ToolsTape measurePencilCarpenter’s squareWood sawPower drillDriver bit to match screws

Hammer5⁄32" twist drill bit

Compost MaterialsOne of the great things about composting is the broad range

of materials you can use to build the pile. Some of the more

common choices include lawn clippings, spoiled hay, garden

refuse, kitchen garbage, wood, ashes, and leaves. Almost any-

thing organic will do, and the greater the variety the better

the pile. However, some items, such as meat, eggs, dairy prod-

ucts, and grease, can attract rodents and are best avoided.

It’s also advisable to forego any herbicide-treated plants.


Project No.5 NEW ZEALAND COMPOST BOX

New Zealand compost box. The slatted sides of this box provide adequate air circulation while reducing the visibility of the composting material inside it.


Cutting diagram

Cutting and drilling the lumber.

From the 1"×6", cut a 59¼"

length A and two 5" blocks B

for the support bar, and two

dozen 47¾" lengths for the bin

slats C, D, & F. Then predrill

screw holes in 6 slats for the back

of the bin and 12 slats for the

sides below. (See fi gs. 1 and 2.)

Constructing the bin. Begin by

building the three fi xed panels.

Start with the back, laying two

inside corners (balusters, E) on

a fl at surface and attaching the

six back slats c to them. Screw

the fi rst slat fl ush to the top ends

and side edges of the corners

and the second slat ½" up from

the bottom. Then fi ll in the space

between them with the remaining

four slats, spacing them about ½"

apart. (See fi g. 3.)

Next, make up the two side

panels, but this time nail the

side slats D to one inside corner

(which will be positioned at the

front of the bin) and leave the

opposite ends of the slats unnailed.

(You will attach them to the back

panel once you locate the bin.)

Drive two stakes E into the

ground about 37" apart where

you want the back of the bin

to stand. Lean the back panel

against the stakes (the stakes

should be on the outside of the

bin), and screw it in place. Then

lean the side panels in place, and

fasten the loose ends to the back

panel corners. (See fi g. 3.)

Create a channel in the front

corner of each side panel for

installing the removable slats

that will make up the bin’s front

panel F. To do this, attach

another corner board parallel to

the existing one, spacing the two

just far enough apart for a slat to

slide between them. (See fi g. 3.)

¾"¾"

1½"

¾"3"

fi g. 1

fi g. 2

predrill screw holes predrill screw holes

predrill screw holes

predrill screw holes

47¾"

47¾"

C

D


Next, partially sink 15⁄8" screws

into the ends of the six remain-

ing slats F so that the heads

are ½" above the wood (fi g. 4).

The screws will keep the boards

properly spaced. Slide the slats

down through the channels (with

the screwed edges down). Finally,

screw a support block B to each

end of the support bar A and set

the bar across the top of the bin

to keep the sides from spreading.

Drive a stake into the ground on

each side of the bin, and fasten

the bin to it from the inside.

½"

channels for attaching boards

fi g. 3

guide facilitates alignment of screws

59¼" C

C D

D

E

E

E

E

E

B

B

F

F

F

F

A

fi g. 4

D

D

E


Solar Dryer A-Frame Bean and Pea Support Window Sash Cold Frame

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL GROW

Publicity Contact: Amy Greeman (413) 346-2113 or [email protected]

• Pitch to DIY blogs and magazines

• Special feature pitch to Home sections of major daily newspapers and online editions

• National review mailing

Storey books are distributed in the gift and book trade by Workman Publishing. To order, please see your sales representative or call (800) 722-7202. Storey books are distributed in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son, LTD, (800) 387-4333.

Publicity and Press

Full-color; photographs and illustrations throughout

152 pages; 8½ x 10‡/•

Paper: $18.95 US / $23.95 CAN

ISBN: 978-1-60342-526-1

No. 62526

The Vegetable Gardener’s Book of Building Projects

March 2010!

Phot

ogra

phy

© Jo

hn G

ruen

THE VEGETABLE GARDENER’S BOOK OF BUILDIN

G PROJECTS

ß


the vegetable gardener’s book of building projects — book layout and design

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