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Help with vegetable & fruit planter

AmphibiosAmphibios Posts: 158
in Fruit & veg
Hello Everyone. 
I’m currently in the process of building this gabion planter. 
I will have a couple of questions over the next few days about where to plant everything hence I’ve put it in this category. 
The dimensions are approx 320x60x90cm. 
First question what should I line it with? I have lots of landscape fabric (like woven plastic potato sack fabric) which is water permeable. If I use that will I need to make holes at the bottom? 
I could also use plastic lining like strong bin bags. 
Let me know what you think would be better. 

Posts

  • AmphibiosAmphibios Posts: 158

  • AmphibiosAmphibios Posts: 158

    Second question: 
    I have the following that I can fill the planter with: 
    - bags of top soil
    - coir 
    - sharp sand 
    - a bucket of the smaller stones that are approx 1cm x 1cm or smaller that I cleared from a path. 


    Some of the recipes I have seen ask for horticultural grit could I use these little stones? 
    Is there anything I should out at the bottom of the planter like stones? 
    Can I layer each of the topsoil/ sharp sand/coir etc? Or do they all need to be mixed up. 
    I know it’s not a very nutritious mix - if I left 5-10cm at the top could I later compost at the top? 

    Please let me know if I’m missing anything important as well. 

    Regards 

    Ax 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487

    You're perilously close to the wooden fence so, once operational, moving it won't be an option and the intervening gap can fill with leaves etc. that will be difficult to remove and will rot the fence.

    Please await more knowledgeable replies but I rather think any fabric-type lining will bulge through the spaces in the gabion, leaving them prone to damage from passing human traffic, with spillage the result.

    A lining of paving slabs is, to me, the most likely long term solution.

  • AmphibiosAmphibios Posts: 158

    Thanks nick for the tip about the fence - I have space to move it forward so will do now. 
    There are 2 ‘baskets’ so the inner lined basket will be surrounded by rocks. 
    I lined it with the landscape fabric but I can line again with plastic if that is better. 
    Just unsure if I should do that. 
    Thank you Ax 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    I'm certainly no expert so I should await further comment.
  • AmphibiosAmphibios Posts: 158
    I’ve been reading past discussions about planters. It sounds like they all suggest plastic (some people use old compost bags). I will also line it with plastic and make drainage holes at the bottom. 
    The landscape fabric on the outside will also hopefully stop the plastic being ripped when I place the rubble in the outside cage. 

    I have been steadily breaking up a concrete path in my garden which will supply the bits of concrete. I am going to dye it using fertiliser and coffee, then seal these bits. 

    Soil - It’s not a great mix. I guess it will serve as a growing medium and I will need to keep feeding the vegetables with fertiliser. If I ever do get hold of any compost I will mulch around the plants. 

    I will post my progress, any suggestions gratefully received. 

    Thanks A x 


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