Raised Garden Bed - Tutorial

I built a garden! Okay, I was super pleased with this and how it all worked out, and it was relatively inexpensive. Now I am going to make a doubled layered one and some for inside the greenhouse we just ordered.... But those can wait.





You will need:
4 lengths of 6x2 dressed timber. I used 1200mm lengths (as that fit in my car easily)
8 coach bolts
4 L shaped brackets. (I used 10mm ones as my electric drill could drill 10mm)
Drill
Hammer
Spanner
Wood stain (optional)
Compost and plants (otherwise you just made a square)

1. Get the timber cut to size. Measure the space you want, and ask the timber guys to cut it. Or use a saw.... But our home supply store does cutting for free, and it is easier to transport to do it there.

2. Lay out the shape of the square. This also means you can put any imperfections in the timber on the inside. Trace around the brackets including the holes with a pencil. Label the sides as to their location and which side is up, and the inside..... This will make assembly so much better.









3. Drill holes right through the timber in the spots marked.



4. Stain timber (clearly an optional step)

5. Bolt the ends of the timber to the brackets. Using a level, make sure the sides and top are even... Or when you water the garden, your soil will run off. I built this around a tree because... Ummm... I could. When building around a tree build in place rather than transporting to the location. I banged the bolts in with the hammer, then tightened with a pair of spanners and a lot of patience.... In the rain. Use a level to keep checking the accuracy of your construction.

6. Fill with compost or container potting mix and plant. Show off to all your family and friends.




I built mine in the rain, so their are no images of actually constructing it around the tree.



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Mandarin Jack 'o' Lanterns

Today we did a halloween themed morning tea. Fortunately I have a bevy of creative minions at my beckoning, and we made short work of the following task.





Super simple... Take bags of mandarins and a paring knife.

Carefully slice 2 triangle eye shapes, use the point of the knife to peel the skin away from this section. Use the knife to carve out a mouth shape the same way.

We made super happy super sad and slightly creepy ones. And they were a hit. See, look how impressed I was with myself:



I also made chocolate witches hats. Using Hershey's kisses and mini chocolate biscuits, and a very hot cup of water, melt the bottom of the kiss on the side of the mug using the radiating heat. Stick to the chocolate biscuit.



And the rest of the spread also looked amazing too:


Finally the students hung a plastic bag skeleton from the ceiling....


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