Berry Long Boxes (Part 2)

After leveling and placing the boxes, I set about constructing the trellis structure from which to hang the canes. These would be constructed of 4"x4" cedar, 3.5 feet tall, and 2.5 feet wide. 

It helps to have a table saw for the dado cuts. I didn't actually use a dado blade as I was too lazy to put it together. However, a single saw blade makes fairly quick work of it anyway.

Cross pieces finished. The dado for the vertical pieces will have to wait until assembly in the yard as I will have to cut the verticals to length beforehand.

After the verticals are buried in the ground, I cut them each to the same height—four feet.

I measured down six inches for the top of the cross pieces...

... then dadoed each vertical using a circular saw.

I then fitted each cross piece before attaching each with two bolts.

Finally, I capped each cane cross with a copper cap. I was so proud of my work until someone (my wife) suggested they looked a lot like Calvary, so I detached each copper cap, re-cut each vertical, and then reattached the caps.

Much less rood.

The final layout looks a lot less like a Roman execution.

All that's left to do is to string the wiring.

Berry Long Boxes (Part 1)

One last piece of garden to terrace in. I had room for three rows of black berries and red raspberries. As with the other spaces, I opted for building cedar boxes to serve as my terraces, in this case three twelve foot by two foot boxes.

I used 2"x6" twelve foot cedar boards for the long pieces. Side boards are two footers.

Corners attached using 2"x4" pieces cut to 5 1/2 inches and screwed in using deck screws.

Lastly, 2"x4" two-foot long cross pieces were screwed in to prevent bowing.

Then, I set about the laborious task of digging out and leveling each box. I was way too busy to photograph the process (actually, I just forgot). Tune in tomorrow for the 4"x4" cross beam construction from which to suspend wires and hold up the canes.