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Rabbit Defense System - Use a Brick !

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

>I like your brick idea...we've thought of that before but I never had the
numbers (tee hee) to help me visualize it before.  Thanks. Mary

*See why guys like numbers?  And why we don't want you gals to learn how to
actually use them!  LOL

33 cents apiece, but you CAN take then with when you move, if renting...
Cement brick is half that. Level, Super, or crown 1-2" in 10', The center may
sag eventually, so DON'T let it be low!  (Don't till the path.)  Black
Plastic, 1" sand, (play or mortar or builder's coarse,) which helps the final
levelling, and any EXTRA crowning of brick in the center you require.  Crown
the center of the pathways, 1/8 to 1/4".

No brick against wood, 1/4-1" sand.  Pea gravel here is best, to keep wood
dry.  Optional if it's rainy there... make it 1 1/2-2" & put pvc which can be
drainage along the edges.  You can also separate the brick by placing it down
with a 3/8 dia dowel temporary, tie a string to one end to make it easy to
retrieve from between bricks... fill between with 1/2-1" sand, 1/2" when later
packed, (soft sprinkle of water, walking, by time, try too hard to tamp it and
you move the next brick which ruins easily achieved perfection.

I set every brick with a 3'long bubble level, the level is one reminder, the
length is simply a straightedge.  It comes out like cement under if well done.
 germans use this INDOORS in commercial establishments.  Just catching on
here.) ...and the topper is fine pea gravel,  say 1-2" deep, between bricks,
maybe 1/4-3/8" apart.  Not 1/2"  If 1/8, just sand.  Depends on looks,
width/slop you have in beds/path, and between path and beds slop, which is
adjustable... just about like, laying tile in a house, slop at the edges, not
on only one edge.  It's ALL easy.  Just sore knees and back, taking TIME to do
the brick laying well.  If you elect to do one path ea mo/week, backup and
redo 3 bricks, as tthey slide, step over the end bricks in the interim. 
(Brick/sand is "tamped" first into place by big rubber mallet.) Drains well,
looks NICE!  No pvc hassle.  Some gravel could have pretty color interspesed. 
I'd not use white, personally.  Black plastic and gravel much cheaper and
easier, well cheaper.  Takes more maint later, than brick...!

Perimeter brick is held by 2x4-6-8.  Layed flat and staked by the fence posts
themselves maybe.  HALF at least of this extends beyond the fence.  It acts as
a wheel paver for the lawnmower, or prettier, use brick again.  The last brick
will be mostly under the fence w/noone walking on it regularly so it won'r
move much.  Now, no weed eating at all.

Worth the work?  For me , yes.  (Also I'm cheap.) And can be done a bit at a
time, if leveling is first basically established overall.  A hose is the BEST
water level, tho' the 1' clear ends they make help.  Only a laser is better. 
Forget bubbles for 20 feet if you want cheap perfection.  Use a hose.  Fill it
up.  Tie one end 1 foot above your base level point to a firm stake.  Have a
pint pitcher of water or gal milk jug, to adjust the other end.  When it's
exactly full, mark the second stake with a marker.  Perfection over hundreds
of feet.

Pattern determines whether you have a 2' path, or +/- a few inches.  Remember,
if these 6 beds are layed 2 beds by 3 beds, pick a central path that will be
decidedly wider for use and appearance.  A $10 chair would even fit on
weekends... esp if the two central most beds were 2' shorter, you'd have a
keen micro patio!!!  And a wheel barrow there will fit, with room to walk
around it!

The change make it architecturally interesting.  DO THIS ON GRAPH PAPER!  1 sq
per ft at first!!! & make many designs... EVEN bad ones, because you or
hubbmeister will take pieces of them and come up with a spin that will be cute
or functional.  WALK THRU IT in your head!!!!  THIS step is important. 
PICTURE IT and BE in it.  here is where brick is keen.  Lay out, w/o plastic
or leveling yet, the path outline in brick.  Walk it with the wheel barrow. 
Pretend to dig the tubers, pluck the tomatoes, kneel at the strawbwrries.  The
path there must be knee to heel + 2" on each end.  2' will do if you're short
and tight on space/brick, but barely.

I picture 2 beds, short ends 3' apart.
Next pair, 2-21/2 ft away, parallel.  Next bed pair, same.  NOW... go back to
the center pair.  Maybe lop off 1-1 1/2 ft from each, for the center eye-land!
 Instead of lopping them off, you could move them back the same distance. 
Neat pattern... a squashed hex.  Open center for work, eye appeal, glass of
wine. Corners are now (at fence perimeter) bigger by a ft.

Easier to turn corners with tools.  Perhaps a brid feeder, weather vane,
raingauge, stanadard tree (dwarf).  Play with this.  When done, get a gardener
frien, prefferably old or smart, to have 1 glass of wine to loosen but not
muddle, and let them pick the best 3 designs.  Like (Ok, 'as')in designing a
house, you get out what you put in.  The brick can be purchased and done, one
path at a paycheck, as long as first basic leveling is done first.  It can be
cool!  Make it fun....!  :>)

This'll make you want to give and get a massage and tone YOUR numbers! ;>)
DMSO works for soreness, but that's another list.

A 3' green plastic covered with 2x3 holes???
What's a cute, rabbir resistant fence guys?
The county ag guy should know the reccommended height.  3' is my bet. 30"
fair.  2' Good. 18" poor. 1' somewhat effective.  (It also throws them a bit,
if it's hard to discern where the top of the fence is I feel.)

Mmmmm.  Organically fed rabbit!!!
---------------------
Discovered an everbearing raspberry, Baba-[Red] take cool-cold, and hot
weather, lg berry, like boysenberry, sweet.  Home Depot carries them.

Gotta get back to my mushrooms!!!
Bill

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