Plunge beds

[ArnoldT]

If by salt you mean sodium chloride (table salt) builder's sand should be free from it since it causes problems with frost resistance and corrosion of steel. Why do you think there is salt in it?
Cceers
Göte
I thought that was well. I know applying salt in the winter to new concrete can cause spalling. Salt (NaCl) would be the enemy of the concrete process!  I went to a mason's yard and the fellow told me the bulk sand was from the beach and had sea salt in it.  I had told him I was going to use it for a plunge bed and to improve drainage in a potting mix.  Of course had to explain what a plunge bed was!  So I purchased the Play Sand that had been washed and sterilized for use in a child's play sand pit.

 

[Gerry Webster]

If by salt you mean sodium chloride (table salt) builder's sand should be free from it since it causes problems with frost resistance and corrosion of steel. Why do you think there is salt in it?
Cceers
Göte
I thought that was well. I know applying salt in the winter to new concrete can cause spalling. Salt (NaCl) would be the enemy of the concrete process!  I went to a mason's yard and the fellow told me the bulk sand was from the beach and had sea salt in it.  I had told him I was going to use it for a plunge bed and to improve drainage in a potting mix.  Of course had to explain what a plunge bed was!  So I purchased the Play Sand that had been washed and sterilized for use in a child's play sand pit.

In my part of the world, all the coarse sand sold for concreting purposes is of marine origin. I think it is washed before being sold but I am not sure how thoroughly. I have never had any problems with it, though I should add that mine has been in use for 20 years or so & by now will have been well washed.

[Tony Willis]

I have always used builders sand and buy it from B&Q as the bags are easy to handle.

It gets covered in liverworts and assorted weeds during the winter and spring and I clean it of when repotting and top it up with fresh sand.

I have two beds with heating cables and these worked okay last winter which was our coldest here since we arrived 17 years ago.

[Martinr]

Angie, try www.twowests.co.uk. That's where my plunges came from.

[angie]

My husband said that there isn't salt in the ton bags that we get ,he said like some of you have already said it would cause big problems, so it will be nice and cheap.
I could hear him moaning if I had to buy Child's play pit sand, he is in construction and buys sand in a weekly basis.

Thanks for the advice, I ordered the plunges, would have liked to got wider ones but my staging is only 2 ft wide. Bought the heating cables, thought I better be safe than sorry.

I shall post a picture when everything is finished but don't expect something like Lucs, I am still at the learning stage but maybe one day I will have something as amazing as lucs 

Angie

 

[angie]

My parcel came today from twowests...first thing I thought was I have ordered the wrong thing but no they have to be bolted together I thought they would just come 100" long .

Now the hard bit   what nice thing can I cook for hubbies tea He can use his new socket set, no point depriving him of that .

Shall post a picture, hopefully soon.

Angie  
  

[Maggi Young]

Crikey, they don't hang about do they? That was good fast delivery.

[angie]

Yes Maggi they were really quick and so helpful and delivery only £4.99 .

One thing about the plunge beds it will stop me knocking my pots of the staging, I wouldn't like to count the amount of pots that I have knocked down.

It's only two plunge beds, but it's a start

I was reading on another thread about potting or not re-potting your bulbs every year so maybe I should keep to only two plunge beds. It must be so much work but I suppose worth every minute if you can produce flowers like some members produce.

Angie

[Martinr]

He can use his new socket set, no point depriving him of that .

  

I hope he's not disappointed Angie, it's quite difficult to get the ratchet drive into the corners Give him 2 10mm a/f spanners, one ring, one open and he'll be happy as can be

Now just to maKe you scratch your head a bit.....you need to decide if the bent over bits at the top of the plunge face in or out. I go out to maximise plunge space but I've seen others with them turned in the way to save greenhouse floor space. You might also remember that both Diane Clement and myself line the bottom of the plunge with water matting to 1) act as a water reservoir and 2) to stop the sand washing out through the drain holes.

Of course, as supplied, there are no drain holes so your better half can also have some fun with a drill

Martin

[angie]

Thanks Martin for the advice. Drain holes I never even thought of that,  the water matting is that capillary matting or something similar.

He popped back at lunchtime and I showed him the pieces and before I could say anything he said I forgot I am golfing this afternoon but I shall it done tomorrow. I won't say what I said 

I really don't mind as I took one look at my greenhouse and thought to myself it will take me a day to move my pots to get space to move.

Maybe I could do it myself, better not he hates me using his tools. I always forget to put things back in there place

Angie    

[Martinr]

Angie, the water matting I use is another Two Wests product. It's thicker than capillary matting so you can just soak it and leave it for several days, saves having water tanks and wicks etc like you would use with capillary matting. I use it on my shallow staging trays. Capillary matting would certainly be OK as a substitute under the sand.

Another bit of advice (I'm confessing to all my mistakes here) is to build it in situ even if your greenhouse door is wide enough to move it in afterwards. It's all built hand tight and then all the bolts are tightened up at the end. If you do it in position it will naturally compensate for any unevenness in the floor of the greenhouse so that when it is all tightened up you don't end up with some of the legs off the ground!

p.s this means putting your head under the plunge to get a the nuts and bolts....if either of you can do that without ending up with a sore head you're way ahead of me in skill

[angie]

Thanks again Martin. I will show this to my husband and it will maybe make things easier for him.

I have fixed staging in my greenhouse, husband built wooden staging, so hopefully I won't have a sore head 

Angie 

[angie]

Here is my plunge bed finished in the greenhouse. Got a bit carried away and started in my poltunnel, most of the plants in the tunnel could stay outside but after this last winter when a lot of the pots were frozen solid I thought this would help a little.
The staging in the greenhouse that was recommended by forum members was perfect. I am really pleased but now I will have to work out how much water the pots will need.
Thanks everyone for the advice.
Whilst doing the plunge in the polytunnel a frog jumped out of a plant, he was only little so didnt give me to much of a scare.
Angie

[Maggi Young]

Wow! That looks really great, Angela....you have masses of super plants there.....the new metal plunges look very smart and you have it all laid out neatly.... even in the polytunnel where we would be messy!...... well done!!

[fermi de Sousa]

I'm looking forward to seeing it in person next April, Angie!
If the invitation still holds (and we have transport!)
cheers
fermi