Vegepod (1 Metre Square Gardening)

My wife wanted a Vegepod (see pic) as we have real difficulty growing lettuce etc these are really expensive (about $450NZ with the stand), well I thought I can do better than that.

I've estimated costs where I got free stuff

Materials and Tools90x 32mm decking timber

plastic trays

plastic conduit plus fittings

screws 60mm

bracket screws

hinges

handle

hasp and staple

wheels

shade cloth

drill

circular saw

chop saw

screwdriver

rule

clamps

The basic idea of the Vegepod is that it is at a convenient height, and has a water reservoir so you don't have to constantly water, it is also protected from birds and mobile so that you can move it out of the sun to prevent crops "bolting" to seed

To start I had a bunch of the grey trays which were free (my favourite price) from work, they were supplied with some new desks but made the leg space too small for people to use. If I had to buy them I guess $10 each I laid 4 out and put my decking around them to get my basic measurement

Once I had got my basic measurements I screwed the frame together and then put in a weatherproof ply base.

I got this free from a neighbour as it was the bits he had cut out from windows when building his house but probably another $10 worth I bopped a bunch of drainage holes through it

I then cut 4 legs at 900mm (convenient height) and made 2 more squares to contain the soil, and screwed everything together with 60mm screws

Once upright I added a bottom frame to stabilize and use for a shelf and chopped the handles down to length

To strengthen the whole structure I added a bottom shelf and made a hinged frame for the top cover (I ripped some of the decking in half)

the hinges were free from a dismantled crate but lets say $4

I envisaged this being moveable like a wheelbarrow so shaped the handles to a convenient shape.

I found 2 wheels in a skip at work (they were throwing them out as the new inner tubes didn't fit!!!) A bit of jiggery pokery drilling the holes for valve stems etc and they were good to go, lets say $15 if I had bought them, I had a couple of 12mm dia bolts, nuts and washers salvaged from a broken gate but probably another $8 worth

Wasn't going to have front wheels but my wife said it was too heavy for her to easily manoeuver, so added 2 front wheels, these were $10

I had PVC some conduit left over from wiring my shed $18 per length and bought 4 elbows and 2 tee pieces to make a frame - total $10

Filled the conduit with hot water to help it bend and secured it to the top frame

I used some frost cloth to cover the frame ($5 a roll) and stapled it in place and fastened the top back on

Added a handle (free off a packing case) so $2 and a hasp and staple to keep it shut

So there it is

Lined the soil area with weedmat and filled with compost
Then put where she who must be obeyed wanted it and planted it out

Costings

30m of Decking at $2.44 a meter = 73.20

4 trays $40 (free)

Plywood $10 (free)

Hinges $4 (free)

Front Wheels $15 (free)

Back Wheels $10 (free)

Coach Bolts $8 (free)

Conduit and fittings $28 (free)

Screws $20

Handle $2 (free)

Frost cloth and weedmat $5

Hasp and Staple $5

Total $220 NZ If I bought everything

(US$146, 123 Euros,110 GBP, AU$201)