Freedom Stix

Freedom Stix Here at Freedom Stix we create planter boxes, raised beds, custom raised beds, greenhouses and more!

Three piece set finished up today in time for Mother's Day. Custom laser engrave per request.
05/10/2024

Three piece set finished up today in time for Mother's Day. Custom laser engrave per request.

First flowers of the season!!!! That I started from seed. Calendula and Nasturtium are huge, but no flowers.
05/10/2024

First flowers of the season!!!! That I started from seed. Calendula and Nasturtium are huge, but no flowers.

Gotta get one more in before the wet stuff falls from the sky. 🤣
04/25/2024

Gotta get one more in before the wet stuff falls from the sky. 🤣

Keep this photo in your mind. I'll be thinking over the next few days of a less-than-squirrely jig to trim this down a ...
04/16/2024

Keep this photo in your mind. I'll be thinking over the next few days of a less-than-squirrely jig to trim this down a hair on the table saw so it's easier to work with. I could use a regular handle on the end of my new-found breaker bar, and this thing looks handle-ish so we'll go with it. 🤣 Still slightly torn on final design, but I'll be working on making it happen these next couple weeks and I'll try to do updates. Got a few ideas already for jigs. Just shot one down as I'm typing this for safety reasons. 😒
Anyways, check back later or follow our page to find out who wins: me or the log!

Here's a little blast from the past. A simple back-saver raised planter I made for the wife last year. The second phot...
04/16/2024

Here's a little blast from the past. A simple back-saver raised planter I made for the wife last year. The second photo shows that 'year after' aged color that unsealed cedar will get when left out in the elements. I'm thinking of making some of these a bit bigger than just deck box sized and adding a shelf underneath.

Finally, after leaving about an inch or so of depth all the way around, I add the composted manure and mix it in. I wai...
04/14/2024

Finally, after leaving about an inch or so of depth all the way around, I add the composted manure and mix it in. I wait until last for this because I want those nutrients immediately available to what I plant and as it rains/I water those nutrients will seep deeper and follow the roots as they grow (or something). Then it's a good soaking and another mixing. And now we're ready to plant!
Throw a like or a comment if you enjoyed this, learned something or got your own idea from it!

When you do use bagged soil, or soil/material that has been compacted, make sure to break up the big chunks. Water and ...
04/14/2024

When you do use bagged soil, or soil/material that has been compacted, make sure to break up the big chunks. Water and air will get to your plants much easier if there are less roadblocks. Your plants' roots will do the finer work for you, just make sure to pulverize giant mudbergs like this guy. The little chunks around it are fine. If you don't have any fancy tools that make it a bit easier, a shovel or trowel does the job as well. Even a branch that fell off your tree last week when it was really windy will work in a pinch!

Next of course is the boring part, and the one that made my back very unhappy. 🤣 I filled this raised bed in layers. I...
04/14/2024

Next of course is the boring part, and the one that made my back very unhappy. 🤣 I filled this raised bed in layers. I used top soil and peat moss for the bulk of it while alternating watering and mixing. I got this here handy dandy aerator/cultivator over at my local Menards pretty cheap. I actually got three. They've paid for themselves already and the season hasn't even started. You can get a pretty spiffy one for about $20 bucks. I think these ones were a closeout for $6 or $7 bucks a piece.
Yes, they also sell "garden soil" or "raised bed mix" if you want to cheat, but we avoid the chemical fertilizers when possible, and there really isn't a nutrition label on those things that tells you what's feeding your greens for up to 9 months.

So now that I've recycled an old tree and saved myself a few bags of dirt, it's time to break it up a bit more. If I wa...
04/14/2024

So now that I've recycled an old tree and saved myself a few bags of dirt, it's time to break it up a bit more. If I was just planting vines here like I originally planned, I'd skip this step. I've decided to add some bell peppers into the mix, so I want to make it easier for them to drop roots, stand tall and grow me lots of good vegetables. I used a breaking bar but this can also be done with a point shovel, a mattock, or any other pointed tool if the wood is "aged well". If using new you can lay down sticks and branches or cut logs into "cookies" and break them up before adding them.

A good way to help add nutrients to your soil and help with water retention is by adding wood. The older the wood the b...
04/14/2024

A good way to help add nutrients to your soil and help with water retention is by adding wood. The older the wood the better, and if it's buried in the back and rotting apart, even better. Newer wood won't hold much water, and will take a while to break down and feed your plants. I happen to have the remains of an old oak tree in the back that has been doing it's thing for years before we ever bought the house, so I used that. I spread it around the ground on the higher two tiers. I'll spread more smaller stuff on the lowest level later, but this was all the larger chunks.
Be mindful of how much soil will be over the top of any large wood chunks. The tips of roots can start to grow into even green wood, but you still need enough soil depth to support what you are planting in the mean time. If you have a mental picture of where you want to plant/ transplant certain things, you can also spread wood a little thicker in the spaces between. This can also help wall plants off from each other and weeds.

Every good natural soil mix needs a combination of soil, plant matter and p**p. Yes, I said p**p. It turns the brownes...
04/14/2024

Every good natural soil mix needs a combination of soil, plant matter and p**p. Yes, I said p**p. It turns the brownest thumbs green. In my case it's composted manure. I'm not going to get much into alternative sources, but it's best if it's been composted with other organic matter with good ventilation for about a year if you don't get the bagged stuff. I like the convenience of the bagged, but I do have a few compost areas where we toss lawn shavings and vegetable scraps. I also have a lot of walnut trees, so I have to be careful with what and where I use it. My squash wouldn't mind much, but the green peppers would not produce if there was still too much juglone in the compost.
There are plenty of juglone tolerant plants if you're dead set on a shade or semi-shade garden under a walnut, but beware of those that are not. I've played that game for a whole season. Lots of wasted effort.
Anyways, back to dirt and p**p....

So yesterday I filled up our raised bed to get it set up and ready to fill up in another week or so. The weatherman say...
04/14/2024

So yesterday I filled up our raised bed to get it set up and ready to fill up in another week or so. The weatherman says it won't get below freezing again, but I don't trust that dude. Iowa's typical last frost is at the end of April, so that's what we will be shooting for. We will be planting a mixture of squash, cucumbers and peppers.

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Des Moines, IA
50317

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