Rebar in Planting Area

14 years ago

Hello all,

Odd question.

I'm building a retaining wall out of foundation blocks. I don't want to use mortar mix between them - so in order to keep them secured, I have some three-foot pieces of rebar that I am going to put in each of the squares of the foundation blocks.

The wall is only two blocks high (a little over a foot) but I want to put the re-bar in just to give it some extra strength.

I will then put soil in each of the squares of the blocks where I drive the rebar down into - then will put one onion in each of these squares.

For the question - do you believe this will cause adverse affects to the onions if there is leaching of the rebar from watering? This probably will help to put iron into the soil, but I don't know if this would actually be bad for the onions.

Here is a picture to show what the wall will look like (partially completed). You can see the squares in the foundation blocks (two squares for each block).

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog

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Comments (8)

digdirt2
14 years ago
It is just iron oxide, natural and common in many soils, so it presents no problems.

Rebar is used by many gardeners as plant stakes, cage stakes, row markers, etc. It is a very handy garden tool. ;)

Dave
Belgianpup
14 years ago
Dave's right, it's just iron.

But the nature of those blocks will cause water to drain out very easily, so you'll have to pay close attention on moisture levels for stuff growing inside them.

Sue
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User
14 years ago
WARNING: Do not leave rebar sticking out of the ground.

Bend the free end under like a shepherd's crook, or make a U-shape and pound both ends into the ground.

If you trip and fall on rebar, it's going to seriously injure you.
bsntech
Original Author
14 years ago
Great! That sounds like a plan then. The only other idea I had was to place them on the outside of the blocks - but that would have been an eye sore - having 40+ pieces of rebar sticking out of the ground in front of the blocks.

Lazygardens - no worries on the rebar sticking out of the ground. I intend to actually take the first layer of blocks off and pound the rebar down until about six inches is left. Then when the layer of blocks are re-added, the rebar will actually be about 2 inches below that piece.

I do have some rebar sticking up every five feet (as seen in the picture). This is going to be used as my fence posts for my plastic fencing to keep the deer out. It is four feet out of the ground that I don't see a problem with falling on it :)
naturegirl_2007 5B SW Michigan
14 years ago
You can easily protect yourself from the end of the fencing rebar if you feel the need. Get old tennis balls. Cut a tiny slit in them and stick them over the end of the rebar.
cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
Rebar is fine. You can also use treated sticksand fill the
block cavities with rocks/soil to prevent sliding. If you don't push them
they are not going to move.
jonhughes
14 years ago
As I have a lot of experience with cinderblock gardening,the only thing about your described situation that I would be concerned about is....the size of the onions,if you grow "large" onions ...like Walla Walla's the rebar will be a cause for concern,last year my Walla Walla's got so big so fast in the cinderblock holes they were stuck and it was aggravating getting them out,the holes in the cinderblock are only 5"x 5" square and those onions get bigger than that,so you have to pull them earlier,to save yourself some headaches,also the rebar would make the hole even smaller ,so I would plant garlic or carrots in those holes that you have rebar in...FWIW ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Garlic Bed Cinder Block
cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
jonhughes ,
Onion bulbs should not be that deep. A perfect onion should sit
on the soil while the roots go way down.I have learned this
to plant onions on top of rows. When the bulbs start forming
remove the soil from around it. This way it will grow freely and perhaps bigger.
It might be necessary to run twine on both sides of each row to
hold them up , when the tops get heavy and winds blow.
this is the technic that I wiil be using this season.