Ozymandias

Here is my tomato pyramid.

It was made from willow saplings, and was treated with milk paint and borax.  After that it has been out in the garden holding up tomatoes and other vines.  It is about 11 feet tall and has done quite well.  Light, sturdy, rustic and in it’s own way charming. 

Sadly as I adjusted it today, it is quite apparent that it will probably last about one more year before it fails.   Untreated willow lasts about two years in my garden.  This pyramid will have survived but a scant five years. 

This spring I will make another and will try my luck with a new treatment and see if it lasts a bit longer.   I will try soaking it in borax and copper sulfate to preserve and color it green.  It will start out blue, but will turn green over time.  Then I will heat soak my wax mix into it before I assemble it. 

Then  I will put it in the garden to see how it holds up.

Bob

3 comments to Ozymandias

  • Skip J.

    Hello Bob;

    I understand the borax part, and the copper sulfate part, and the wax mix part.

    How are you going to soak those long, skinny parts? In particular, how are you going to heat soak those long skinny parts?

    Thanks!

    Skip

    ps: Love your wax mix! Probably gonna run out and be heat mixing my own by spring time. Of course, I have the ingredients already!

  • My method for treating long skinny parts, is to take a few boards and lay them out to shape a form. Then I put a piece of long plastic over that form to make an over sized bucket. Then I can baste the long skinny parts. On a hot day, this works pretty well. Black plastic in the Texas sun will get the wax more than hot enough.

    Bob

  • Skip J.

    Thanks! I just had no idea!

    Skip

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