Air Pruning Box Plans

 Sketchup Pruning Box Plans

These plans are based on the air prune box plans shared by Edible Acres on Youtube.  This design differs from theirs in 3 major ways:

1. These boxes are slightly longer 4' 2 1/2" rather than 4' to minimize wasted wood.  They are also slightly deeper.
2. The center support of the bottom layer of these boxes runs front-to-back down the middle, rather than side to side.  Also, we have 2x4s (rather than 2x2s) supporting the bottom layer for added strength.  We will add an additional layer of remesh or wire underneath the 1/4" hardware cloth to add extra support for all the weight of the soil and trees.
3. Edible Acres used black locust wood, which we do not have.  Instead, we made the bottom layer ground contact treated lumber (and we will report back if this has a notable adverse effect on the trees).  One layer will be 2x6 cedar and another will be 2x8 untreated whitewood/pine.  We will monitor how these hold up over the years.

Figure 1. Air pruning box with dimensions and wood selection

Figure 2. Side view with dimensions

Figure 3. Top View, metal mesh shown will be 1/4" hardware cloth

To make 2 2'x4' 2 1/2" air pruning beds, you will need the following materials:

• 2 12'x2x8 untreated pine boards
• 2 12'x2x6 cedar boards
• 2 12'x2x4 ground contact treated lumber
• 2 8'x2'4 ground contact treated lumber
• 2 13' sections of 24" wide 1/4" hardware cloth (for sidewalls)
• 2 4' sections of 24" wide 1/4" (for bottom)
• 2 4' long, 2' wide sections of remesh or stronger wire for bottom reinforcement (optional?)
• 2 5' long 3' wide 1/4" hardware cloth (for the tops)
• linseed oil and/or outdoor paint
• 2 1/2" or 3" deck screws
• furring strips or scrap lumber to hold down the wire cages on the top
• 
  

Cut list:

The purchased wood should be cut as is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Cut list for air pruning beds

More pictures to come during assembly.