Beginning Gardening 101
Well, really the 101 is because this is my first ever garden! I wanted to share with you how we have been building our raised bed garden. We have 9 boxes built so far with plans to make around 11 more. These beds are 4 x 4 and work perfect with my Square Foot Garden Planner that you can download for free inside the homemaking resource library!! The planner is listed in the side bar in case you have not seen it before.
Anyway, we began by purchasing 1 x 6 pressure treated lumber in 8 foot lengths. The boards were cut in half and then nailed together into a box shape with braces at each corner to make them strong.
We live on top of a mountain so our yard has no real flat spots. So, we tilled the ground where the boxes would set just enough to be able to level it out. Then, the boxes were placed on top.
Our first layer to go into the box was a thick layer of newsprint.
Then, we added some leaves that were raked up from the yard and a few grass clippings.
Next, we added a mixture of top soil, hummus, and manure. I wanted to use Mel’s Mix, but couldn’t really convince my husband, so we went with what he wanted. I am sure the soil will be good.
I have not made a grid on all of my boxes yet, but I am working on it and almost done. I orginally wanted to get some lattice stripping to make the grid with, but that was another thing I couldn’t really get my husband to see the value in spending the extra money to do it Mel’s way, so I bought some cheap nylon twine, some brass thumb tacks and made a grid with those. It works and we are both happy.
So far, I have planted:
Sugar Snap Peas
Country Gentleman Sweet Corn
Rainbow Inca Corn
Red Onion Sets
St. Valery Carrots
Danvers Half Long Carrots
Purple Cosmic Carrots
Snow White Carrots
Henderson’s Baby Lima Bush Beans
Old Timer’s Purple Hull Speckled Cow Peas
Green Globe Artichokes
Old Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans
Vadaila Onions
Burgundy Okra
Perkin’s Long Pod Okra
Mariglobe Tomatoes
Boston Pickling Cucumbers
I still have a lot to plant! I am so proud of my new little garden. I couldn’t be happier with it. My husband has worked really hard to build me the beds and they look beautiful! I can’t wait to harvest the food.
