Raised Bed Garden - v.2010

[Green_Woman]

I've been reading my way through Dave the Garden Guy's fantastic book about gardening in the low desert, EXTREME GARDENING.

I tried a tiny potted veggie garden last year but the pots were black and too small, and my plants all fried into little crispy strips under the brutal Southwestern Summer sun.

And, since we all know I'm a RAW girl and prefers UN-cooked food ;), I've decided to take my gardening to the next level (along with everything else - I apparently enjoy leveling my Life out every so often) I'm building a Raised Bed Garden in my front yard.

I have been drawing up plans for a few days before deciding where to have the Raised Garden Bed and the various potted/boxed plants in my small yard. I also have some lawn furniture I acquired from a tenant sale (charming, brightly colored antique pieces) that I want to incorporate into the theme.

Whereas my home interior is a non-allergenic, subdued, earth-toned, sustainable theme, I want my yard to be bright, cheerful, vibrant, active, alive and highly functional.

Photos forthcoming. This is now officially my Raised Bed Gardening adventure thread. Join me... 'tis the season of the Millenia to grow your OWN raw foods. ;)

[Green_Woman]

I'm picking out my crops for the Spring... based on my dietary tendencies, I'm thinking I will start with:

Green Onions
Spinach
Beets
Carrots
Swiss Chard

As my secondary crop to assist the health of my primary garden, I'll plant:

Chamomile
Chives
Dandelion
Bachelor's Button
Basil

I'm still working out the details, of course, but these are some ideas for starting out. I have to make sure nothing I'm planting will be toxic for my Fur Babies, and that I'm combining plants wisely in my space and maximizing the sunlight in my fully-fenced yard with trees!

I'm building either 2 small raised garden beds, or 1 large raised garden. Then I'm planting in pots and containers, and possibly planting flowers around the bases of the two trees. Planting a small patch of lawn is also a consideration, but I will have to feel out what works best for my new tiny Ecosystem more than what sounds cute and clever. ;)

I'm so eager to get started that I can hardly wait for my Honey to come visit this weekend and help me build the raised garden beds and lay out the compost.

But my reliable little car is not big enough for hauling the lumber for the garden beds, so wait I must....

*tap tap*






*tap tap tap*





Waiting is no fun.

[RawKnitster]

I'll be watching eagerly! I'm sure your space will be lovely.

I'm looking to do some roto-tilling in my back yard this year. Before I do any planting I want to set up a rain barrel system to collect water.

Are your Fur Babies cats? I have issues with neighborhood cats. They can't resist scratching in loose soil.

[RawKnitster]

Kale is on my must have list. My SIL grows it in raised beds. She harvests the bottom leaves and the plant continues to grow new leaves out of the top. It starts to look like a palm tree. The plants lasted well into Fall. By the end they were 3 feet tall. I think Swiss Chard has the same growth pattern.

[skier2]

I'm doing raspberries, blueberries (both already established), carrots and radishes, brussels, lacinato and curly kale, chard, romaine, cabbage (if there is space), tomatoes, basil, rosemary, thyme, bell peppers, hot peppers, winter and summer squash, and cucumbers.

[Revvell]

Here's my garden from last year. http://revvellations.com/weekly/category/gardening/

Just now preparing soil for this year. Some of the produce I want ~ beets, corn, tomatoes, garlic, lettuce, peas, artichoke, carrots, cukes, melons, bell peppers, squash.

We have a dwarf lime tree, a cherry tree and a fig tree in pots I'd like to plant.

Tomorrow I'm going to the LA Arboretum and look at some of their aloe vera plants. There are about 356 varieties and the arboretum has about 120 of them. Ronnie of Ronnie and Minh gave me some yet, I want more, different ones. We'll see tomorrow.

Also going to put out a note to some of my neighbors and see if they want to start a garden club ~ share seeds, tools, ideas, etc.

Planning on getting my seed from http://rareseeds.com.

[Mary Kay]

Green Woman, don't forget to plant some wheatgrass between rows! I do small batches, then turn under and move to a diff't area.

and Revell, I was just reading an article about how someone got all his suburban neighbors to convert their front yards into gardens. A really cool unexpected thing happened because of it. The neighborhood became united! Neighbors could be seen conversing/comparing out front in their gardens, and they began to KNOW each other and hung out outside more.

Cool story, no?

Mary Kay.

[Revvell]

...
and Revell, I was just reading an article about how someone got all his suburban neighbors to convert their front yards into gardens. A really cool unexpected thing happened because of it. The neighborhood became united! Neighbors could be seen conversing/comparing out front in their gardens, and they began to KNOW each other and hung out outside more.

Cool story, no?

Mary Kay.

Absolutely. And I just read about a gent who moved into a not-so-good neighborhood in LA that had bars on the windows. He planted in front of the windows and removed the bars. Then began planting that trees on the patch of green between street and sidewalk. Asked his neighbors if he could do that in front of their houses. They began asking for tips on creating their own gardens. They he started a garden club so the neighbors could share tips, seeds, produce, flowers, whatever.. which is where I got the idea.

They can/will grow stuff I can't depending on the soil, etc.

[DebB]

Just now preparing soil for this year. Some of the produce I want ~ beets, corn, tomatoes, garlic, lettuce, peas, artichoke, carrots, cukes, melons, bell peppers, squash.

Hi Revvell ~ Do you eat your artichokes raw? I've never tried them raw. I miss them, I always steamed them. Any info you can give me will be appreciated! Thanks. *Ü*

[Revvell]

I don't eat artichokes. I just want to grow the plant cuz it's purdy. He'll probably eat 'em though.

Hi Revvell ~ Do you eat your artichokes raw? I've never tried them raw. I miss them, I always steamed them. Any info you can give me will be appreciated! Thanks. *Ü*

[Shine]

I'm currently designing a raised bed garden as well. I still have a few months to go before anything can be planted but.... :) I already have a 20x20 and an edged eatible landscape garden (lots of herbs and greens) and my dad wants me to re-start my grandparetns old garden so don't have to spend any money on food this summer :) The soil at my house is very rocky so root veggies tend to not grow well, I am thinking a couple small raised beds for carrots, beets, turnip and sweet potatoes. I am also thinking I can actually do some melon in them since the soil will be warm faster and I can heat it up with floating row covers or some such thing. I have always wanted to grow melon... :)

Growing your own food is awesome!! And with the last name "gardner" I kinda come by it naturally can't wait to see the picks of your yard!!

[DebB]

I don't eat artichokes. I just want to grow the plant cuz it's purdy. He'll probably eat 'em though.

Ahh, thanks. (Shucks!) ;)

[freespirit]

What kinds of plants will everyone be using to ward off insects?

[Revvell]

Well, some insects are beneficial but, I'm looking into a couple of books that will (hopefully) answer, that question.

What one person told me to do is to make our yard "bird-friendly" and that will stave off a lot of insects that eat plants. We did that and had no tomato thingies and I'd look in the garden and see lots of lil brown birds hanging out in it so, I'm guessing it worked some.

What kinds of plants will everyone be using to ward off insects?

[Green_Woman]

Because I live in the low desert (southeastern section of Arizona, USA) and have always struggled in past to grow healthy gardens, I'm basing much of my NEW gardening strategies on Dave the Garden Guy's book EXTREME GARDENING.

I found this book at a Wholefoods store in Phoenix, AZ. Maybe your local health food stores or farmer's market will have similiar "garden guru" books that are area-specific for you guys, too?

Before I do any planting I want to set up a rain barrel system to collect water.

Excellent plan!!! My sweetheart is an experienced water-harvester. He's helping me design a system using recycled barrels acquired from a local business for water harvesting/caching in my front yard. My Landlord is bewildered as to how I'm going to pull it off, but he gave me permission to proceed so here I go. ;)

My Fur Babies are dogs! 2 yr old Poodle-Yorkie mix and 9 mnth old Pomeranian. I love my fur babies and I'm planning on transitioning them both to a raw VEGAN diet (yes, I'm going to attempt this!) soon. :)

The soil at my house is very rocky

I don't trust the soil at my house because I know the Landlord sprayed chemicals here before I moved in... that's why I'm doing a Raised Bed Garden, so it's several inches off the ground and I can use compost/fertilizer for my plants!

Green Woman, don't forget to plant some wheatgrass between rows! I do small batches, then turn under and move to a diff't area.

What does wheatgrass do for the garden? I don't eat/drink it yet, myself.... a wee bit nervous about trying it, honestly. ;)