Whistech's Raised Bed Project

whistech · November 11, 2012

About six weeks ago I joined Tomatoville and asked for advice on building some raised beds so I can grow tomatoes next spring. Several people replied to my thread with a lot of great information and I want to thank everyone who did. Using a lot of your inputs, I built raised beds in my back yard. The beds were completed early October. I bought dirt from a local company called Natures Way Resources and had it delivered to my driveway. I calculated I would need about 8 cubic yards so I added one more yard to be sure I had enough to fill my beds. By the way, hauling 9 yards of dirt from the driveway to the back yard one wheel barrow at a time is hard on an old fat man! I completed the project on 5 October and planted cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and some radishes the next day. Since then, I have added a few other items. I have purchased tomato seeds from Tania and Remy and will be starting those in late December to transplant on March 1st. Below are a few pictures of my small garden. My Grandkids are my pride and joy and they enjoy helping in Poppys garden.

Redbaron · November 11, 2012

Absolutely beautiful!

Deborah · November 11, 2012

That's the garden I dream of !

dokutaaguriin · November 12, 2012

Looks great! Nothing like hauling dirt from the front yard to the backyard to remind you that it is all for the plants!

Jeff

gggeek · November 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by dokutaaguriin

Looks great! Nothing like hauling dirt from the front yard to the backyard to remind you that it is all for the plants!

Jeff

And thus why my garden is now in the front yard

ddsack · November 13, 2012

What a nice job! Fine looking black dirt, I'm sure you will enjoy every bite of the vegetables you grow in there, especially remembering all the sweat and sore muscles in the hauling and shoveling. Great lessons for the kids as well, and good bonding time.

November 13, 2012

Great looking garden! You started raised bed gardening in the same manner I started by hauling dirt from the front yard to the back yard in a wheel barrow. I had been a row crop gardener and a container gardener for many years before transitioning to raised beds. It's simply easier and more productive for an old man. I also have a three year old garden helper, in the form of a great grandson; who calls me da because he can't say dedad yet. I became dedad when my grand children couldn't say grand dad. Ain't it grand to be able to pass something you truly love to the next generation and hope they derive as much pleasure from it as you have.

Da

November 13, 2012

When you are ready to start germinating those seeds, check back on this forum and ask all the questions you may have. There are a lot of folks on here who have learned by experience the wrong way and the right way to germinate and grow seedlings.

Ted

kilroyscarnival · November 13, 2012

Nice raised beds! I had seen the 4 x 4' ones but like the look of these longer and narrower ones. (Probably yours are not that narrow but they sure look long.)

whistech · November 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilroyscarnival

Nice raised beds! I had seen the 4 x 4' ones but like the look of these longer and narrower ones. (Probably yours are not that narrow but they sure look long.)

Pictures can be deceiving. The two longest beds are 4 feet wide by 24 feet long. The shorter bed is 3 feet wide and 16 feet long. I still have one more 4 feet by 16 feet bed to build at the side of the back yard but I am taking a rest before tackling that.

barryla61 · November 14, 2012

Awesome looking beds!!!

kilroyscarnival · November 14, 2012

Wow. Nice that you have so much room and are using it well!

November 11, 2012	#2
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Absolutely beautiful! __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

November 13, 2012	#6
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	What a nice job! Fine looking black dirt, I'm sure you will enjoy every bite of the vegetables you grow in there, especially remembering all the sweat and sore muscles in the hauling and shoveling. Great lessons for the kids as well, and good bonding time. __________________ Dee **************

November 13, 2012	#7
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	Great looking garden! You started raised bed gardening in the same manner I started by hauling dirt from the front yard to the back yard in a wheel barrow. I had been a row crop gardener and a container gardener for many years before transitioning to raised beds. It's simply easier and more productive for an old man. I also have a three year old garden helper, in the form of a great grandson; who calls me da because he can't say dedad yet. I became dedad when my grand children couldn't say grand dad. Ain't it grand to be able to pass something you truly love to the next generation and hope they derive as much pleasure from it as you have. Da Last edited by tedln; November 13, 2012 at 01:01 PM.

November 11, 2012	#3
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	That's the garden I dream of !

November 12, 2012	#4
dokutaaguriin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alberta, Canada Z3a Posts: 905	Looks great! Nothing like hauling dirt from the front yard to the backyard to remind you that it is all for the plants! Jeff

November 13, 2012	#9
kilroyscarnival Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 614	Nice raised beds! I had seen the 4 x 4' ones but like the look of these longer and narrower ones. (Probably yours are not that narrow but they sure look long.)

November 14, 2012	#11
barryla61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bedford, VA Posts: 257	Awesome looking beds!!!