OT - Raised Bed Gardens (pics)

fence0407

I was finally able to get my raised beds filled with an assortment of veggies and herbs. I still need to plant okra and corn, but other than that I'm set for this summer. The small plants you see in the very corner in the ground are blueberry bushes that will bear fruit in the next year or two. Share some of your garden pics/stories.

cazzy

So how much usable product does something like this create?

fence0407

cazzy said:

So how much usable product does something like this create?

Good question haha. It'll be enough for the two of us I think. I imagine I'll be giving away stuff too. It's my first try at something this big so we'll see.

Fred19Flintstone

I'm building mine this weekend.  Due to issues I have with my back, I'm constructing waist high beds I saw on the net.  I will end up with 36 sq ft of bed.  Not much, but I'm not much of a gardener either.

fence0407

Fred19Flintstone said:

I'm building mine this weekend.  Due to issues I have with my back, I'm constructing waist high beds I saw on the net.  I will end up with 36 sq ft of bed.  Not much, but I'm not much of a gardener either.

I've seen pictures of those waist high beds. That'll be great for your back. Sometimes I wish I had built mine a little higher off the ground. 

fishlessman

looks good, the blueberries like pineneedles mulched around them and that also helps keep their feet wetter, they like that.

cazzy, i planted two 42 inch circular raised beds last year, 3 tomatoes in each plus 8 heads purple cabage in each and a thai pepper in each. i picked maybe 150 tomatoes not counting what my neighbors raided during the week and they hit  it pretty hard. i could pick a head of cabbage for slaw every weekend for 2 months and then had to pick the rest. i should have bought some early growing tomato plants to help space it out. the tomatoes really liked the raised bed, i have a pretty short grow season and painting the exterior black helped extend the season keeping the soil warm. watered just once a week

tarheelmatt

Nice looking stuff!  I need to remember to post mine soon.  I got mine planted last Sunday.  

fence0407

Thanks @fishlessman - I need to get some more pinestraw and fill in the area surrounding the beds. My mom is in charge of 30+ raised beds at her elementary school and they always have to give stuff away. I imagine my two (4x8) beds will produce more than enough stuff.

fence0407

tarheelmatt said:

Nice looking stuff!  I need to remember to post mine soon.  I got mine planted last Sunday.  

Thanks Matt! Would love to see what you have going.

jimithing

cazzy said:

So how much usable product does something like this create?

Depends on how well you select plants that match your climate.  For instance, here in Texas you've got to start your tomato plants early and get the blooms going because once the summer heat and humidity hits the production basically drops to none.  But about that time the pepper plants really kick into production.

This year I planted tomatoes, squash, zucchini, onions and peppers in my 4x8 raised bed.  I suspect I"ll be giving away squash, zucchini and peppers based on past production.

fence0407

jimithing said:

cazzy said:

So how much usable product does something like this create?

Depends on how well you select plants that match your climate.  For instance, here in Texas you've got to start your tomato plants early and get the blooms going because once the summer heat and humidity hits the production basically drops to none.  But about that time the pepper plants really kick into production.

This year I planted tomatoes, squash, zucchini, onions and peppers in my 4x8 raised bed.  I suspect I"ll be giving away squash, zucchini and peppers based on past production.

Agreed - sounds like you've got it down now. I see you are in Plano - I grew up there. 

itsmce

I garden on a much larger scale and don't have any pictures to share at this point, but my plot is looking good so far:  Peas are growing nicely, potatoes emerged earlier this week, radishes will start plumping soon, onion sets are making nice "green onions", onion plants are taking hold for bigger onions to be used nearly year round. In the next week or so, I'll set out the tomato plants (10) and peppers (6). That's where I am now, more to come.

cazzy

fishlessman said:

looks good, the blueberries like pineneedles mulched around them and that also helps keep their feet wetter, they like that.

cazzy, i planted two 42 inch circular raised beds last year, 3 tomatoes in each plus 8 heads purple cabage in each and a thai pepper in each. i picked maybe 150 tomatoes not counting what my neighbors raided during the week and they hit  it pretty hard. i could pick a head of cabbage for slaw every weekend for 2 months and then had to pick the rest. i should have bought some early growing tomato plants to help space it out. the tomatoes really liked the raised bed, i have a pretty short grow season and painting the exterior black helped extend the season keeping the soil warm. watered just once a week

Raided?  Were you on vacay or something and told them to go pick?

Fred19Flintstone

In Mid Michigan it's usually advisable to plant on or after Mother's Day.  I'm gonna cheat and go a bit early.

cazzy

That's really cool @jimithing and @fishlessman I really need to do something like this.  Any recommendations on walk through?  Online or books?

Legume

no pics on me right now, but we have two raised beds that are 2x2x6 galvanized tanks.  we have on drip and they get lots of sun.  we crowd them, currently have at least 8 tomatoes (2 are sm/med varieties like early girl and the rest are types of cherry, pear and grape tomatoes).  we put in a couple of squashes, eggplant and some pickling cukes as well.  I think a pepper or two.  we also fill in with herbs like basil, cilantro, oregano and a mock tarragon that grows well in the Texas climate.

Legume

I forgot to say @cazzy that when the tomato plants are pumping out tomatoes, we can pick a large bowl of them every day - we give lots of them away

SGH

I planted these last weekend. Sadly it has flooded day and night every since.

fence0407

@SGH I hear ya on the flooding! I really like the way you made your beds. After looking at what you've done, I may consider putting down that mulch instead of pinestraw. I like the way it looks. Thanks for sharing!

fence0407

@Legume it sounds like you got a nice collection of veggies and herbs. Share some pics when you get a chance.

fence0407

itsmce said:

I garden on a much larger scale and don't have any pictures to share at this point, but my plot is looking good so far:  Peas are growing nicely, potatoes emerged earlier this week, radishes will start plumping soon, onion sets are making nice "green onions", onion plants are taking hold for bigger onions to be used nearly year round. In the next week or so, I'll set out the tomato plants (10) and peppers (6). That's where I am now, more to come.

Go big, or go home! That's awesome. I've also got some red potatoes going in my raised beds. 

SGH

fence0407 said:

@SGH I hear ya on the flooding! I really like the way you made your beds. After looking at what you've done, I may consider putting down that mulch instead of pinestraw. I like the way it looks. Thanks for sharing!

For the record, the pine straw works better. The mulch is a little more appealing to the eye, but it requires constant up keep. Just thought I would share. 

fence0407

SGH said:

fence0407 said:

@SGH I hear ya on the flooding! I really like the way you made your beds. After looking at what you've done, I may consider putting down that mulch instead of pinestraw. I like the way it looks. Thanks for sharing!

For the record, the pine straw works better. The mulch is a little more appealing to the eye, but it requires constant up keep. Just thought I would share. 

Thank you sir. Might come down to $$.

fence0407

cazzy said:

That's really cool @jimithing and @fishlessman I really need to do something like this.  Any recommendations on walk through?  Online or books?

@cazzy - I used this as a guideline for my beds. Very sturdy.

EDIT - I used flattened cardboard boxes to line the bottoms of my beds instead of the hardware cloth they recommend.

http://www.sunset.com/garden/perfect-raised-bed

itsmce

@fence0407: I will be interested to hear how your potatoes do in the bed.  There's not much better than a true "new" potato...5 minutes from garden to stove.

fence0407

@itsmce - I couldn't agree more! My mom has had potatoes in her raised beds each year and they turn out just fine. This is my first pass at it, so hopefully I get the same results.

pescadorzih

Just sowed my cool veggie seeds this past weekend. 

SGH

fence0407 said:

 Might come down to $$.

Unfortunately, the above is usually what determines everything that we do.  

fence0407

SGH said:

fence0407 said:

 Might come down to $$.

Unfortunately, the above is usually what determines everything that we do.  

Agreed - my money tree I planted a few years ago has yet to provide anything. 

SGH

fence0407 said:

Agreed - my money tree I planted a few years ago has yet to provide anything. 

I finally gave up on mine and cut up into wood for smoking on unit #6. It never produced a single dollar and it sucked as a smoking wood as well 

SGH