Let's get

GROWING

RAISED BEDS

Raised beds are hands down my favorite way to garden. Depending on your area, soil can be less than ideal to work with or the drainage could be too great. Raised beds offer a way to control both of these issues as well as provide containment from invasive weeds and pests. I have built raised beds from any material available. Leftover lumber around the yard (or scavenged from others), siding material and rocks.

How you establish these beds is important not only for your initial crop but also for years to come. Check out my blog post to learn more on how I establish my raised beds.

VERTICAL GARDENING

Trellises and arches create a whimsical look that will turn your garden into place you will want to spend your day and if you are limited in space like me, vertical gardening is a must. Anything that needs a lot of space can easily be grown upwards instead of outwards, obvious examples being peas, beans and cucumbers but even the larger plants can be a great option for a vertical garden such as pumpkins and squash.

Adding a simple trellis or ladder, arches or even buying stackable planters are great options for vertical gardening. There's a lot of options to consider when making the right decision for your space.

Follow my socials below as I experiment in my garden with various methods to optimize my space.

DIRECT SOW

Sowing your seeds directly into the garden can be more cost effective and less work over time. No need to buy planters or use a greenhouse. Less concern of your pots drying out or flooding from overwatering, and no need to transplant which will produce heartier crops as there are many plants that do not transplant well such as cucumber and carrots.

However working the ground can have its own challenges too. It can take years to establish a garden plot as you manage invasive weeds and grass, picking rocks and tilling, adding good quality organic soil and compost each year. Also if you live in a colder climate the growing season is drastically shortened. There are options to help extend your season with things like hoop tunnels, frost cloth and cold frames. All things I will be experimenting with more this year so you're welcome to follow along below or sign up to my newsletter to see how it goes.

GREENHOUSES

Starting seeds indoors is a must for most gardeners in my area. If we aren't starting our own seedlings indoors, we are purchasing them from a garden center. Evey year I will do both because no matter how prepared I believe I am, there is always something in the garden center I can't leave without!

A greenhouse is the easiest way to control the moisture and climate for seedlings and these days there is so many options online for purchasing a greenhouse. I have solely used my greenhouse to grow tomatoes, peppers and lettuce during the years I could not put in the hours needed for a larger garden. We have built our own and purchased greenhouse kits online. Over the years our needs have changed as our family changed and there is many options to suite your needs.

I am already dreaming of my next greenhouse, my next time. Haha that's the sheer beauty of gardening isn't it. The options and creativity never stop.