I spent many hours the last couple of months looking at my new garden area. It is over three times the size of the area I had in Michigan. There is no way I could keep up with a in ground garden of that size by myself. Not with my health. And my little tiller will not be able to handle the hard packed ground here. So I have no choice but to find other ways to grow the amount of produce I want to have.
I have made several searches on the net for container gardening, vertical gardening and raised bed gardening. While I like the idea of raised beds the best there is just no way I can buy or even find enough free wood to build as many raised beds as I would need so the only solution is for me to do a little of all three.
I have 6 big tubs that I will be using to plant tomato plants in. I figure I can get 3 plants to a tub. Eighteen paste tomatoes will be enough for us since I am the only one that eats fresh tomatoes. Of course I will use another tub to plant 2 beefsteak tomato plants as they are my favorite tomato for fresh eating.
Since we live in an area that has high winds at times I will be putting those green metal fence poles along each side of the tubs and running string to help keep the tomato plants supported and the tubs from tipping over.
I have at least 30 tubs of various sizes from small to large. I am going to use them for planting beans, beets, bell peppers, chili peppers, snow peas, cabbage, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, red potatoes and more in. I will use various metal poles to support the tubs from the strong winds tipping them over.
I do plan on making 3 raised beds. I want to grow two types of corn so I will need a bed for each type and then another one for pumpkins, acorn squash and hubbard squash.
I will be using containers to plant spinach, lettuce, radishes and mustard. I may plant collards in a tub but not sure yet. Same for celery. I plan on using a tub for the celery and leeks.
You might be thinking that is is going to cost a lot for bags of soil to fill all these tubs and you are right it would if I did not plan on getting a load of top soil delivered. My nephew in law drives for a company that delivers top soil and he is going to get me a load for just the cost of the use of the truck so that will save me money and I will buy manure to add to it. I will also be adding a layer of gravel in the bottoms of the tubs to help with drainage so the plants don't sit in water all the time. Of course I will be drilling a few holes in the bottoms of each tub to also help with drainage.
I have made several searches on the net for container gardening, vertical gardening and raised bed gardening. While I like the idea of raised beds the best there is just no way I can buy or even find enough free wood to build as many raised beds as I would need so the only solution is for me to do a little of all three.
I have 6 big tubs that I will be using to plant tomato plants in. I figure I can get 3 plants to a tub. Eighteen paste tomatoes will be enough for us since I am the only one that eats fresh tomatoes. Of course I will use another tub to plant 2 beefsteak tomato plants as they are my favorite tomato for fresh eating.
Since we live in an area that has high winds at times I will be putting those green metal fence poles along each side of the tubs and running string to help keep the tomato plants supported and the tubs from tipping over.
I have at least 30 tubs of various sizes from small to large. I am going to use them for planting beans, beets, bell peppers, chili peppers, snow peas, cabbage, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, red potatoes and more in. I will use various metal poles to support the tubs from the strong winds tipping them over.
I do plan on making 3 raised beds. I want to grow two types of corn so I will need a bed for each type and then another one for pumpkins, acorn squash and hubbard squash.
I will be using containers to plant spinach, lettuce, radishes and mustard. I may plant collards in a tub but not sure yet. Same for celery. I plan on using a tub for the celery and leeks.
You might be thinking that is is going to cost a lot for bags of soil to fill all these tubs and you are right it would if I did not plan on getting a load of top soil delivered. My nephew in law drives for a company that delivers top soil and he is going to get me a load for just the cost of the use of the truck so that will save me money and I will buy manure to add to it. I will also be adding a layer of gravel in the bottoms of the tubs to help with drainage so the plants don't sit in water all the time. Of course I will be drilling a few holes in the bottoms of each tub to also help with drainage.