New Garden in small yard 2009. (how-to with pics)

[Son-of-Liberty]

This is my garden from last year. I never did get around to posting about it on GIM, but I hope some of you can get some ideas from it.

Sorry I don't have pictures of what the yard looked like before. It was basically a small poorly maintained lawn. The grade was sloping back towards the condo before I fixed it.

The raised beds are from salvaged lumber that was already painted brown. I had built them in late fall of 2008 when they were an almost perfect match for the old fence. Everything was nice and square and then the condo board decided to put a new fence in so the raised beds along the fence were damaged. I managed to put them back together but they aren't quite as square as they were initially.

The garbage bags are dirt that was saved when I re-leveled the yard and originally built the beds in fall of 2008. Once the news paper is fully spread over the grass in the beds (4-6 sheets thick), the dirt, peat moss and manure went in. In some areas the soil on top of the grass was only about 4" but I figured that the plants could grow their roots down through the news paper eventually.

[Son-of-Liberty]

Here are some pictures of early summer. I wish I had some right after planting. Oh well...

Shortly after the first pics we put down the wood chips.

As you can see I have the netting up along the fences for the peas, scarlet runners and butternut squash and stakes for the tomatoes in.

The peas, lettuce and spinach is doing well. The rear bed along the back fence is swiss chard. Wasn't sure how well it would do being in the shade of the fence. I knew swiss chard preferred cool weather so I decided to put it in the coolest part of the yard and hope for the best.

[Son-of-Liberty]

The tomatoes and massive swiss chard in late summer.

[Son-of-Liberty]

A good example of growing things vertically to maximize space and Yoda hanging out under the beans and carrots.

Hope you enjoyed the pics. Feel free to ask questions.

[MNeagle]

Wow, looks fabulous. Thanks for the pictorial.

[gunDriller]

Wow, looks fabulous. Thanks for the pictorial.


yeah !

what's the cat's name ?

[MNeagle]

Yoda!

[cpy911]

Totally awesome how you can utilize the small space...it makes my backyard seem massive. I am on a .17 acre lot (7500sq ft.) and the house takes up over half that...

Carry on brother!!

[osprey]

That looks great! Were you able to plant again this year?

[Book]

Hope you enjoyed the pics. Feel free to ask questions.


Awesome thread Son-of-Liberty. Before you made the raised beds did you lay down some metal screen to prevent the voles/field mice from digging a tunnel up to your delicious veggies?

:)

[oldmansmith]

God idea Book, but if he has a cat they can take care of the problem. My wife hates cats, but the neighbour has one that roams my garden at night. In freshly turned ground I often see the tracks and where the cat pounced on something in the dark.

[Son-of-Liberty]

Awesome thread Son-of-Liberty. Before you made the raised beds did you lay down some metal screen to prevent the voles/field mice from digging a tunnel up to your delicious veggies?

:)


No we don't usually have problems with voles and mice where I live. Plus like was mentioned I have a kitty.

[Son-of-Liberty]

That looks great! Were you able to plant again this year?


Things have changed. I am in a new much superior location. I don't want to spoil things, so I won't say anything yet but yes I am putting in a garden and yes I will take and post pics on a new thread. Around here we don't normally put our full gardens in until May long weekend. Which for us is the one coming up.