2015 April 14: Our raised-bed gardens are a mixture of square foot gardens and wicking beds.
I prefer the wicking beds because the spring rains fill them with free water for me ...I only have to water a few times when I first plant seedlings, and then a couple of times late in the summer when the plants are large and very thirsty.
We are extending our raised beds by one or two each year until we fill our garden space (a 60'x80' space that the former owner farmed in the old-fashioned way with rows, a plow, and a lot of weeding!). So far we have built using Southern White Pine for the frame, but this year I intend to try building one or two out of 8"x12"x18" concrete blocks. I have seen photos of this done with plantings of small herbs and flowers in the openings of the cinder blocks; I like the way this looks.
So far this year my gardens are filled with strawberries (a mixture of June and ever-bearing), several varieties of tomatoes, various types of sweet peppers, and onions and potatoes. I am looking forward to seeing them flourish!
Love the garden!! We did the raised beds with the concrete blocks and I filled the openings with carrots and marigolds. Marigolds keep bugs away as they don't like their smell! We planted just about everything you can think of in ours, even did some lettuce one year!! We stopped planting the big gardens a few years ago and only plant a few things each year now. Have to have tomatoes!!! Hope you take photos of your veggies as they grow!! Much luck with your crops!!! FAV!
