Yep. Time to get the gardens going in my woods. I am doing a massive remodel of the main vegetable garden near the house this year. I grow in containers because there is only clay and rocks where I live.

I have always gardened, grew up doing it and could not think of life proper without growing my own. So this isn't in essence prepping but normal life for me. I have a second garden area as well but cannot get into it this spring due to so much rain this season.

So for this year I added the IBC tote liners and built the wooden supports. Two of those bins will grow potatoes and my two types of strawberries have been moved into the other two. One bin is June bearing, the other, everbearing.

I just finished putting together the large wood frame beds but rain ran me out of there late this afternoon. I plan to add an additional 8" 2-by to make them 18 inches deep. As they are now they are 10". Was waiting for covid crisis to wane before going for more lumber. I'll grow beans, carrots, beets, herbs and more in them once I get the planting medium mixed and placed.

I have room to add four more of these structures (they are 4X8') and will as time and money to buy the materials goes on.

The smaller round tubs have been long time grow bins as well. This year I will plant tomatoes, horseradish, Helianthus tubers and maybe several with some sweet corn.





June bearing strawberries:



The entire area has been covered with 9mil tarps. I don't like to weed and can't afford concrete so this is the next best thing to do.

The old wood frame at the front of the photo is too rotted to use anymore. The soil will get moved to one of the newer frames and the round tubs will be redistributed once that has been done. Hopefully I can get that done tomorrow.

My wife has already plated tomatoes, peppers, squash, corn and beans in our raised beds.

Awesome! Florida is ahead of me weatherwise. I did get some sweet corn from there at the store. Will enjoy some of it tonight!

Great stuff!
We had 1 raised bed and I made 11 more in the last couple weeks to get on the path of food independence.

In limited areas, one can grow potatoes using the spare tire method. Plant your seed potatoes in an old tire filled with soil. When they grow, add another tire + soil + do this several times. The upper greenery when buried will revert to rootstalk + one can grow a lot of potatoes in a very small area. Thats about the only way I can grow potatoes here as the soil is so alkaline + rocky. Good for tomatoes + peaches. Our peach trees are loaded; I'm looking forward to a preserves canning weekend

I have found that the tires get too hot in the sun so paint them white if you plan to do this.

I too look forward to canning season. Great job on hot summer days- staying in the A/C.

quote:

We had 1 raised bed and I made 11 more in the last couple weeks to get on the path of food independence.

I'd love to see some photos!

Been busy gardening and other house chores. Not much to see now but in a couple months....

Here in Colorado, our growing season doesn't start until Mother's day on the average, that is when we get our last frost. Last year we had a freeze of 29* on May 29th, it killed everything in the garden and 14 acres of sugar beets and froze the buds on the fruit trees. It was too late to replant the sugar beets, we had to replant with field corn and chop it for silage.
I used to start vegetables on the sunny front porch about 6 weeks before transplanting, but I found the shock of transplanting I was better off planting the seed directly in the ground. The seeds planted directly in the ground would pass up the transplanted ones. So we have another 4-5 weeks before planting here. In the mean time I'll be adding ashes from the wood stove and steer manure then rototilling to hold down the weeds.

With the extra clover I planted...more and more bees have showed up.

The last frost/freeze of the season for my area happened yesterday. Now I can finally get much of the crops planted here.

Some great pics Ann! Anybody have hot houses or green houses to grow food? And what do you grow?

I don't have a greenhouse but I do grow several citrus trees even though I live in Zone 6b. My mudroom has enough window to keep them placated until they can go back outside.

I have Key lime, pink lemon, Meyer lemon and a Ponderosa lemon that makes grapefruit sized fruits.

Same with my fig trees. Haul them in for the winter.

All have been moved back outdoors for the last couple of weeks. Citrus are blooming and the back porch smells amazing.

quote:

Citrus are blooming and the back porch smells amazing.

Yes, all of our citrus(blood oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, limes, kumquats,) have been blooming here in Las Vegas and wow, that's a sweet and lovely smell!!

WE are making a few raised beds from an 18ft garage door that was replaced.. Just a few cuts and L brackets and screws.
coues
ds