Our garden is doing well. I have neglected the blog for a bit, so this post is to catch up and show where we are. I will do a flashback later to show how we built and installed the beds, chose soil, and what we are doing for water. We have five garden beds, one per family. Initially ten families were interested, but the cost, logistical issues and personal commitments decreased the number. We are still working on adding the bench trim, but all beds have been planted, and things are growing well. So far only Rich's bed is complete with trim, and the trim really makes a difference in how well it looks. His tomatoes and peppers look great, too. Rich's 4th of July tomatoes Rich's peppers Our tomatoes are already extending over the cage. Our cherry tomatoes. Our Lipstick peppers. Our arugula is delicious. We have been harvesting it for several weeks now for salads, and it is wonderful. Our kale is growing. It was really weak wh
Below is an updated design that we will be using for our community garden after much discussion. It was inspired by the photo below from Magnolia Market's Instagram . Kudos to Chip and Joanna Gaines for giving us the idea. These beds are more expensive to build than the ones we originally considered, but we love the look. We have decided to go with 3.5' by 10' beds because these proportions work best for our space. The beds will be built out of 2x8 lumber with posts and railings made out of 2x4s. Materials list: 2 in. x 8 in. x 16 ft. untreated lumber for sides - 4 boards 2 in. x 4 in. x 8 ft. studs for posts and railings - 7 boards #9 2-1/2 in. wood screws 1/2 in. 19-Gauge Steel Hardware Cloth staples for securing the steel mesh linseed oil for weatherproofing the wood Parts for walls and supports: Cut 2x8s to make 4 10-foot pieces and 4 42-inch pieces. Cut 3 2x4s to make 12 2-foot pieces Assemble the bed: 1. Assemble two frames. If the boards