...A Farmer...
I have always wanted to have a backyard garden, and I decided now that I have my own home, it's a good time to start. Both of my Grandparental...sets...I guess you could say, are/were avid gardeners. Nana's backyard rivaled the splendor of any professional botanical garden, and if it was above 65 degrees and sunny, she was working in said yard. Grandaddy is a legitimately certified "master gardener" (yes, that really exists) and recreationally cultivates centuries-old family land that used to be a working farm. I enlisted the help of the Master himself (No, not Jesus...although.........He is technically involved) a few weeks ago and now have the beginnings of a garden in my own yard!
If you are interested in creating your own garden, here are the steps. If you are not handy or green, do not be intimidated. Gardens do take work, but if you've managed to keep yourself, a dog, or a baby alive for any sustained period of time, you can keep a garden alive.
The easiest way to create a space for your garden is to build a raised bed. To do this you will need:
- Lumber (2x4s will work, but you may use larger pieces if desired)
- Screws
- Topsoil
- Black Kow
- Landscaper's Cloth
1.) Select a space in your yard that is relatively flat, receives full sun, and is not under the shade of a tree(s).
2.) Decide how large you would like your bed to be. My first bed is 10' long by 4' deep. Your bed may be shorter or shallower, depending on what you would like to grow. Four feet is a good depth for growing tomatoes and/or potatoes.
3.) Lay down Landscaper's Cloth where you would like your garden to be. Make sure that you cut your cloth 1-2" longer and wider than you would like your bed to be. This will keep grass and weeds from growing in your bed.
4.) Assemble your lumber into a rectangle that is the desired size of your garden atop the Landscaper's Cloth. (Life Goal #151: Use "atop" in a legitimate written sentence = CHECK.)
5.) Once you have built your "bed," you may now begin filling it with good quality topsoil. It took roughly 40 bags of topsoil to fill my 10x4 bed.
6.) Use 1 bag of Black Kow for every 10 bags of topsoil in your garden. Mix the Black Kow thoroughly with the Topsoil.
7.) Water the bed. Now you're ready to plant!!!
After April 15th (last frost date), you can plant almost any veggie. Prior to April 15th, you can plant "cold weather" produce like Lettuces, Onions, and Potatoes. Always check the specific planting instructions for whatever you are planting, though!
Here are some photos from our Garden Construction endeavor:
If you are interested in creating your own garden, here are the steps. If you are not handy or green, do not be intimidated. Gardens do take work, but if you've managed to keep yourself, a dog, or a baby alive for any sustained period of time, you can keep a garden alive.
The easiest way to create a space for your garden is to build a raised bed. To do this you will need:
- Lumber (2x4s will work, but you may use larger pieces if desired)
- Screws
- Topsoil
- Black Kow
- Landscaper's Cloth
1.) Select a space in your yard that is relatively flat, receives full sun, and is not under the shade of a tree(s).
2.) Decide how large you would like your bed to be. My first bed is 10' long by 4' deep. Your bed may be shorter or shallower, depending on what you would like to grow. Four feet is a good depth for growing tomatoes and/or potatoes.
3.) Lay down Landscaper's Cloth where you would like your garden to be. Make sure that you cut your cloth 1-2" longer and wider than you would like your bed to be. This will keep grass and weeds from growing in your bed.
4.) Assemble your lumber into a rectangle that is the desired size of your garden atop the Landscaper's Cloth. (Life Goal #151: Use "atop" in a legitimate written sentence = CHECK.)
5.) Once you have built your "bed," you may now begin filling it with good quality topsoil. It took roughly 40 bags of topsoil to fill my 10x4 bed.
6.) Use 1 bag of Black Kow for every 10 bags of topsoil in your garden. Mix the Black Kow thoroughly with the Topsoil.
7.) Water the bed. Now you're ready to plant!!!
After April 15th (last frost date), you can plant almost any veggie. Prior to April 15th, you can plant "cold weather" produce like Lettuces, Onions, and Potatoes. Always check the specific planting instructions for whatever you are planting, though!
Here are some photos from our Garden Construction endeavor:
Patrick attacking an offending stump.
Grandma pulling weeds.
Grandaddy prepping the lumber.
Raised Bed!!!
The Mixed Greens sprouted after about a week!
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