greetings from near the muddy mo

We live in east central Missouri (NOT St. Louis), just over a steep steep hill from the Missouri River.

This is our second year in our little WWII-era house. We have a small front yard and a really nice size fenced-in backyard (fenced-in for our two young and one very senior citizen dog).

Last year, I got four big plastic flower boxes from Westlake Hardware and grew some really nice peppers and tomatoes along the side of my house. I mixed up my own soil with vermiculite and organic items.

This year, I got some wonderful old fencing (salvaged from a very old cemetery that was putting up new fencing). The gate and a little fencing went into the front yard (for decoration -- and it looks cool). The rest of the old fencing went into the backyard along with some modern fencing -- fenced in a corner of my backyard attached to my perimeter fence (about 10 feet wide and 25 feet deep). In one corner of my garden spot is a beautiful flowering bush (protecting it from dogs who sees the twigs as toothpicks) where I plan to encircle with marigolds and other natural insect repelling plants; otherwise it is clear of any real shade from trees.

I'm presently building my boxes. I like getting my wood at the little Washington Lumberyard (it is so itsy-bitsy next to a Lowe's but it has what I really need). Hoping to get my paint after school this afternoon (Sherwin-Willams is having a sale -- might get a good deal).

I hope to build three 4 x 4 boxes and one 8' long x 2' wide box for the end of the garden for along my fence.

One square box will be for tomatoes. I was sent a variety of heirloom tomato seeds from Arkansas but they didn't know which seeds would grow what tomato. This could be a bit of an adventure (but my darling will find it a yummy adventure).

Looking forward to a great growing season.

BassoraMo
from near the muddy mo

Welcome! I would love to see photos, your description makes it sound beautiful! Even though I live in Jersey, I have a special place in my heart for Missouri, however that includes St Louis (sounds like you don't want to be associated with it- lol). I don't know what my dogs would do if my garden was in my backyard so I can only imagine what you must do to keep them out (mine would probably just run paths through it).

Happy Gardening!