Hello from North Central Idaho

Well, not really new, but I haven't used my account for quite a while, so I had to come back as a new member.  I joined the group after the first book came out and I found out they had a site!  

I went from two 4'x4' boxes (6" tall) to four 4'x8' boxes (18" tall).  I found out that the older you get the harder it is to practically stand on your head to plant and harvest your garden.  My boxes consist of white sweet corn, pickling cucumbers, Romaine lettuce, radishes, tomatoes (from cherry to early girls), carrots, onions, celery, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, bush green beans, Gold Yukons and red potatoes, sunflowers, cantaloupes and watermelons.  Big changes this year will include transferring the strawberries and potatoes (new this year, Beauregards) to grow bags and adding a Bing Cherry tree, a Black Cherry tree, and a peach tree (all mini-dwarfs) in 50 gallon grow bags.  Also adding 2 Ark blackberry canes (in a horse trough) and some Thimble Berry plants.  Even though we have wild blackberries just out back, the thorns have become a great deterrent to my skin as I get older.  We used to go out and hunt for Thimble Berries but they are getting harder to find.  What I don't grow, I trade for with other home gardeners.   I purchased all the trees and berries from a local university, so I know they'll do fine here.  I've been planning all Winter and, hopefully, this will be a banner year.   Honestly, if I didn't have my garden, I would be lost. 

Happy growing season to you all!

Referring to container fruit trees, March 2021, I added 2 Pink Lemonade blueberry bushes, 1 nectarine, 2 pears, a lemon and a lime tree, with an empty container for a cherry tree this coming spring.

Welcome, WhiteWolf22!  I did the original SFG as well in a 4x4 made with railroad ties! That was really healthy and organic….yep.  I was in grad school and poor at the time, but I did get tons of food out of that thing!  

I hear ya on the ground level thing.  I have a little green “tractor” that rolls and I can sit on it.  I like it a lot.  But I can see table tops in my future!  

Love your plan.  I am going to try a few squares of corn this year for the first time since my original run.  Not sure what variety to grow—I grew Country Gentleman last time and it did very well.  

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for the welcome      

Sanderson: NICE garden!  I have been having problem with ground level weeds and grasses. I have two layers (so far) of weed barrier, but once it gets a tear or puncture, it's almost worthless.  It started last year.  I was thinking of putting either concrete or that outdoor grass carpeting (with the rubber on the back) between and around my boxes.  Pretty sure the concrete would work better, but it will add unwanted summer heat in the garden area, as a whole.  I would love to be able to afford those new rubber mats made from old tires, but it is definitely not cost effective.  I've even considered close weave carpeting - we can sometimes get carpet rolls from our transfer station...local dump has a store for newer items like doors, windows, furniture, appliances, and even carpeting.  Most of the items are from unsold items from yard sales and at a fraction of the cost.  I bought 2 Persian rugs (10'x15') for $10.00 each!  Both were in excellent condition - csn't understand why anyone would get rid of such beautiful items!  Anyway...BEAUTIFUL Garden!

Scorpio: Ditto on the table tops!  Corn and tomatoes would be a little difficult to pick, but those could still be planted in the 18" tall boxes.  The corn I prefer has always been Silver Queen.  True, you can't use the kernals for next year's crop, but it has always been my favorite.  I understand they have a Silver King, but to me, the ear is a bit too long for freezing.  On the Silver Queen, I always get 2 ears per stalk.  I plant them in the standard 1'x1' square (one per square) but I plant 24 in a 4'x8' box (48 ears for canning and freezing).  Also, in each corner of the box, I plant a Mammoth Sunflower for the bees that they attract for the rest of the garden.  I also have way fairing butterflies, beautiful praying Mantises, lady bugs, dragonflies, and a whole bunch of Night Crawlers for keeping the soil aerated.  Hubby goes out and digs some up every time he goes fishing.  I should probably add more this year!

Nice!  I have a bunch of pollinators here, mostly because of my perennial beds and the fact that I am not the most persistent weeder!  Lol;)

WhiteWolf22 wrote:Thank you for the welcome      

Sanderson: NICE garden!  I have been having problem with ground level weeds and grasses. I have two layers (so far) of weed barrier, but once it gets a tear or puncture, it's almost worthless.  It started last year.  I was thinking of putting either concrete or that outdoor grass carpeting (with the rubber on the back) between and around my boxes.  Pretty sure the concrete would work better, but it will add unwanted summer heat in the garden area, as a whole. 

I have found that putting durable weed fabric with a thick layer of plain wood chips on top is a decent weed control. Even it there is a tear, the lack of sunshine at the fabric level helps prevent the weeds from sprouting. Another SFG gardening, who is also a Master Gardener, skips the weed fabric and just uses wood chips directly on the ground. I would not put outdoor grass carpeting, or even indoor carpeting, because as you stated, it adds heat to the garden. Likewise, concrete. Grass is cool, concrete or plastic grass is hot, plain wood chips is neutral. One new gardener set up their new garden on a concrete slab and covered with wood chips to keep the temps neutral. I wish I had saved the photo of that garden.

WhiteWolf22 wrote:Well, not really new, but I haven't used my account for quite a while, so I had to come back as a new member.  I joined the group after the first book came out and I found out they had a site!  

Howdy and nice looking garden and setup you have.. This is my first year for SFG and just completed my second SFG. Will expand to a couple more and get away from my traditional row garden after this main spring/summer growing season

Thimble Berries..That is a new one for me...don't think we have those in Louisiana..

Scottie

TRYING TO COME BACK. Not easy. Stroke and cancer.

Scorpio Rising wrote:Nice!  I have a bunch of pollinators here, mostly because of my perennial beds and the fact that I am not the most persistent weeder!  Lol;)

Same here. Also, no winter again this year.