Hello from Central Missouri, Zone 6a

Howdy! We're brand new to SFG. We just installed 2 raised beds this spring, with one more almost ready for filling. We hope to add more soon! We used scrap lumber, so wound up with approx 3x5, 3x6, and soon 3x7. 

We made the beds deeper than usual and added sifted woodchips a la the Back to Eden method on the top to help keep the weeds at bay and moisture in the MM from evaporating quite as quickly. We are in a drought here. 

We planted asparagus, strawberries, and comfrey in the middle bed. We have some additional plants going into the smallest bed today and lots of potato starts going into 5 gallon bags. We made the bags out of scrap GOTS organic cotton canvas from a local business. 

Some of our starts got away from us and are already in need of full bags! It was cool to see that they were already forming little baby potatoes, about the size of a small marble so far.

The biggest trouble we're having is keeping the cats out of the garden. We have to keep the beds covered with scrap fencing to keep them out. We plan to get a fence installed around the garden, but have been focusing on just getting the beds setup and planted first since we're getting it done so late in the season.

We're really looking forward to growing some of our own food, and hope to expand the garden in the years to come.

Welcome to the forums from Ohio, it is great to see you here. Sounds like you are off to a great start. Cats can be a real problem when they think the MM makes a great litter box. We have found that applying a light coating of the free Starbucks coffee grounds on the beds tends to deter the cats.

Awesome! How do you get free coffee grounds? Just ask them for their spent grounds?

TheSpurgeons0708 wrote:Awesome! How do you get free coffee grounds? Just ask them for their spent grounds?

Yes, most cafes have a bucket by the door where they put the grounds, and if not you can just ask at the counter if they have any used grounds that you can get.  Or, you can call them in the morning and ask them to save them for you to pick up later in the day.

Welcome to the forum!  So glad you are here, as OG said the best way to deter cats is fresh coffee grounds.  I live in a small town, but we do have a coffee house and they are really happy to have people take their grounds.

I hope you will post on our N&C Midwest regional thread.  We basically all experience similar issues.  

The SEARCH bar in the upper right had corner is where I got started.  In addition, I went to my local library and got a copy of Mel’s latest book.  It really is groundbreaking stuff.  

Glad you are here!