Here is an update on my Garden

This all started back in July of last year. Click this link to see where I started. This is where I am now.

I have the following planted: Tomatoes, Bell Peppers (Orange, Red, Green and Chocolate), Banna Peppers, Cucumbers, Strawberries, Watermelons, Pumpkins, Peanuts, Rosemary, Thyme, Cliantro, Onion Chives, Oregano, Swiss Chard, Lima Beans, Snow Peas, Green Beans (two types) Jalopeno Peppers, Basil, Sun Flowers, Brussel Sprouts, Lettuce, Carrots, Onions and Garlic.

I think that is all of the list. Here are a few pictures. If you would like to look at more please click the link in my signature. It has pictures of earlier this year plus if you click on the galleries you can see the ones from last years too.

All pictures below were taken today except the last one and it was taken yesterday after picking.

First two photos are just over view of garden.






Tomato Plants



Strawberry Plants w/ Strawberries



Almost ripe Tomatoes - We ate our first ripe one three nights ago.



Peanuts




I get at least this many strawberries per day. Some times more. I can't keep them around as the grand kids are eating them up almost faster than they can be picked.

Your boxes are fabulous. Oh, to already have tomatoes . I don't think I've heard of anyone growing peanuts. That is something that I will never grow: I would be eating boiled peanuts all the time. I can't tell from your picture if your peanuts are in a typical 6 inch deep box or deeper?

Heidi

All of my boxes are 10" boxes. I did this so that I could plant any crop in any box and would not have to worry about my rotations with shorter boxes.

So that I don't take over some one else's thread I'm gonna answer Boffers question here.

What type of irrigation are you using? Pros and cons?

Around the bottom perimeter of the fence we ran 1/2" pvc pipe. We then added 7 T's so we could add faucets. To each faucet we added a short piece of garden hose that was then connect to a timer. As shown here:



Then we connected 1/2" Poly tubing (the black pipe) to the timer and went to the first box. Two of the timers are set up to run two 2' x 8' boxes each. One timer waters all four of the actual table top boxes at once. Then there is timer that runs two 2'x 8' and four 3' x 3' boxes.

This next picture shows how two boxes are connected together. This one is above ground (its location is at the back of garden). It was the first one we done. The rest are below the rocks so no one trips over it. This took 4 elbows between each box but when done right (this one needs to be fixed) it keeps the tubing out of the way and looks good too.




In all of the 8' boxes we ran the 1/2" tubing down the middle. This helps with marking the square feet as it divides the box in half.



We used conduit clamps to hold the tubing in place. Lots of elbows to get each tube to the right place. Our objective was to make it look nice but to also eleminate as many tripping hazards as possible. When we got to the end of a particular run we used a crimper end fitting made for the poly.



On my 2' x 2' boxes I used 1/4" tubing. It can be seen above connected to the 1/2" tubing. However, with the 2 x 2 boxes I wasn't sure at the time what would be planted in them. So I set them up so that I could control each box with a cut off valve and not affect the other boxes. It is the little black thing in the front of picture.



As for what drippers I used, there are two that I'm using. The first one is great for the two foot widths because I can adjust them and I easily cover 4 squares sometimes 6 if placed just right. The second is great for the three foot beds as it sprays a fine mist 360 degrees and covers the whole box.







The pro's of this system:

1. My plants get the water they need and don't get forgotten by accident or if I'm out of town.
2. I can set the timers to what time, how long and how many days a week. This saves on the water bill. In the cooler months I can cut the time and days back. In the summer, the plants get that much needed drink every morning.
3. It saves lots of time.
4. It gives me lots of time to watch the plants grow and do other things like laundry.
5. If I need to move the boxes all the tubing is movable. All I have to do is unscrew the elbows and the tubing on the box stays put.

The con's:

1. With not having to water by hand and not having to weed there is not much for me to do.
2. Over the winter I didn't take my timers down and the cold weather got them.
3. Draining the system for winter. I didn't do this and had a few broke pvc pipes and two broke timers. Next winter, I will drain it or make sure to leave water on during our cold spells. We only get a few days below freezing if any here in the south.
4. I don't have much to do in the garden.


If I had to do it all over again, I would do it the same way. It works for me and my life style.

Great post, thank you. I know you've put a lot of thought into how to set up your garden just right for you, and it shows!

I love your garden! I am jealous and wish I had that much space and the resources to build that many boxes and set up such a cool watering system. You have inspired me with your 2x8 boxes as well.

Wow, that is amazing! And your boxes are so pretty! I am green with envy!

That's a pretty sweet set-up ! Well done

That is an awesome set up! I wish I had irrigation set up in my little garden, but alas, it was not meant to be.

Very nice set up on the boxes. I'd give an appendage to have that kind of growing space.

Irrigation system looks good too. I have a similar set-up, but I use the dripper heads on individual 1/8" lines vs spray heads coverinbg several squares.

Please let us know how those spray heads work out for you. I didn't use them because of wanting to keep the leaves dry (we are fungus prone down here in Zone 9), and because the spray/mister heads seem to clog more frequently than the pressure regulated drippers (our water here has very high TDS/mineral content).

I like the spray heads better & would like to change back over, if I can find a set-up that works for me.

Very impressive! We are going to try strawberries this year but it is our first year SFG so we will see how it goes.