Plantings (50)
Progress Journal (520)
Wish List (4)
I have two raised garden beds in my backyard. They total 32 square feet of veggie growing space. I also have several containers of various sorts.
I’ve grown tomatoes in containers before, but 2008 was my first in-ground veggie garden. I am cultivating this garden square foot style, which emphasizes planting no more than you need, succession planting and close spacing.
I do not claim this garden is organic, for two reasons: first, I trench compost non-organic, store-bought veggie scraps and I suspect residues from that remain in my soil; second, my neighbor has a garden on the other side of the fence from me that is not organic and I know his treatments drift over into my garden. While my garden is not organic, I do garden organically and intensively. I do not use any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. I work hard to build the soil with compost, mulch and other natural, non-synthetic amendments.
Photos
Plantings
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Radish, French Breakfast
Raphanus sativus
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted in the NE extension bed.
- 0 journals
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Erba Stella
Plantago coronopus
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted a few seeds in my NE extension bed.
- 0 journals
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Pea, Super sugar snap
Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted for shoots in my NE extension bed, tuck...
- 0 journals
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Radish, Watermelon
Raphanus sativus
Sown on 11 Sep 09 planted in my NE and SW extension beds.
- 0 journals
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Kale, wild mix
Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group)
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted in both my NE and SW beds for baby gree...
- 0 journals
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Arugula
Eruca sativa
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted in my NE bed.
- 1 journals
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Cress, broad leaf
Lepidium sativum
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted near my chives.
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Chinese cabbage, Tokyo Bekana
Brassica rapa (Chinensis Group)
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted in my NE extension. I love this cabbag...
- 1 journals
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Mustard, Asian baby leaf mix
Sown on 11 Sep 09 Planted in my NE extension bed.
- 1 journals
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Tatsoi
Brassica narinosa
Sown on 11 Sep 09
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Kale, red ursa
Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group)
Sown on 11 Sep 09
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Lettuce, Four seasons
Lactuca sativa
Sown on 11 Sep 09 I know I'm not supposed to eat lettuce. But th...
- 0 journals
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Onions, Top set
Allium cepa var. profilerum
Sown on 11 Sep 09 I planted these onions from Rurality in my NE b...
- 0 journals
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Spinach, Giant Winter
Spinacia oleracea
Sown on 06 Sep 09 Planted in the back right hand corner of my NE ...
- 0 journals
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Cress, garden
Lepidium sativum
Sown on 06 Sep 09 Does cress grow well in the fall? We'll find out!
- 0 journals
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Kale, Red Russian
Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group)
Sown on 06 Sep 09 Planted near my mature red Russian kale. I'll ...
- 0 journals
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Creasy Greens
Barbarea verna
Sown on 06 Sep 09
- 1 journals
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Senposai
Brassica rapa var. komatsuna
Sown on 06 Sep 09
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Escarole
Sown on 06 Sep 09
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Tatsoi, Even'star genepool
Brassica narinosa
Sown on 06 Sep 09
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Pea, Super sugar snap (shoots)
Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon
Sown on 02 Sep 09 Planted in the sunniest part of my SE bed, for ...
- 1 journals
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Cabbage, Tokyo Bekana
Brassica rapa (Chinensis Group)
Sown on 02 Sep 09 Planted in front of my tomato plant in my NE be...
- 1 journals
- 0 faves
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Beet, mystery greens
Beta vulgaris
Sown on 02 Sep 09
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Arugula
Eruca sativa
Sown on 02 Sep 09 Planted in my NE bed in front of my tomato.
- 1 journals
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Mustard, Thai
Brassica juncea
Sown on 02 Sep 09 Planted next to the basil in my NE bed.
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Corn Salad
Valerianella locusta
Sown on 30 Aug 09 Sprinkled in the front left corner of the South...
- 2 journals
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Mustard, Mild kingdom mix
Brassica juncea
Sown on 29 Aug 09 I hadn't opened this before -- I am really disa...
- 2 journals
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Mizuna
Brassica rapa (Nipposinica Group)
Sown on 29 Aug 09 Planted closely in my NE bed, next to Ruby Stre...
- 3 journals
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Mustard, Ruby Streaks
Brassica juncea
Sown on 29 Aug 09 Planted near the mizuna in my NE bed.
- 2 journals
- 0 faves
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Bok choy, Ching-chiang
Brassica rapa (Chinensis Group)
Sown on 29 Aug 09 This is one of my favorite greens! I planted 1...
- 0 journals
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Mustard, Osaka purple (self-sown)
Brassica juncea
Established on 26 Aug 09 Self-sown Osaka purple mustard plants.
- 4 journals
- 0 faves
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Bok Choy, purple stalk
Brassica rapa (Chinensis Group)
Sown on 19 Aug 09 Planted in my SW extension "compost" bed.
- 1 journals
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Sorrel, French
Rumex scutatus
Sown on 14 Aug 09 I bought this plant at the Rockville farmer's m...
- 0 journals
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Sage, golden
Salvia officinalis
Purchased on 04 Jul 09 My purple sage came back from last year, but it...
- 1 journals
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Beet/chard mix
Beta vulgaris var. cicla
Sown on 04 Jul 09 Planted between my chives and my evergreen onio...
- 0 journals
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Arugula (summer)
Eruca sativa
Sown on 19 Jun 09 Planted between the carrots and the sylvetta ar...
- 2 journals
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Tomato, Beef Master
Solanum lycopersicum
Sown on 07 Jun 09 I just planted one beef master tomato plant in ...
- 7 journals
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Mizspoona
Brassica juncea
Sown on 02 May 09 Sown near the Mizuna in my Southwest bed.
- 7 journals
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Leeks, Lancelot
Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum
Sown on 09 Apr 09 I planted about 15 of these in my Southwest bed.
- 3 journals
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Onion, Evergreen Bunching
Allium fistulosum
Sown on 01 Apr 09 Sprinkled several seeds into a 2-liter soda bot...
- 2 journals
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Perpetual spinach, gator
Beta vulgaris var. cicla
Sown on 27 Mar 09 I have high hopes for this as a spinach replace...
- 5 journals
- 0 faves
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Kale, Red Russian
Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group)
Sown on 19 Mar 09 I plan to harvest these as baby leaf greens for...
- 10 journals
- 0 faves
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Erba Stella
Plantago coronopus
Sown on 19 Mar 09 I plan to harvest these as baby leaf greens for...
- 4 journals
- 0 faves
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Swiss chard, oriole
Beta vulgaris var. cicla
Sown on 16 Mar 09 I planted a line of 15 or so of these seeds, ri...
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Cute Chick
Echeveria cante
Sown on 29 Sep 08 Every so often, I discover a plant that I've no...
- 0 journals
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- 2 comments
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Garlic Chives
Allium tuberosum
Sown on 23 Aug 08 An alium that is used like chives, but that tas...
- 11 journals
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Sorrel, red veined
Rumex sanguineus
Planting Out on 14 Aug 08 This plant has dark green leaves with burgundy ...
- 14 journals
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Lemon Thyme
Thymus citriodorus
Transplanted on 24 May 08 I love this plant. It's so cute and compact. ...
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Sage, purple
Salvia leucophylla
Transplanted on 23 May 08 Once again, my fondness for purple plants shows...
- 9 journals
- 0 faves
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Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
One clump of chives. I purchased these plants ...
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Comments
lancefisher wrote:
I’ve heard of square foot gardening, but I’ve never seen it before. I’ll have to keep an eye on your garden. My mom was telling me that if I continue my garden, I may want to do a raised bed in the future so the soil can heat up more.
Posted on 05 Jun 08 (about 1 years ago)
Katxena wrote:
It has some nice advantages. The soil is warmer, it’s easier to work in, and the grid helps you plant more densely. I’m not completely sold on the whole system, but it’s a great system to tweak for yourself.
Posted on 05 Jun 08 (about 1 years ago)
Cecile wrote:
Thanks for your comment on My Cottage Patch. I loved my square foot garden, small space lots of fun. I converted one of the sand boxes in my community playground which is no longer in use into a raised garden. Next year I plan to go back into it; this time my flower garden keeps me busy enough.
Posted on 06 Jun 08 (about 1 years ago)
Katxena wrote:
What a great idea to turn a sand box into a garden — I bet it was the perfect size and shape. I’m continually astonished by how much I can grow in my square foot garden!
Posted on 06 Jun 08 (about 1 years ago)
cmagnus wrote:
Thanks for your comments on my gardens. I’m amazed by the variety you’ve gotten into your garden. I’m interested to see how you do. I was afraid to do too much this year since it’s my first ground garden, but I’ll be keeping tabs on you and copycatting next year!
Posted on 10 Jun 08 (about 1 years ago)
Katxena wrote:
Thanks Cmagnus! It’s my first in the ground garden too! It’s funny that you see it as so much, because I’m feeling like I really held back. I’m not trellising anything, so I have no cukes, no zuchini, no pole beans. :) It’s not really as varied as it looks. I’m growing two varieties of a lot of things. Are you familiar with Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening book? It’s all about maximizing small spaces.
Posted on 10 Jun 08 (about 1 years ago)
ves wrote:
I’m trying the SFG myself this year. Last year my big garden beds were under-fertilized and the weeds got ahead of me. This year I was able to sign up for a year-round space, so I can put in boxes for raised beds and I will put down cardboard and straw or wood chips for the paths. The big obstacle now is the cost of soil mix, which is going to force me to spread out building my beds to one or two every pay day, so by August I should be building the last of them and planting with over-winter crops.and replanting with green manures (which SFG doesn’t cover).
Posted on 04 May 09 (about 7 months ago)
Katxena wrote:
How wonderful that you half year-round space! I wish I could get that at my community garden. As for the cost of the soil mix, I’m a bit of a rebel — while I think Mel’s mix is lovely, I think the only critical ingredient is compost. If the vermiculite or peat is too costly for you, skip it and spend your money on good compost and mix it with the surrounding soil, maybe even digging your paths in a bit to get soil. And although I use it, I’m not the biggest fan of peat, especially if you have clay soil. Mel’s method is a one-size fits all approach, and as with clothing, that doesn’t work for all of us, so go with your gut!
Posted on 04 May 09 (about 7 months ago)
almagemvinsmom wrote:
how great i thinki might have to try this next year all my veggies are spread out all over the yard in pots right now hubby is trying to grow grass but some areas just aren’t working for him so I might have to do a raised farm in one of the spots
Posted on 27 May 09 (about 6 months ago)
Katxena wrote:
Raised beds are great! I really love them.
Posted on 27 May 09 (about 6 months ago)