Earth Day-Come See My New Garden!

Happy Earth Day!!

That’s my flower box.  I know it should be on the outside, but I prefer it inside with me! ;)  Washing dishes is actually a delight when I am next to these beauties!

Gardening is very important to me.  I wont get into it as we all know the positive reasons for gardening.  However, every few years I move.  It’s just the way I roll.  I just moved into this home (well, in October anyway).  So, this garden had to be started from scratch.  It’s also a rental so I didn’t want to put more money into a garden I couldn’t take with me (been there, done that!). 

My plan this year is my own garden boxes (following square foot gardening) and lots of LARGE pots.

I live in Arizona, so first I had to shovel rock (where else does everyone have rocks for yards?)  out of the way for my garden boxes.  That is hard work! 

Do you see the black line running along my house?  That is the only way I can make a garden grow.  It is my water line.  I’m adding drip lines on an automatic watering system.  We have to water every day here…it’s PHX!

I went with Cedar Wood Fencing.  It was dirt cheap, and the only way I could afford the Cedar Wood that I wanted.  The fencing is 6 feet long and 4 inches wide.

I cut my fencing in half, so that I could make 3ftX3ft garden boxes.  I also cut a 2X2 into 12 inch pieces.
 
I stapled and screwed 3 fence boards to my 2X2 pieces of wood.
 
These are my sides all stapled and screwed and ready to be made into a box!  I love using power tools and building things with wood.  Like, I have a problem because I enjoy it sooo much! ;)
 
I just placed my boxes into place (where I dug out the rocks).  Leveling your garden box frames takes a little finessing.  I have a wonderful side yard for a garden.  It is actual empty space, plus it will get afternoon shade, which is imperative here!
 
I laid down cardboard boxes in the bottom (hopefully for a weed barrier) and then added my soil.  I used The Square Foot Gardeners own secret blend of soil.  I found it premixed at Home Depot.  My daughter and I hauled all 14 bags ourselves, thank you very much!
 
I started most of my plants from seed, back in January.  I think I left some of them too long before planting them in the ground though and they are not as far along as they should be.  I added store bought flowers (pest control).
 
I also bought 3 LARGE pots to plant our first citrus trees.  My Mom and Dad have tons of citrus trees and are sweet enough to share.  However, my kids and I have been dying to grow some of our own.  I’ll show you pictures of the fruit…in 3 years when we get some! ;)  We got an orange, lemon, and lime tree.  Each of my kids “owns” one and is in charge of keeping it alive  taking care of it.
 
You already saw my new strawberry barrel with my post on my butterfly mobile.  We’re already eating fruit out of it and I’m so excited about it.  We’ve had the worst luck with strawberries, in the past!
 
Here is a shot with 2 of my garden boxes, my large pot with my blueberry plant in it (another trial I’ve been dying to do), my strawberry barrel, and my two large wine barrels that I’ve always wanted!   One wine barrel is for herbs and the other one is salad greens. 
Here’s a list of all the plants we’re growing this year:
zuchini, yellow squash, tomatoes (lots of varieties), cucumbers, cantaloupe, varied lettuces, spinach, broccoli, sunflowers, marigolds, strawberries, carrots, green onions, white onions, basil, lavender, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, peas, beans, watermellon, green peppers, hot peppers, and a few other I can’t think of right now.  I planted the most of tomatoes and zuchini.  I shred and freeze my zuchini to use all year round.  This year I hope to can my tomatoes (in jars, not actual cans as I’m trying not to have my food in cans anymore).
My little sister Erika got her garden in earlier than I did and hers is just flourishing!  She added some fun ones that I would like to try next year: celery, asparagus, cauliflower, and radishes.  Don't those sound fun!?

So, what are you growing this year?

Rebecca