intro post!

[rafiwinters]

Hi all, and I'm glad to find this community. Found out about it on the gardening community.

I have a moderate-sized raised garden bed at the back of the property we rent, and a neighbor and I have just started to work on it this morning. Another neighbor told us nobody's used it in more than a decade. So gods only know what-all it will grow and what it won't, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Comments

[melannen]

It's always exciting to see what will grow in a new spot!

[rafiwinters]

What's your garden like?

[melannen]

Overgrown. :D Currently it is full of transplanted wild raspberry bramble, pokeweed, and self-seeded asters.

[rafiwinters]

Do you get any fruit from the raspberry?

[melannen]

Yep! They are small and seedy and only ripe for a couple weeks but very flavorful - I often end up making a couple batches of raspberry leather at the end of the summer out of what we can't eat. (I would probably get more if I made the effort to prune and tame them a little.)

I transplanted them from a wild patch I'd been harvesting on a vacant lot that was about to get developed, so I knew they'd give good fruit if they established, and they sure established!

[rafiwinters]

My dad had a big garden when I was growing up. The owner before us had put in something like two dozen raspberry canes, which fruited bountifully. This was in Baltimore so the growing season was fairly long. One year there were berries on Thanksgiving morning. Only three, but still...

[cmcmck]

Fancy meeting you here! :o)

[rafiwinters]

Yes, that's what I thought when I saw your name here. :)

[ranunculus]

Raised beds are great!
One caution though. If you have problems with gophers you may need to re-do the bed as any wire that was protecting the bottom from gopher invasion would probably have rusted out.
If you just like the "raised" part of "raised bed" then you are all set!

[rafiwinters]

No gophers in Rhode Island, so I'm not worried. :-)

Go you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

It's wonderful to reclaim an abandoned bit of land. It sounds like great fun to explore.

Things you might consider:

* A soil test would be a good investment, so you know what you're working with. If it's terrible you can just dig it out and put in good soil. Garden centers usually have a home version that'll tell you some basic things like the pH.

* You pretty much can't go wrong adding compost, which will help if the soil is compacted, depleted, etc.

* Check the drainage. Most raised beds drain faster than the ground, but some will pool. If it needs work, that's easier to fix earlier than later.

* You and your neighbor might consider sharing a compost pile for whatever weeds and scraps you generate. A worm bin might be another option depend on your local conditions.

* Raised beds let you do some things better than the ground. You can grow some nifty trailing things like mother-of-thyme or prostrate rosemary. There are many trailing flowers and a few trailing vegetables. Some people find that cherry tomatoes will grow trailing just as well as climbing. Squash will trail but gets everywhere.

Re: Go you!: trailing things

[rafiwinters]

We've been thinking of things like creeping thyme partly to cover the ugly cement blocks that form the wall of the raised bed. Smells good, looks pretty. Perhaps at one end of the bed to start. We also have two tall poles at the other end of the bed that we are thinking of trellising with, although they are just these two metal poles with nothing between them. (Yet.)

Re: Go you!: trailing things

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> We've been thinking of things like creeping thyme partly to cover the ugly cement blocks that form the wall of the raised bed. Smells good, looks pretty.<<

Creeping thyme might work. In my garden, the fastest-growing trailing thyme is mother-of-thyme. Similar fragrance, but fluffier in growth and very enthusiastic.

Other options regarding concrete:

* It can be painted. An easy way to make it look pretty is to put a stencil over it and use spraypaint or a big brush. Doilies make a nice lace pattern, but outdoors you can also use leaves.

* Containers can cover up some of the base, as long as you leave spaces for stepping stones so you can reach the raised bed.

>> Perhaps at one end of the bed to start. <<

Good idea.

>> We also have two tall poles at the other end of the bed that we are thinking of trellising with, although they are just these two metal poles with nothing between them. (Yet.) <<

You can buy bean netting that will support climbers such as beans or morning glories. Alternatively, trellis material comes in panels. You could measure those poles and buy a panel that fits. Netting is cheaper, but a real trellis is sturdier and looks better. Do what works for you.

Re: Go you!: trailing things

[rafiwinters]

We had a planning session this morning! More details in a post either in my own feed or in the Gardening comm. Trying not to go totally overboard... ;)

Re: Go you!: trailing things

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> We had a planning session this morning! <<

Woohoo!

>> More details in a post either in my own feed or in the Gardening comm.<<

I would love to hear more about it.

>> Trying not to go totally overboard... ;)

* Brainstorming is time to go wild with ideas, without considering practicalities.

* Then you look at the list of ideas and sort out the most promising ones to try.

* In gardening, it's usually best to start small. One raised bed is some people's idea of "small," while others might subdivide it and think "Try one each of several plant categories to see what grows well here."

* Remember that some things perform all season, while others sequence. Lettuce and pansies are spring favorites; many herbs and flowers like petunias can go for months. So think about whether you want to keep tinkering, or set it and only have low maintenance.