Hello Steemers,
It has been a busy week in the garden. I have been working hard planting seeds and finalising our most recent project - a raised grow box!
The box is 80cm w x 160cm l x 65cm h, quite big which we wanted it to be. We used secondhand wood and poles to make it and lined it with cut up plastic garden bags to protect the wood. Our last step is to varnish the exterior which will add further protection.
As the box is so deep we knew it would take a hefty amount of soil ($$$$$!) to fill it so we decided to use lumpy objects to bulk out the bottom: large logs, scrap wood, big rocks and even a lump of cement we had leftover from a previous project all went in, then we filled the rest with some potting soil.
I was all too eager to get this box filled with soil - my little watermelon plants were crying for some room to grow! They formed some tiny melons whilst living in their temporary small pots, I am hoping they will thrive now they are in their forever home.
The watermelon plants are dotted on each corner to make room for other seeded rows: rainbow carrots, edible carrot leaf (my first time trying) and spinach. This will be my first time growing these particular plants outside of the politunnel so I am excited to see how they get on. In this box they will have a fighting chance at living and not be chomped on by rabbits and snails!
Over in the politunnel, the plants are happy and making good progress. My tomatoes have started going red. Yay!
The unexpected broccoli continues to thrive...
... and the peppers are flowering away nicely.
My seed trays are expanding daily. The first lot of herbs I planted a few weeks back are poking through (I wish I had labelled them!!) and I have been planting more from the haul of seeds I showed in my previous post.
Since my last garden update I have planted three types of cucumbers, "gourmet" basil, leeks, Hamburg parsley and some more spinach inside the politunnel.
I am really chuffed with my new raised box, so much so we have built and are working on filling another box just like it. I already have plans for what plants will go in it too!
It is great to be able to expand gardening space effectively without breaking the bank, so if you are struggling with planting space or pests I would definitely recommend building something similar.
That's all from me! As always please link me to your latest gardening posts, I'd love to see what all my fellow gardeners are up to. It is the season to get things going so I expect to see great things :)
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Gardeningchef
i hope my broccoli does something this year, last year the moths screwed it up
Best of luck with your broccoli, are you growing yours outside or inside a politunnel/greenhouse? If outside I would suggest bringing under cover to protect it from the moths. I haven't encountered moth damage in my garden yet, just snails and aphids!!
Im gonna put fine netting over mine outside, and put a few in the greenhouse, see which ones do better
Wow!! I can't stop looking at those little plants! It looks like you'll have amazing harvest this year! Home grown vegetables are the best and I can see that you're doing it with your heart so the taste will be EVEN BETTER!! If you such deep box maybe you can try planting potatoes too? As I'm a potato junkie, this would be the first veggie to plant for me :)
Thank you @delishtreats, I am so excited for my harvest!! This is the most I have ever planted at one time, I am a relatively new gardener.
I had been thinking about planting potatoes in the box, great minds!! I too am a potato lover but so far they haven't grown too well in my garden, the box could change everything though! Here in Spain it will soon be summer so it could be a bit hot and dry to start them now, I'm sure could try in a couple of months time once the worst of the heat is over :)
Wow that is an amazing grow box. What a brilliant idea. No bending down like in the poli tunnel. Filling out the bottom with logs and scrap wood was a brilliant idea. Your plants all look fabulous, those toms and pepper flowers look super. Plus of course always such wonderful quality photos from you too, it’s an all round fabulous post. 💛🌈🦋🌴
Thank you @sallybeth23, it sure is a nice change to have my plants at a reachable height! I am looking forward to seeing how the box works out. Thank you for your lovely compliments as usual, I'm glad you enjoyed the post! I hope Costa is treating you well :)
Its really good work. I have a vegetables garden.
Thank you @harmonic, what vegetables do you grow in your garden?
Really good effort seems like u love gardening.
Thanks @daniyal1, I sure do!
Hi GC!
Wow .... your garden is looking AWESOME! You are going to have such fantastic veggies and fruit! Well done for all the hard work - it will be a bumper crop this year!
Upvoted and resteemed :D
Hello @icedrum! Thanks so much - hopefully all this hard work will pay off!! I have a good feeling about it :D I appreciate your upvote & resteem!!
I love the garden boxes, a very ecological way of disposing garden waste and they double up as growers. Great work!
Superb photography as always, those cherry tomatoes are looking juicy!
Glad you like the box @magiccleatus, I am hoping it will serve me well and last!! Yes I agree on the toms, I am looking forward to eating them soon!
wow, it's a great idea, especially for people like me, we have little space for planting ... I'm new and I really liked your post
I'm happy you think so @sughey! You should try making a box if you are able. Where are you from? Welcome to Steemit :)
Yes, I'll try ... I'm from Venezuela ...
I'm limited to a gravel parking lot, but your box has given me some ideas how to successfully pull a small garden off :)
Thanks!
That's great to hear @ecid - I am glad I could help you with your gardening endeavors!! It's tricky when you have little space to work with, in your case with a gravelled parking area a box could work really well, do let me know if you make one. I'd love to see the results!
Nice work I too am on the looking out for some nice plater to give my tomatoes more room of some wood to make my own 💯🐒
Thanks @vibeof100monkeys, I hope you are able to find a way to help your tomatoes!
Thanks I have a plan but that's for another post 💯🐒
Hello, I'm new, I hope you follow me as I did, and then you look at my blog, excellent work, it continues, blessings.
Hi Luisa -you have not followed @Gardeningchef as you say you have .......you must be truthful If you wish to gain respect and followers.... or maybe you just overlooked hitting the follow button? That must be it. You can go back and hit follow. 😉
tomatoes is one of the most planted plants in the world
That's true @ziapase!
Thanks for your comment :)
It.s amazing box. Briliant idea and the practis
That is kind of you to say @rikiikie, thank you!
No. I am not kinding.. I really
Yes nice job
Thanks @amenkh!
Es una buena forma de poner en practica la siembra desde el hogar, gracias por compartir.
Gracias @alexpoyer!
Wonderful job on the high, raised bed. That sure will make your gardening so much easier.
Glad you like it @sunscape! It is going to be great to not have to crouch down to tend to things :)