Adventures in gardening: planted, watered and sunbathed

Phase one: Complete

The raised bed before planting.

     Phase one, as I’m calling it, was getting the raised bed, the dirt, the plants and the planting process. I’ve spent the last few days looking into tips and tricks along with looking at what type of herbs and vegetables grow best in raised beds. The following is a step-by-step process of beginning with choosing the bed and ending with the plants soaking up Miracle Grow and the sun.

Step 1: The raised bed.

     My dad is very passionate about the backyard. I knew going into this that I couldn’t get a box garden that I would need to tear up part of the yard for, even if it were in the corner where he rarely goes, and the best option was a raised bed that could sit on our deck. We found one on Amazon.com and it arrived a few days later. Assembly wasn’t difficult though my dad, being the thinker he is, reinforced the boards that hold up the bottom of the bed. The bed also came with a plastic liner, which I’m sure will make cleanup in the fall so much easier, and I slit holes in the bottom to allow drainage in order to avoid root rot.

Two types of tomatoes, two types of basil, sage, garlic,
bunching onions and chives.

Step 2: What plants to invest in.

     I knew I wanted a tomato plant, preferably a roma or cherry, and I wanted basil. We already have both in my mother’s garden but as stated before sometimes you get a bad plant and things just fail no matter how much TLC you give it. I did my research and knew carrots would be stunted, cabbage gets too big, cucumbers expand and would have hang off the sides and green beans grow too tall. I made a list of the types of tomato plants I was after, stashed basil in my mind and decided I wanted green onions because I cook with them often.

Step 3: Tips.

While still in the containers, I began with
plotting out where to put each plant.

     I had heard of people using eggshells in their garden and wanted to know if it was worth it and what the possible benefits were. As it turns out, I’ll be saving eggshells to help with calcium and possibly as a slug deterrent. Also, I found out it would be best for larger plants to be planted on the north side of the bed so that they don’t over-shadow the smaller plants.

Step 4: Buy the plants.

Plants in the soil and labeled.

     I went to a local nursery with only three solid plants in mind and the rest I would wing. I grabbed a celebrity tomato plant, then some cinnamon basil and went on a search for roma tomatoes and green onions. I found the onions though they were labeled as bunching onions, found roma tomatoes and then I found what would take up the rest of the space. I grabbed garlic, sage, blue basil and chives. We cook with all of them frequently except the sage and that’s there for me to burn later (yeah, I’m one of those people).

Step 5: Planting.

     Gross will be the first word I would use to describe the planting process and it’s not because of the dirt. I hate the sun with a fiery burning passion. Where I set up my raised bed I was directly in the late morning sun. The upside was I chose to do this before we reached peak sun or else I would have some cherry-red tint to my Irish pale skin.

     The planting itself went well. I set the plants still in their little containers on the top of the soil before planting just so I would have a rough idea of how everything was going to fit. Once I had finished plotting everything out I started at the north end with the tomatoes and worked my way south. I kept a spare bag of soil next to me so I could add more as needed.

Step 6: Watering.

     A few days ago I bought a small container of liquid Miracle Grow. We’ve used it in the past mostly because a family friend who works in a greenhouse asked us if we fed and watered our plants. We had asked what the difference was and she advised we buy some Miracle Grow and mix it with water once a week to feed the plants. That year our plants thrived like never before. I poured the instructed amount into a watering can and filled it with water then poured it all over my new garden.

Step 7: Run out of the sun while the plants bath in it.

     As stated before I hate the sun and as soon as the plants were in the soil and watered I all but ran into the safety of my house and let the little guys in the garden bask in the warmth of the summer sun.

     There we have it. Phase one is done and we shall see what is to come with this garden. I’ll be watering and watching it and waiting for those pesky beetles and weeds to try and defeat me.

     Foreshadowing: They won’t win.