Spring Raised Gardens

This spring we have had a large project of building a garden.   This has been quite fulfilling and we are both proud of what we have to date.

There has been an area reserved for wood chips in our yard for several years.  The owners prior had kids play equipment there.   In 2012 Karen put in a dog kennel and dog house.   It was functional, but not used too much.   It was also a slight eye sore.

So we got the idea this spring to put in raised garden beds.   After all this was the sunniest spot in the entire yard. Karen has a knack for finding anything or anyone on Craig’s List, a service I tend to not use. She took a couple photos of the dog kennel and put it online for $160 and immediately got interest.   I was surprised because I thought $100 tops for it.   So we got a lady to come over and pick up the kennel for the full price in cash.   I helped her disassemble it and somehow cram it in a minivan. :)

Then, also on Craig’s List, Karen found someone who would deliver high quality 2X10 rough cut cedar beds.   Really?   I thought Craig’s List was used for getting rid of things, not for new business.   Anyway these were better than what I had found on my local online searches.   Next I found soil by going to the neighborhood nursery an ordered 4 ½ yards.   So while Karen was in Europe I had the soil delivered and boxes arrived and I set and filled the boxes.

I only planted peas and a few sunflowers while she was in Europe.   The week after she got home we went to work planting all kinds of veggies and leaving one of the six beds dedicated to dahlias.

Before

Dog kennel and old doghouse

After

Freshly planted beds