My mother has the greenest thumb, ever. I grew up with trees in our house. Like, actual trees, in huge pots that typically only grow in the subtropics, where my mom grew up. And yet she kept them thriving in New Jersey for over thirty years. We had beautiful gardens in the spring and summer including a super productive square foot garden. I’ve thought that I inherited that gardening gift, but the verdict is still out on that one.
None the less, I wanted to do something with my gardens this year. I had been mulling over where and how to build a square foot garden in our yard for a while. I wanted a raised four by four bed and was planning on modifying Rogue Engineer’s plans (once again). And on the first Sunday in June, I decided to make it happen. Drinking my morning coffee, I sketched out the bed I wanted and how to make it work.
I ran into some minor bumps due to the fact that I could not find any 4x6s that were sold untreated. Although I am sure pressure treated wood won’t kill you if you grow herbs and veggies out of it, I wanted it untreated. All the lumber places close to my house were closed on Sunday. Major bummer. Not wasting too much time, I figured that stacking three 4x4s would accomplish the same thing. I still can’t even believe that I sketched and bought the wood the same day I was planning on building this thing.
I had cut down and dug out a tree that had died. Then I cut up the grass and used the sod for an area of the yard that needed it. I screwed two of the 4x4s together, countersinking the screws, and only screwing through one of the 4x4s so that the other one could be the top piece. Then I screwed on the third board on. I actually attached two of the corner posts to the first side piece before I kept assembling. These things were heavy!! I had to ask my husband for help on and off throughout the day. (He loves it when I spontaneously start a project I need his assistance on.) As we assembled the garden frame, I dug the ground out a little more, where needed, and to make sure things were level. The frame came together!
I had been reading about what to add to the soil. I chose to do a little bit of everything I read about. Haha! I put down some weed blocking cloth. Then compost, cardboard, and soil. Voila! One and done! All in a day’s work!
Although, it did take me another week or so to buy and plant my veggies!
Time Line:
6/7/15: Planned, bought supplies, and assembled.