Do You Have A Garden, Why Or Why Not?

[kian]

ZChickenQueen, your garden looks great!

I have 6 4x4 raised beds ( hope to expand to 8 beds by Spring):

1) roma tomatoes
2) bell peppers
3) watermelon ( and the major source for grubs)
4) eggplant and peas
5) green beans
6) zucchini and peas

2 apple trees
2 pear trees
2 nectarine trees
1 peach tree
1 half dog eaten grapevine

 

[Farmer X]

Some of my beds in April (I can't seem to find anything more recent).

 

[Baymule]

Farmer X those beds look great!!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Yup, I have a garden. Always have and always will. I guess it's in my blood. I find myself sometimes just squatting down in the garden and sifting the soil in my hand, smelling it, feeling the texture. Our garden feeds us and nothing can taste as good as something you put on the table that was in the garden an hour before. It adds a new meaning to "fresh".
Our main garden is 100' wide and 100' along the southern border and 126' along the northern border. We also have another garden about 70' by 100' in the bottom land below the main garden plus assorted raised beds and containers. We also have several nut and fruit trees, grape vines, berries... lots of other stuff.
Which reminds me... I need to pick my first mess of fresh greens tomorrow and pick up pecans.

 

[Lolachick07]

I have a garden, and areas outlining my chicken coop for planting in the spring. I love gardening because of the reward of fresh homegrown food, and it makes me feel more "down to earth" and connected with nature. It's also always nice to have homemade soup with fresh basil in it, or stirfry with fresh veggies.

 

[cmcanallen]

I have a garden, 45ft x34 ft. I've got plans to turn the rest of our 1/3 acre into more gardening area along with a small orchard and my first chicken flock this year. I've always had some sort of garden even if it was just a potted garden on an apartment patio. I like digging in the dirt and watching everything grow. This last year my garden took on new meaning when I was unemployed and we could barely afford groceries. The garden ment that I could provide my little family with fresh produce and save a lot of money. Expanding our self reliance is a huge burden lifted off our shoulders during these hard economic times.

Then there's also the fact that my husband swears that I'm a different person if I get to work in my garden. There have been days that he tells me I'm being a you know what and to go dig in the dirt. I'm normally much happier once I've spent some time with my plants.

 

[UniPaints]

You may already have a solution. I used PVC pipe the length and width of my beds. Make a frame with connectors, being sure to use the T so that you can attach to poles. Then I create stands out of pvc pipe about 4' tall (you can go taller). I secure with PVC connectors to the frame, Connectors can be T or Elbows, I improvise with what left from installing sprinklers. Insert the standing poles into the corners of your beds. Then attach the top frame. Then, wrap and secure bird netting on two long sides and top. On the two short sides, I wrapped the netting on a smaller 4' wide so that it hands heavy and is easy lifted. This way I can easily lift an weed. It takes some reaching. As long as you have easy friable compost and garden soil in the beds, the frame is light enough to lift and move if you need to harvest or do heavy upkeep. It also keeps out rats, racoons, my dog and perching birds. I have a much better yield with direct sowing. You could use Hoop PVC,however I find the method with lift-able sides easier to maintain. Plus when it gets below freezing the PVC frame holds the weight of a plastic tarp. I also wrap bird netting around new planters and usually, the chickens avoid them once they get used leaving them alone, once they are accustomed to not being able to eat them.

 

[mothergoose]

We are big gardeners. We are a family of 7 and I only work 9 months out of the year with summers off, so we eat alot off our garden and I have plenty of time to tend it. We plant about 1 and 1/2 acres. I start all my plants from seeds. I have 3 small greenhouses and grow all our plants and start all the plants for my side and my husbands side of the family. We grow usually 20 + varieties of tomatoes and 20 + varieties of peppers. Mostly heirloom varieties. There is'nt much we don't plant. We grow lots of summer & winter squash, several types of pumpkins, and lots of melons and watermelons, so we need lots of garden space. I have a large herb garden too. I think the thing I like to grow the best are sweet peppers, I have so many varieties and some are absolutly fantastic. We have huge yeilds and all colors of the rainbow just about. I do have some awesome tomatoes too!
Christie

 

[coopscritters]

I garden because I can't help it. There is something about digging around in the dirt and making things grow is a huge reward. Gardening is like raising chickens, it becomes addictive and you just keep expanding. I love growing my own food because I know whats in it and it always tastes better.
We have a short growing season so I have to limit myself. I still try okra every year although i have never had more than 2 pods

 

[watchingtherain]

I garden for several reasons.
1. I like to know what my food has been exposed to.
2. Produce from my garden tastes better
3. We are a family of 7 (5 boys ages 10-17). It's cheaper on the wallet, especially when they go thru growth spurts.
4. We try to be self reliant.
5. I love planting/ growing things.