Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[cavemanrich]

what I really wonder is, where do you all get the earth for the raised beds and how do you fill them?

First,. I'm glad your surgeries went well.
Here is an idea on filling your raised beds with less soil. I recently started doing such after learning about the Hügelkultur method.

 

[R2elk]

Blister beetles eating Lamb's Quarter.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

The problem with hugelkultur is, we live in a very dry area, I don’t know how I could water the hugel?! All the water would just run off

 

[cavemanrich]

The problem with hugelkultur is, we live in a very dry area, I don’t know how I could water the hugel?! All the water would just run off

My understanding with Hugelkultur,,,, it absorbs the water, and retains it for the plants to use at will.
Yes, it also provides good drainage, so it does 2 things simultaneously.

 

[R2elk]

The problem with hugelkultur is, we live in a very dry area, I don’t know how I could water the hugel?! All the water would just run off

Hugelkultur in the end uses less water.

 

[R2elk]

Blister beetles eating Lamb's Quarter.
View attachment 3874849View attachment 3874850

Lamb's Quarter is a weed. This was growing in the potatoes. The blister beetles aren't touching the potatoes.

 

[Molpet]

The problem with hugelkultur is, we live in a very dry area, I don’t know how I could water the hugel?! All the water would just run off

The raised garden ones with rotting wood in the bottom hold water

 

[jvls1942]

you do not have to have huge raised beds.
I use several small 2'x3' tubs . I fill the bottom half with wood chips. then top it off with potting soil mixed with composted cow manure. after the first year, all you need to do is add compost .
I put three tomato plants in each tub.
I set the tubs on 5 gal buckets to raise them up to where I can sit on a lawn chair and do the weeding etc.

 

[R2elk]

King Arthur

 

[MotherofOrpies]

not doing raised beds, for now, but raised pots
My pineapple sage grew so much during my absence at first I thought it was a weed

My dahlias are coming along nicely ( also in pots) if it weren’t for all those snails munching on them ( first time it’s happened since we moved here 29 years ago)

The pears on my tiny pear tree are getting bigger too

My red grapes are looking good too
Fighting an uphill battle with all those stinging nettles which have exploded during my time away, ordered long leather gloves to protect my arms, hope they arrive soon