Who has raised (or not) garden beds around their run? Looking for inspiration!

[EastJacket]

Like the title says, we are going to install garden beds around our run soon-ish and are looking for some photos to guide us! Post pics and feel free to give some advice and what you like or don’t like about your set up

 

[black_cat]

The chickens will eat your plants. All of them. Just a warning. They help 'weed' our garden by eating everything in their path

 

[EastJacket]

These beds would be outside the run, and ours don’t (can’t) free range in our yard....at least not yet! I was thinking of planting some pumpkins etc (annuals) and letting them pick around in the early spring, fall, and winter when nothing is growing.

 

[black_cat]

These beds would be outside the run, and ours don’t (can’t) free range in our yard....at least not yet! I was thinking of planting some pumpkins etc (annuals) and letting them pick around in the early spring, fall, and winter when nothing is growing.

Ah......I foolishly assumed that you free ranged. That sounds like a super fun idea!

 

[FloorCandy]

I have cinderblocks around my quail pen to keep predators out, I filled the holes in the blocks with soil and I planted strawberries in there, so I would have strawberries next year, but the strawberry plants I received free with the purchase of my roses all failed to grow. My vegetables and roses grow fine in the cinderblocks, so I think they sent me dead junk as my freebies for false perceived value. I’ll try again next year.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

I have cinderblocks around my quail pen to keep predators out, I filled the holes in the blocks with soil and I planted strawberries in there, so I would have strawberries next year, but the strawberry plants I received free with the purchase of my roses all failed to grow. My vegetables and roses grow fine in the cinderblocks, so I think they sent me dead junk as my freebies for false perceived value. I’ll try again next year.

What veg do you grow in cinder blocks? That sounds like a good idea!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't specifically have a photo of my raised bed in full bloom, but you can see it just behind the back run fence in the center. I grow peas each spring and trellis them up the run fence - the chickens can eat any leaves that grow in, and love having fresh shucked peas thrown at them. I also grow carrots, and the chickens like walking around the perimeter and picking at the leaves.



Main downside is I get weeds/grass growing from the surrounding lawn into the bed, and behind it (where it's impossible to cut down). Plan on putting down weed barrier under the bed before next spring to solve that issue.

 

[FloorCandy]

What veg do you grow in cinder blocks? That sounds like a good idea!

I grew peppers, 5 kinds, 4 bells and a jalapeños. I grew 6 different tomatoes, and 2 cucumbers( which are still producing huge cucumbers). My kids had a project where the teacher wanted them to plant beans from the grocery store, but it was lockdown and I didn’t have beans, I do have a 3 year old jar of popcorn popping kernels (we do not even own a popcorn maker haha) and hamster food left over from the elderly hamsters that died 2 years ago, so we grew corn and sunflowers, 2 of each. My dog ripped the corn out and chewed it in half, I taped it together using a toilet paper roll and duct tape, and both plants grew 2 ears of corn, and the squirrels ate them lol. The sunflowers grew and were beautiful, and the squirrels stole my seeds.

I originally used the cinderblocks to raise them out of rabbit range, I put a cheap wire garden fence around, and even if the rabbits could squeeze thru the wire, the cinderblock kept them from getting thru.

the benefit, particularly around animals, is that the roots will grow out of the bottom of the cinderblock into the ground, and the bird waste that has saturated into the soil under the pen is fertilizing the plants. I don’t have to weed them, except the occasional dandelion sprout.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

I grew peppers, 5 kinds, 4 bells and a jalapeños. I grew 6 different tomatoes, and 2 cucumbers( which are still producing huge cucumbers). My kids had a project where the teacher wanted them to plant beans from the grocery store, but it was lockdown and I didn’t have beans, I do have a 3 year old jar of popcorn popping kernels (we do not even own a popcorn maker haha) and hamster food left over from the elderly hamsters that died 2 years ago, so we grew corn and sunflowers, 2 of each. My dog ripped the corn out and chewed it in half, I taped it together using a toilet paper roll and duct tape, and both plants grew 2 ears of corn, and the squirrels ate them lol. The sunflowers grew and were beautiful, and the squirrels stole my seeds.

I originally used the cinderblocks to raise them out of rabbit range, I put a cheap wire garden fence around, and even if the rabbits could squeeze thru the wire, the cinderblock kept them from getting thru.

the benefit, particularly around animals, is that the roots will grow out of the bottom of the cinderblock into the ground, and the bird waste that has saturated into the soil under the pen is fertilizing the plants. I don’t have to weed them, except the occasional dandelion sprout.

Wow I am impressed that you grew corn from popcorn. I have some popcorn that I don't care for & wondered what on earth I could do with it. You've had a very successful & interesting growing season! Thank you so very much for your detailed & informative reply! I wish you continued success! Oh and your band-aid for the corn was brilliant too!

 

[FloorCandy]

Wow I am impressed that you grew corn from popcorn. I have some popcorn that I don't care for & wondered what on earth I could do with it. You've had a very successful & interesting growing season! Thank you so very much for your detailed & informative reply! I wish you continued success! Oh and your band-aid for the corn was brilliant too!

Thank you!