Raised Garden Project - just started!

[beavis]

Today I will be re-hooking up the drip irrigation.

In the past, I used 1 gph drip emitters and they were effective in keeping the veggies with enough water to survive, but not really flourish.

So I am going to use these things called shrubblers that I have used in other parts of my yard.

Hi Beavis - a new gardener here with some questions:

1. Can you elaborate why drip irrigation doesn't work so well? I thought it's supposed to save water, and slower irrigation is better?

2. With the scrubbers how far apart should I position them? If I have 12' x 4' bed, should I run 2 rows of those shrubbers?

3. With those shrubbers, how often do you water? and for how long each time?


Thank you for your help. You have a marvelous garden, or should I say "farm"!


I'm just starting to build my bed. My biggest fear: squirrels!

I love drip, its just that in the summertime, the 1 gph drippers cant deliver enough water to keep up with the demand, so I put in shrubblers.

Now, I could run the drip for a much longer time and they would probably work, but my drip lines are linked to other plants on the same drip zone and dont need as much water as the veggies do. So I run my drip for around 20-25 minutes, but I may boost it manually on hot days.

I have raised beds that run double lines of drip and some that have only one.

No clear cut rules in place, I just experiment with it until it works, kind of like gardening.

 

[beavis]

OK Pics....

The lettuce is doing great, actually most of the plants are doing great in this garden, very pleased with the outcome.

spinach and more lettuce...

swiss chard and beets

red cabbage

And last weekend, I put in close to FIFTY tomato plants all over the property from nursery transplants...

 

[TanksHill]

Wow, things are looking great. I like the tomato cages. I think I will have to find some old fence and make some up. 50 plants wow!! I planted my new beds a couple weeks ago. Everything's coming up. My chickens raided my lettuce bed. Ate everything. Now I think I need to fence something in. Either the hens or the garden. always something more.

 

[vfem]

Wow, things are looking great. I like the tomato cages. I think I will have to find some old fence and make some up. 50 plants wow!! I planted my new beds a couple weeks ago. Everything's coming up. My chickens raided my lettuce bed. Ate everything. Now I think I need to fence something in. Either the hens or the garden. always something more.

It happens... my runts have managed to squeeze through my fence already. (My roo is just a little too big but the girls can)

I'm just running some chickenwire at the bottom of the fence to keep them out. Without a lot of hardwork Silkies can't get but 2 feet off the ground.

Gosh Beavis! You just made me realize how slow my garden is going!? Your lettuce, Chard and spinach are HUGE. Looks like you are coming up on Harvest already.

We're having 80 degrees tomorrow!!! Today is 76 while yesterday was 72.... so I'm hoping this weather doesn't damage what I do have going. Let me know if I should be concerned. :/

 

[beavis]

I love my tomatoes cages. I put the silver welded wire on the bottom to keep out our new puppy and chickens and it worked.

Kind of a pain to build, but once done, your done!

And I am blessed with a big enough yard to both grow and store the tomatoes and cages off-season.

 

[Athena]

Beavis....

I can't see your photos of the raised bed....but, in about a week and a half, I will be able too....
I should be home by the 20/21 st of March!!!
(Altho, there is a sandstorm looming in the next day or two, and is supposed to linger for 4 or 5 days... that will just add delays to my leaving for a day or two..grrrr...)

I think after I have my containers planted this year, I will make one raised garden bed the summer project.... doing the lasagna layering method.. Mine tho, is gonna be like 18 inches in depth..
Can't wait to get started!