Baby Steps

walking2 from WILLIAM JOHNSON on Vimeo.

Garden Project

This post was long overdue!  Better late than never :O)

The major spring project this year was to install a vegetable garden.  We selected this sunny location in the back yard, next to the patio.  Although it is not a flat area, we figured that we should put the vegetables in a location where we would see them everyday and thus less likely to neglect.

I outlined the garden perimeter with white spray paint, and confirmed that no utilities were nearby before I started digging.

Although there were no utilities, I knew there was a drain pipe from the gutters that ran under the patio and exited a few feet down the hillside.  I dug a trench to extend it down the hill so that it wouldn't interfere with the garden fencing.  The wood pallet-like frames were picked up for free from a local lumber store and were the perfect size for elevated garden beds.  I laid them on the ground to envision the space.

The plan was to put a 3' high fence all around, with gates by the patio, and on the other side as well.  Ideally, I would've buried these 4x4 cedar posts at least 2 or 3 feet into the ground.  But to save money (cedar is $$$$), I decided to take 8' long posts, cut them in half, use these post anchors and concrete around the posts.  I dug a hole about a foot deep, and tried to drive the post anchors in from there.  I really had to beat on them using a scrap piece of wood, but I had a lot of trouble keeping them square.  They tended to want to rotate slightly, which threw off my plans for nice, square door openings. 

I did my best to keep the posts straight and level, screwed them in place temporarily, and poured concrete to fill the holes.

While the post concrete was curing, I start removing the sod from the garden area.

Next comes the raised bed frames.  I screwed two frames on top of each other to create a 10" tall raised frame.  I levelled each box, then secured them to the ground with wood stakes.

With the raised beds in place, I dig the rest of the post holes.  I figured this would be a good time for this task so that I can use the excavated soil for fill inside the beds.

I used a manual post hole digger for all 18 holes.  These fence post holes are 2' deep.

I needed the exercise...

After a day of letting the concrete cure, I start installing fence posts.  I make sure each is plumb before attaching the top rail.

These are 6' long (half of a 12' plank) 2x4 posts sitting with 2' holes for a 3' fence.  After digging each hole, I added a few inches of gravel, placed the post in the hole, and hammered it home with a sledge to refusal then screwed it to the rail.  After they are all installed, I'll cut off the excess with a reciprocating saw.

After installing the new drain pipe, I mulched the area and planted our veggies.  I filled the beds with a mix of top soil, compost, Miracle Grow and peat moss. We bought a yellow squash plant, a zucchini (never two squashes again...), a tomato, red bell pepper, jalapeno and cucumber.  Two months later, this is our garden!  The tomato is taller than Cendy, and the squashes are going crazy!  Next year, we're getting smaller plants.

The Chinook hops are climbing well!  Hopefully they survive the winter.

Finally, here is the gate I created for accessing the garden.

 

Taming the mighty beast