Finally got around to building a couple of large raised beds yesterday to start growing veggies next year. Right now, most veggies are grown here in pots and overall do quite well. Tomatoes, peppers and snow peas are coming along nicely and I’ve created a “wall” of pole beans by placing 3 large pots side by side, complete with tall bamboo poles for the vines to twine along. The plants are thriving right now, and with any luck, there will be beans a plenty over the next few weeks. The squash and cucumbers are doing well and before long will fill up the corner with their twisty vines. (Squash is my favorite!)

The raised beds will allow for easy maintenance gardening, good drainage and don’t take up the entire planting area, so there’s still plenty of room for the other flowers and shrubs. The height also will help keep hungry critters out and will allow for planting just a little earlier in the season next year as the soil warms up – usually quicker than the ground does. Weed control becomes less of an issue – because the plants are close together in a raised bed, as they grow they shadow the soil, preventing those annoying weeds from sprouting – they need sun, and without it, won’t grow.

And raised beds just keep the area neat and tidy looking.

We’re composting like crazy to add nutrients into the beds before the winter – and will have it all ready to go once the snow is gone next spring and the green begins to reappear.

I’m already looking forward to the start of the January delivery of seed catalogs.