I just learned what Potager means, I had no idea there was such a thing when I built this last weekend...

So I could use any and all suggestions about plans for the future. A few notes
1)the seeds (spinach, radishes,carrots)that I planted 4 days ago all came up, Yeah!
2) those posts are pressure treated
3) it is 2.5 feet away from the house
4) I need to cut posts off level and build gate
5) I've got about 500 more blocks to do something with
6) I've got three dogs, thus the fence!

Thanks!

This year I tried spraying every other day with chamomile tea. I simply placed the tea bags in a spray bottle and left it in the sun. When I got home from work I gave all a good soaking. This held of the PM for quite a long time. I was growing squash, zucchini, and pumpkin for WAY longer than usual before PM set in. And actually – we got so tired of harvesting that I just stopped spraying the plants.

Good luck and welcome to the forum

GGG

GGG

I've viewed many more pics of ya'lls gardens, I plan to build two more next year, one on either side of the one I built. I also built this one in a manner so that if I choose I can divide it in half, not the two posts for a gate on the front and back of garden, I would just have to figure out a way to install two gates in the middle of a wire fence. Probably have to pull up one block wall, put in two more posts and redo wire etc.

I afraid it's too big, and that If I built one on either side I would end up prefering them all the same size, here a little illistration....

Morning watering is best if you can do it and try to water from the ground level, not watering the whole plant - just the soil around it.

We live in a very humid environment so naturally just about every thing is susceptible to some kind of fungus. Not so bad though if you just learn to garden around it.

I bought several Rosemary plants from Lowes with PM for 50 cents each. They had been overwatered and left in the shade.

I simply planted them out in the open in the sun and while I have been careful not to water them I did lightly mist with the tea - not a good soaking though. I now have several nice plants. My DH and some workmen even trampled one of them a few times and it still keeps coming on strong.

Diane

I understand potager is a mix between vegetable and flowers. I'm not sure that my gardens will have any flowers. I'm here because everyone told me to post here, not in "their" forum.

I considered fencing in the area and then building gardens inside. It would be easier. I'm just not sure I want to, how do i put it? I feel that if a part of my yard was sectioned off it might look and "feel" different than if a bunch of small sections were sectioned off. It's more work and provides less than ideal access to the edges of my beds... does that make sense?

I truly believe that the people in the Vegetable forum sincerely thought there would be mutual benefit for you and the Potager forum if you were to also post here, as well as in the Vegetable forum.

The fence will block sunlight. Because it looks like you have a clear sky above (no tree canopy, like I have) that might be alright. Just a thought: how about a fence in the same style as your privacy fence, but lower and with spaced pickets? Actually, I think that one fence enclosing the entire area, with one gate, would be less work than three separate fences, with three gates. If you leave enough room between the edge of the bed and the fence, you'll have room to work.

Your yard looks quite large; nevertheless, I would soften the fence and integrate it into the rest of the yard with those plantings I mentioned around the outside. Vining plants, daylilies, roses, flowering shrubs ... whatever suits your taste. Don't forget the beautiful and beneficial creatures that are a gardener's delight and ally; you might select some plantings to provide food, cover and/or nesting material for them.

These are just my thoughts, what I would do, given that amount of space and that exposure. I would probably develop an herb/rose/cutting garden just at the bottom of the steps from the deck, as well, and defintely at least one bird feeder and bird bath. Unless the camera deceives me, maybe there's room for a small fruit tree there? A water feature would be fantastic. The trip to the vegetable garden would become a feast for the senses. See how easily I get carried away, lol?

Above all, it's your garden and what you do must reflect your taste and style and the time and effort you wish to invest in it.

Diane

harleysilo,...have a bad hairday? Ok, take a deep breath...

Only one person recommended the potager forum and did so *very* nicely thinking the potager forum would be of some help to you...and that person is still trying to help/encourage you in *this* forum. :) Most all of your initial questions were answered in that thread...opinions on using your PT fenceposts, worry about the pH/calcium leaching from the footing of your house, and one person even went so far to show you how to post pictures!

Rather than the PT fenceposts and leaching from the house footing I would be more concerned with the herbicide used on the pompas grass...I wouldn't be overly concerned about the RoundUp that you used, but the "something a little stronger" part kind of worries me.

Do plant flowers...they help attract predatory insects (plants with small, multi-flowers appear to be better for these). Flowers and herbs also help lure in more pollinators so that (hopefully) you have pollinators already around when your veggies start blooming. Somebody has already suggested a narrow bed on the outer perimeter of the fence, which is a good idea. Just two or three "good" choices of flowers would enhance things greatly.

A single fence around the present and future beds is the most simple approach and actually looks like a "vegetable garden". On the side next to the house you might want to install some extensions to the posts so that you can run a trellis back there for vining plants.

I do see a couple of problems (from my viewpoint) with your design, though. My idea of raised beds is NOT to walk in the growing area. Your fencing is directly at the sides of your raised beds and you will not be able to work from the outer perimeter...thus being forced to enter/walk on the bed. With a bed 10x17 there has to be paths of some kind to access the plants. I've seen one idea (can't remember it's "name") where portable paths (planks of wood) are used and the entire planting area is planted intensively except for the 12" or so "paths". You could go this route, or you could use some of your cement blocks to build some permanent paths within the large bed. Of course if you decide to go with a wood fence you could back the fence off several feet from the bed frames, or back the present fence off a few feet to give you operating room.

For me, I like room to work. :) I'm also in the process of creating a small garden. My beds are 4x8, which will allow me to reach in from either side of the bed. My paths are/will be 4' wide so that there will be room to squat/sit and work with the plants, manuver a wheelbarrow in there, and being as I KNOW the plants will be hanging over the sides the paths will actually narrow up (can you tell I'm optimistic?(grin)). I sat down and drew out a plan for my garden and thought it looked very creative and functional. Then I got to studying and found that what I had "designed" was actually called a 4-square kitchen garden and the design had been around for hundreds of years....so much for my creativity! :) Basically it consists of four rectangular beds with a bed around the garden proper's perimeter. Here's a rough sketch of it...

In case you're curious I've included a link to my trials and tribulations so far with my under-construction garden. :)

Best wishes with your garden!
Ed

Ed

Ditto! Photobucket wants you to join just to see the pics!
Nancy

I planted tomatoes this weekend, haven't had time to build another garden so you'll see what I did below in the pics.

I planted Lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots last year, had to till under the lettuce which was still producing this weekend!

Another question, I bought peppers plants yesterday, do you plant them with stems 80% in the ground like tomatoes, or not?

GGG