Gardening in Oklahoma – Raised Garden Beds + a Potato Tower

Wowza! Check out these pictures Michelle sent in…

Hi Mavis!

I’ve been Oklahoma gardening for four years now. Each year I learn more and my garden grows by at least one box.

My superman husband made me all of my garden boxes and my A-Frame cold frames.

We have a total of six garden boxes so far. Because we have such a small yard we have utilized our driveway for part of them! It was as easy as setting a garden box on the drive, stapling weed block cloth to the bottom inside (to retain the dirt) and then fill. I told my kids that if they didn’t play or ride bikes more on the drive I would start claiming more of it for gardening. Use it or Lose it!!!!

I do square foot gardening. This year I started making seed squares indoors while it was still cold outside. It’s along the same lines as seed tape but on the paper napkins that have been opened full to 12″x12″ (see photo). When the weather was cold and miserable, I was snuggled inside nice and warm making my seed mats.

With the first chance of planting, I just picked up a seed mat and ran out to plant. Easy peasy! Now its a no brainer with staggered plantings. I’ll just grab a mat and lay it in my garden. It takes five seconds. I time it! hah! Plus, this is a fun project I did with my kids. I dotted glue and they sprinkled the seeds. Next year I’m promoting them to glue dotter.

Money is tight and I had to get creative on making trellises for my garden. I made trellises out of bamboo canes from a friends yard, arbors out of tree trimmings for the peas and even a trellis from two old fishing poles with scrap wire in between. I call it my “English Garden” look. It’s a look that I’m really starting to enjoy.

The potato towers are an experiment. So far they seem to be doing well. The real test will be when we harvest. On the very top of the towers I’ve planted bush beans. I read they’re a companion to potatoes. I’m trying to grow in any spare spots of dirt I can find. Space is such a premium I’m thinking of growing squash and pumpkins out front among the flower

But, I think the BEST things we added to our garden this year were the cold frames. Superman husband did a fabulous job making them out of an old redwood swing set that was falling apart. I can now plant out warm loving plants much earlier than normal and start seed outdoors!! I have such beautiful tomato plants covered in blooms already!!

Happy planting!

~ Michelle

April From Santa Cruz, California Sends in Her Garden Photos

If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop or something you’ve made featured on One Hundred Dollars a Month, here’s what I’m looking for:

• Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and know if you are starting seeds indoors this year. If so,  show me some picture of how you are going about it.
• Your Chicken and Chicken Related Stories – Coops, Chicks, Hen’s, Roosters, Eggs, you name it. If it clucks, send us some pictures to share with the world.
• Cool Arts & Crafts – Made from your very own hands with detailed {and well photographed} pictures and instructions.
• Your pictures and stories about your pets. The more pictures and details the better.

If I feature your pictures and the stories behind them on One Hundred Dollars a Month, I will send you a $20.00 gift card to the greatest store in the world: Amazon.com.

Go  HERE for the official rules.