Making the most from what you have -2

So when I finally decided this was where I wanted the garden, I decided raised boxes were the way to go. I had been a fan of Square Foot Gardening for quite a few years and wanted to give it a try.

So now began the search for either pre-made boxes or wood to make my own, but I didn't have enough money to buy them made for me, or buy new redwood to make them myself, I had to think of another option. As many of you might guess I am a garage sale junkie so I hit several garage sales looking for other peoples junk. I happened to be at one during 2013 close to my house where the seller had an old king size waterbed frame, headboard and pedestal, you know 2X8 planks made into a big box to hold a big water balloon. Well after perusing his treasures, I asked about the waterbed, he said "I am just gonna throw it in the dumpster, why you want it?"  I said "Sure, I am looking to build some raised garden beds." So I made the deal to come back later with my truck and dismantle the behemoth.

After getting the thing in pieces I brought it home and started to work. I took the first pieces and made 2  (2 1/2' by 6') boxes, 8" tall. I didn't want to get to aggressive for my first year back on the farm so to speak. 30 square feet does not sound like much, but it was a place to start. So far boxes cost me $0 except gas, and I used screws I got for free at a garage sale liquidation so no cost there either.

Next was deciding what to plant, a co-worker had given my boss about 25 packs of certified organic seeds, and she gave them to me to go through. It was obvious I would be planting tomatoes, everyone plants tomatoes. I picked some items I wanted to grow, 4 kinds of tomatoes, 3 Bell Peppers, White Sweet Corn, Lettuce, 3 kinds of Basil, Rosemary, Spearmint, and Lavender. Cucumbers and Pumpkins were started, but something liked them a lot and they never made it past the first leaf stage. Started these in Feb. in a small peat moss sprouting greenhouse under some grow lights.

In the mean time I needed to separate the rest of the dirt patch I called a garden from the dirt patch known as the back yard. I had an idea I wanted to build a 4' fence so I started looking at those pre-made picket fences Home Depot and Lowe's sell, about $25 each and I needed probably 4. Well again $100 seemed like too much to handle at the time, so other alternatives had to be looked at.