Almost three years ago to date, the Planner and the Kid planted a garden. It was lovely dirt for cucumbers, squash, peppers, green beans, snap peas and okra. Rooting for Okra was not to be. Winds, lack of rain, poor soil, and gophers all lead to the quick failure of the garden.

Since then a lot has happened and there just has not been the time nor the energy for another garden attempt. Over the last several months, above ground gardens have been researched. They are supposed to be better for weed/animal control, easier to manage moisture levels, and can be used for all varieties of plants. Of course, they are supposed to be filled with peat moss and good quality compost dirt. Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna happen here in sand country.

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Several years ago at the beginning of this crazy Boxes in Fields experience, the Planner held a job where he acquired scrap boards. Four or five boards in various widths were cut to length. From the pile, four leftover 2×4 stakes used on the concrete pier forms were also dug out and used for corner posts. Stakes were hammered into the ground and boards were secured to the corners posts.

Using leftovers, recycled materials sometimes can be tricky. Materials can be too short, made from the wrong materials, etc.. Today, the boards were not straight. The Kid was convinced if he stood on the 2x6x8 board, his weight would straight out the bow. Keep eating child, you only weigh 60lbs! Luckily there were other boards to choose from in the scrap pile.

As the sun set behind the trees the last final board was secured in place.

The next day, chicken wire was placed at the bottom to keep out the gophers. Another more eco friendly options were to line the bottom of the box with small logs evenly size and length. Gophers can’t chew their way through the logs and overtime the logs breakdown into mulch to help against the water drainage issues. However, when the logs breakdown, the gophers can get thru. There are plenty of places for gophers to dig that is not in the garden. Thank you, kindly.

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A couple of buckets of “good” dirt scooped out from the Driveway Rodeo filled the boxes, then leveled out, pushed into corners, and grass knots and trash bits removed.

Day three of this project. Day three! Seriously thought this would have been a three hour project, not a three afternoon day project. Alas, time goes so fast sometimes.

Planning ahead for chicken destruction, cattle panel was installed around three sides and then covered with bird netting. On the front, a removable net gate secured the entire plot against chickens and hopefully birds.

Seeds were debated upon for time constraints, light needs, and other plant compatibility. This bed will hose spinach in the middle, tomatoes on the south wall, green beans on the east wall, and cucumbers on the north wall. And no, there will not be okra! They take too much water and space for a 4×8 garden plot. Maybe next time. Maybe.

Here’s hoping to a better yielding produce crop.