Go Big or Go Home!



My life of healthy living is paved with good intentions......I have decided to embark on something completely new to me...........an elevated fall garden of proportionately SMALL size planted in ONLY composted material!

An elevated garden is something completely new to me. And I can honestly say that having a garden no bigger than a sheet of plywood is also new. I'm usually a "Go big or go home" kind of girl, so small is rather new to me. And using only compost to grow these vegetables in is also somewhat of a foreign concept to me. I, like most organic gardeners use it as an additive only. I am a BIG composter..........nothing goes to waste at my house........what doesn't go to the chickens can usually be used in the compost bin. Leftover food(as long as it is some type of plant life), shredded newspaper, grass clippings, leaves and chicken droppings(these are very beneficial for composting.......the bacteria helps speed up the composting) are all compostable at my house. But as I said, I am new to this. So, this time around we're going small. So far it seems to be working out very well. Weeding is a piece of cake, a sprinkler isn't necessary and the dogs will not dig holes next to my collards. It's a win/win situation...................so far!

Here's my baby collards. They are doing extremely well.

 

My butter crisp lettuce is the biggest of the bunch. It seems to LOVE it!

 

I've never attempted cabbage before, but like the lettuce, it is thriving. In only a week it has doubled it's size! I am also trying broccoli and spinach from seed. I am hoping to learn something from this. It seems that something always comes up when growing a garden and when organic methods fail....................I go for the chemicals to save my poor plants. I'm really going to work hard this time. I think starting off small will be a good way to go. Wish me luck!