We started last last year. Right after mothers day. First garden. Store bought and did a raised bed and 10 or so grow bags.

Fell in love with it.

This year. 6 raised beds. 40+ grow bags. I live in a city and on a mountain. I don't have a lot of space. I have a 30'x30' area near the top of my driveway. Trees on the north and north west side. Sunlight from 8a to at least 3p. Maybe longer.

I've got a bunch of tomato, okra and peppers going strong in my garage. Ready to transplant in April. Then plant my direct sow plants too. I've got onions, radish, kale, spinach and potatos already going outside.

Everything is laid out. Bags of soil waiting on their plants. Next step is support system for the grow bags. Okra, peppers, tomatoes. So far I've researched a variety of methods of support. I'm leaning towards the Florida weave for these three plants.

Has anyone else used that method? 6' metal fence posts every 4' in a line. Twine weaved between the plants and posts to support growth. Can extend as we grow. Any reason not to use this method?

Tomatos this year are Beef Steak and Big Mama with a few cherry tomatos along the way to snack on as I garden.

Next step is irrigation. That's an entirely different story because it's on the other side of my driveway. I bought some rubber speed bumps to install on the driveway that have a space to route a water hose. I've got a battery powered 4 zone irrigation timer and a whole bunch of irrigation lines to run water to the base of each plant. It's a lot of work but I'm making due with what I have.

Yeah, I use the Florida weave on my determinate tomatoes. Grow my indeterminate on a cattle panel hoop, that goes between my raised beds.

Get this style and you will not be sorry. Its how they do it in Japan with roof tin panels. You can get them with or without legs and in colors.

I put up a half dozen of those this year instead of trying to plant in the ground. For some reason I have not had good success planting in the ground at the house.

Here's where I got mine.... They are 8 feet long, 4 foot wide, and two feet deep.

https://www.vevor.com/raised-garden...7-2x23-6-flower-vegetable-p_010331356517

Some of these kinds of designs are maybe too much, but using the tin roof panels makes a lot of sense.

Dang man, you stepped it up this year. Gonna have some fine eating. I've been growing produce for probably close to 50 years. My grandmother gave me some tomato seeds when I was 10, and I grew them in a bucket in my back yard. With as much as I've done in my lifetime I'm still learning every year. Just have fun with it and don't be afraid to try another way, if something don't work like you want

Skinny, I've got 5 raised beds like that without legs. I've got one like that with legs but it's wood. That one dries out really quickly.

I've got 19 pepper seedlings about 5' tall. 20+ tomato, mostly Big Mama and Beefsteak. 10 okra seedlings. A variety of herbs and such. Got 40+ merigolds that haven't popped up yet.

Damn, that reminds me. I've got to check to see if anything new has sprouted and needs moved under the grow lights.

Right now I've got it all planned out. Just have to figure how to support them where the wind can't knock them over.

Two poblano, two cilantro and a parsley sprouted since I left his morning. I think next year I'll refrain from starting some herbs. Easier to buy healthy and just transplant where I want them. I'd rather concentrate seeding to veggies.


My wife and daughter don't understand why I spend so much time tending the seedlings. I've found something that brings me peace and it calms me to fool with them.