Early this spring Tim and I declared the desire to be more self-sufficient.
One of the ways we decided to “make it happen” was to attempt to build some raised planters over our bomb shelter, just kidding. Wanted to make sure you were still with me. Raised, obviously, so I can avoid worms. Yes, I know how good they are for your garden but I prefer not to be curled up in the fetal position soaked in sweat and tears. In case you don’t know how weird I am, read this.
We weren’t quite sure where to start. I told Tim I would love something that gained character as it aged, something rustic and made of real wood. I wanted our veggies to feel like they were on a real farm. I also didn’t want to bend, and can I get a ledge? That sweet boy just smiled and nodded.
So we wandered the aisles of our favorite blue store and gathered lots of different materials to experiment with. Wood and screws and stain and tin and heavier wood and posts. Then this happened.
Remember way back when, we hinted that we were building something. Now you get the full picture, but don’t let that video fool you….he wasn’t doing it all alone. I helped a lot, we just don’t have a third trigger man to capture those teamwork moments. We are now accepting live in interns that also clean, cook, and sew.
When we call the project a wrap we had a perfectly imperfect rustic garden bed. I love things that I don’t have to worry about keeping in pristine condition, because let’s face it I am not very good at that sort of thing. I think these bad boys are only going to get better with age. See how it’s already weathering, meow.
The funny thing is, we had a beautiful garden for about three weeks. Here I will prove it.
Don’t those look tasty? Then, this thing called Haven happened. A whirlwind of mass chaos between preparing and attending left our garden, ahem, unattended. Which also means unwatered. And unpruned.
Holy tomato growth. It’s basically a jungle on the one side and a barren corn desert on the other. When I came home from Haven, I couldn’t help but laugh at the tomato tree we had.
I know more than a few of you all are practically professionals at this, so help a sister out. Do we cut those tomatoes back? Is there any saving that corn? Who wants to send me “watering reminders” every day?
Have you ever built a garden bed?
What do you grow each year?
Wanna come play in the tomato jungle?
I love those planters, but I love that video more! More videos!
Hahahaha….I told Tim a couple weeks ago that we need to do more videos. They are so fun to make (albeit time consuming) but we always laugh at the finished product. More videos….it needs to happen 🙂
No no no! Don’t cut them back! You need to stake them. You can make that as complicated as you like. What works for me is sticking a broom-handle into the soil near the plant and tying the plant to that with string. You want them to grow up instead of sprawling out on the bed like me on my couch on a Sunday!
I don’t know about the corn though…probably just needs a bit of water?
Oh PHEW…I am so glad I posted this because I was thisclose to taking the shears to them! I am staking those bad boys tonight as soon as I get home! Thanks for the advice, and the laugh, and making me want to sprawl out on a couch 🙂
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Well if you put a lid on these, they might kind of look like plant coffins so that’s always an option! 😉 Seriously though, these are awesome! I looove the metal with the wood. And I am glad for that tease to be over 🙂
I set a daily reminder on my phone to fill up my elephant watering can and give some love to my plants (cherry tomatoes and basil, that’s it). Otherwise I’d forget and they’d be desert dry. Hope you can revive your plant babies!
Hahaha a plant coffin…I love it. I am chalking this year up to “a late start” and hoping for better luck next year 🙂