Cheers from Mesa, Arizona!! Newbie, be gentle

Hello everyone let me say thank you for taking the time to make this site and all the information available to help us sprouts get rooted. We appreciate it.

My fiance and I bought our first house in Mesa, Arizona a little more than a year ago but are both originally from rain heavy and rich soiled Kansas City, Mo. We finally constructed our first raised bed garden. It's a 4x8x14" and we are looking forward to using your site to find the best way to fill it with plants and then to efficiently water.

Thanks again,
D

Oh and how do I attach a picture for reference? Thanks

Dfizzle1
How nice to have you join us. This is such a great group of people and if you have questions, someone will try to help you out.

Since we love to see pictures, and you asked for some help, try the following link.
I have to admit, sometimes I am a little dense and kept forgetting that after I browsed for the photo on my pc, and clicked host it, I kept forgetting to copy and paste the code on to my post.


How to Post a picture

Hope this helps,

Again, Welcome

Wow, what a great start you have there. That is one sturdy looking box and I really like the flat area on top to give you a place to sit or place some of your supples while you are working.

Have you read the ALL NEW SQUARE FOOT GARDENING book so that you have the information on creating Mel's Mix? I find it is wonderful for growing your plants, because it is so loose and full of the nutrients that our crops need. It also helps to avoid weeds, which are my biggest hassle.

Here's to a great season with your new SFG.

Hey thanks I'm glad you chimed in on that. That was a major concern and I was going to ask a friend for help. Do you have any examples you could forward on for me? I'll be searching youtube and Dr. Google for extra advice on irrigating before filling it in.
Thanks to my folks for a compost bin as a gift not long after we moved in so it got an early start. They're slow moving down here where it's dry and being that the best location for it was the opposite side of my yard I don't water the compost as much as I should. Just turned it for the last time as you see in the pic and will be using it to mix with the soil mix hopefully in the next few days. Since starting it about 14 months ago I've added sand, soil, aged cow manure, grass, and kitchen scrap then mix it or turn it every couple months. It probably took 6-8 months to fill it up since we don't have hardly any plants and I was asking my neighbor for his grass clippings. But I'm really pleased with the results.

Found something similar to this a long time ago on the internet so I figured I'd take pics along the way to share.
Went to the store and picked up:

3 -- 1/2"x10' (for it's flexibility)
1 -- 3/4"x10' sticks of PVC pipe
1- Box of outdoor screws
12- pipe fasteners
6 - pieces of 8' cedar shavings to separate my Sq. Ft. (roughly 2"x3/8"x8')


Just cut the 3/4" stick into 12" pieces, screwed them into the inner walls with the fasteners.
Then jut insert the 1/2" pipe securely into one side, slowly bend it over and push it in the other.
Makes it easy to put up and take down.

We have Tomatoes, 2 bell peppers, jalapeño, 3 cucumber, 2 stevia, playing around with spinach and lettuce and carrots but missed out on their time of season if I remember right, also have soy beans, red and white onions, carrots, and radishes.

I used those 1ft long free paint stirrers from the depot as markers for which plant is which.

Just beautiful !!

WOW! Your box looks fantastic! I'm a little jealous actually.

Keep up the great work and keep posting the pictures.

Hello. I am in Chino Valley, AZ about 2 hours north of the Valley. I grew up in Scottsdale and my parents still live down there. Good luck with your garden.
I don't know if you saw this post from a SFG'er in Glendale. Check out their garden.

http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/t5247-2011-garden-glendale-az-duhh-planted-2-13-2011

Another site to check out is from Dave the Garden Guy. He's in Phoenix so he has some tips about Extreme Gardening. He also has a book.

http://www.gardenguy.com/

Marc

Dfizzel1

It is amazing the difference two weeks make. Wish we could have our warm weather plants out now