Water trough trial

[sugarapsa]

Completed facing (with old cedar planks) all 4 trough planters. This should prevent over heating during the summer month's. I am also hopeful it created a home for beneficial critters.

 

[sugarapsa]

Set and leveled 3- ½ wine barrel planters where I can still maneuver a wheel barrel throughout the garden and into the chicken-run. After raising and leveling, I drilled drain holes, fabric over the drain holes, gravel, and one more layer of fabric. I have a total of 14” for soil which should suffice for just about all veggies. I think the barrels tie in well with the cedar plank planter facing.

Tomorrow I will add a new 1/4” screen to my sifter and add my soil, compost and worm casting mix in prep for summer veggies.

 

[sugarapsa]

Today I completed adding my planting mix to each of the 3 wine barrel planter halves. There are several red wiggler eggs that sifted through the ¼” screen that will soon hatch and several mature worms added as well from the worm bin, all of which will aid in breaking down the compost and convert it to food for the microorganisms that will feed the plants. This process is the same used in the trough planters but obviously at a much smaller scale.

 

[sugarapsa]

Second harvest today. The four photos of the troughs are a before and after of the harvest.
To say I am pleased so far would be an understatement.

 

[cntrlwagdnr]

Thank you cntrlwagdnr & Veggiegirl87.

Actually, you can get metal raised beds on line (come in a flat pack). They are rectangular and wider than troughs, so you can get more in them. We got ours from Vevor. Very nice and a lot less money than troughs. We have purchased several things from them. Just throw away the little rubber edge strips - waste of time and don't stay on.

 

[sugarapsa]

Actually, you can get metal raised beds on line (come in a flat pack). They are rectangular and wider than troughs, so you can get more in them. We got ours from Vevor. Very nice and a lot less money than troughs. We have purchased several things from them. Just throw away the little rubber edge strips - waste of time and don't stay on.

I looked at those and came close to purchasing them instead of the troughs. However, I'm at a point in my life where I do not have a lot of years left to do heavy labor and I wanted something that would outlast me. This is why I opted for the troughs even though they are as you've stated, much more expensive than your type. Having said that, I couldn't be happier with the results so far.

 

[sugarapsa]

Photos of the garden prior to tomorrows 3rd harvest (2 beds), from both ends of troughs. Photos of bed with plastic cover show plant progress since a 2nd planting (1st planting lost to hungry birds). Last photo is the albion strawberry bed with more romaine lettuce (picked once), snap peas, and rainbow carrots.

Any myths about over crowding doesn't apply given the right soil conditions. My compost is comprised of dry leaves, chicken, horse, rabbit, and goat manure, including spent coffee grounds. This truly hot mix was ready for the garden in 3 months. Amazing when one considers my compost was started in December of 2023.

The seemingly over crowding of plants also serves as a living mulch.

Again...I couldn't be happier with the results so far.

 

[sugarapsa]

Romaine Trio Blend types left to right; freckles, Outredegeous, and Giant Caesar.
The fourth verity was not mentioned in the seed pack; Black Seeded Simpson.

 

[sugarapsa]

I should have posted photos of how each trough was prepared prior to filling with my compost and worm casting blend at the beginning of this thread.

Here they are; 1st photo shows holes drilled for drainage. Notice the holes are inside the parameter of where the railroad ties will be placed to elevate the troughs, and drip line installed through drain hole of trough. 2nd photo-gravel, 3rd photo-liner, and 4th photo a layer of pine shavings.

 

[sugarapsa]

Yesterdays harvest netted 4 large containers of lettuce, 1 large container of spinach, and 1 medium size container of radishes. This was half the available produce which went to our eldest son and spouse. The other half will be harvested today if the weather allows (currently raining).

As a side note; every gardening attempt in the past ended in frustration. So much so that I gave it up all together. Heck, plants used to run when they saw me coming! Nice to finally see a reversal for all the hard work.

Summer planting isn't far away. This will be the true test on whether or not this form of gardening is what I've been searching for?

 

[sugarapsa]

5th harvest today...

 

[YumYum]

5th harvest today...

Wow. Nice job.

 

[sugarapsa]

Thank you YumYum.
It's been quite a journey. These beds keep producing like nothing I've ever seen. I know one thing; I'll never plant this much lettuce. lol

 

[sugarapsa]

Update; planted tomatoes in the 3 wine barrels and made cages for each, planted peppers in wicking buckets. I lost count on the number of harvests of lettuce, spinach, and radishes, plus the peas, garlic, and onions are all doing great. Might test a few of the garlic plants to see if some might be ready for harvest.

 

[sugarapsa]

Here are the wicking buckets. Searched for videos and this guy's method suited me best. It allows for more water in the reservoir than most...