One of the organizations I volunteer with a lot during th...
One of the organizations I volunteer with a lot during the summers and school breaks when I’m not teaching—Food Well Alliance, part of the Atlanta Community Food Bank—has several urban gardens I’ve worked in and they’re what helped cultivate my love for plants and gardening. Yesterday I was able to volunteer at their Soil Fest and it was so much fun! I might’ve gone a little overboard buying some new plant babies 😬🫣 But I’m just saying they’re my belated birthday present to myself (4/16) 😂 I also got a free shirt, bandana on proper composting, free food and compost, and help some people in urban food deserts with access to fresh produce and gardening education, so it was a big win! 😄 I got some replacements that I had in my outdoor garden at my last house—white hyssop, rosemary, early fortune cucumber, Moskvich tomato, yarrow, and white sage. And I also got some new babies to try—Greek mountain tea mint, rose mint, 4 o’clock fairy trumpets, German chamomile, and lemon catnip. I use several of the herbs in the soaps and candles I make and it is one reason why I really missed having my outdoor garden, to be able to use herbs grown in my own garden, buuuttt my yard is not ideal and is why I held off after moving 3 years ago—it’s mostly a muddy hill and not a ton of sun. So I’m hoping I can find some cheap ways to make some raised containers for them to put around the side of the yard until I can move when my lease is up at the end of September and hopefully have a better outdoor space for them. Any suggestions appreciated! #OutdoorGrowing #containerquestions #containergarden #VeggieGardens #herbgarden #herbalism #outdoorgardens #OutsidePlants
Best Answer
@HanSolo87 Im an hour 45 South of ATL and I did not know this cooperative existed. I'd like some information or a contact at least so I can try to help out!
Ive tried starting community gardens here in my hometown, with very little success unfortunately (mostly from the human side.)
Cheapest raised gardens I've ever built used these blocks and 2x6 lumber.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oldcastle-Planter-Wall-Tan-Retaining-Wall-Block-Common-6-in-x-8-in-Actual-5050-in-x-7-75-in/1001156396
Can be made any size or height. I did mine 4 blocks/boards high, and the bottom 12" inside the bed was filled with logs/branches, wood cuttings and compost, with soil filled in on top. Hugelkultur is what that is called, if you don't already know then PLEASE Google it. Its incredible for raised bed, plus the natural composting adds warmth to the soil for earlier planting of frost hardy veggies or early planting of flowers.
Ive tried starting community gardens here in my hometown, with very little success unfortunately (mostly from the human side.)
Cheapest raised gardens I've ever built used these blocks and 2x6 lumber.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oldcastle-Planter-Wall-Tan-Retaining-Wall-Block-Common-6-in-x-8-in-Actual-5050-in-x-7-75-in/1001156396
Can be made any size or height. I did mine 4 blocks/boards high, and the bottom 12" inside the bed was filled with logs/branches, wood cuttings and compost, with soil filled in on top. Hugelkultur is what that is called, if you don't already know then PLEASE Google it. Its incredible for raised bed, plus the natural composting adds warmth to the soil for earlier planting of frost hardy veggies or early planting of flowers.
@ILoveMyPlants thank you! 🙏🏼 It is so rewarding and fun! It’s so exciting for the kids to be able to watch their hard work grow and know that they helped provide fresh food for themselves and their families. Thank you for your service in helping the future! 😊
@xopeachyxo Ahh that is very helpful! Thank you so much! I don’t think it would work in this backyard, but when I move in the fall I’m going to do this! I did find a relatively cheap raised bed on Amazon that I can use in the meantime, it should be here today 😄Reach out to Flannery Pearson-Clarke about community gardens, she is great! I’ve volunteered at several gardens around ATL and she is very helpful and friendly, great energy 😊
https://www.foodwellalliance.org
https://www.foodwellalliance.org
Thank you for the info @HanSolo87. Best of luck with the raised bed you got coming. Dont forget to update with pics!! 😁