Years have passed since I gardened, but my grandson's home school library book about Square Foot Gardening lit the fire once again.

We cleaned out the SE corner of our backyard, and used most of the old lumber that was piled there to build raised garden beds, along with a double compost bin.

The fence in the pictures was recently built with old, weathered fencing, and the scraps from that project were used to make the compost bin. It all blends nicely, and looks as if it's been there for years.

The raised beds are a combination of old and newer 2x6's, and vintage redwood fence posts ripped into boards and corner moldings. They are setting on salvaged bricks with hardware cloth underneath to keep out the ever present gophers. The large bed is 4Â x 10Â and has a 'post-style headboard' for a trellis frame, courtesy of my wonderfully handy husband. The other trellis in the 1Â x 6Â bedagainst the fence is an old frame for a golfing practice net, with new garden netting attached. The third bed is 18 inches x 8Â and will get a trellis next week. We'll see what we find for a trellis frame for that bed!

The grandson's and I planted seeds and seedlings of 3 types of tomatoes, plus bush peas, string beans, cucumbers, jalapeno and habanero peppers, carrots, radishes, beets, onions, cantaloupes, summer squash, and watermelon. The melons are just starting out, but we've been eating squash, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, and beans for weeks now. The tomatoes are just coming ripe. I love cherry tomatoes.

This family project has been a great experience for all of us. The grandsons love planting and watching the results. I love feeding the family things we've grown from scratch. My husband enjoys homegrown peppers with every meal!

One shouldnÂt think gardening has to be expensive. Easy-care raised garden beds can be made from most anything. See the old utility sinks setting on old railroad ties filled with strawberries? And the habanero pepper is in a used 3 gallon

planting pot.

We filled each bed with various combinations of planting mix, peat moss, compost, perlite, and vermiculite, purchased as we could afford them That was the major expense, but the garden soil should last for years with our homemade compost added in at regular intervals.

Hope you enjoy our pictures. WeÂve certainly enjoyed our garden.

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