NEW GARDEN - POTAGER PLANS !

A few weeks ago,  I spent a very hot day outside with a measuring tape, pencil and paper,  measuring our back side yard which is where my vegetable garden now is.  This area is going to be the first area I begin work on in creating my new potager garden.

After I had everything measured and roughed out on paper, I went up to my desk, got out some graph paper and drew my dream garden out on paper.  For now I am leaving all the grass alone and only concentrating on the areas that are already garden space.  I am lucky, I already have a nice large area of garden space so this first part of the plan is fairly easy. 

The top half of this plan is exactly the dimension of my garden as it is now.

My first task will be to make the raised beds.  I have already changed my mind on those a bit. I have decided to go with a  4x8 and a 4x12  bed in each row.  I Don't think the small 4x4 beds are going to be of much use to me, so I am staggering the large beds.  On one side the large bed will be at the front, and on the other side it will be at the back. 

I am also changing the wildflower garden area as well.  Instead of dividing that space into two areas (wildflowers and in-ground) I am making the while thing a sort of small wildflower meadow.  

We have decided not to do a deck, but will do a patio instead, that way we can change it at a later date, if I decide I want to make a change somewhere along the way.  And the patio might not be where the deck was going to be - that part of the plan is not 100%  as yet.

Because I want to do a lot more vertical gardening, I am going to be attaching a cattle panel or wire fencing panel between the two front raised beds creating an arch for climbing plants over the path area.   And if money allows I would love to do it across the two back raised beds as well.  

This gives me much more growing potential as I plan on planting many things that grow on vines next year, like melons, squashes, beans, cucumbers etc...

The grass area at the top of the plan is where I am planting some fruit trees.  That is north of the garden area so it won't interfere with the sun on my garden, but will also provide much more protection to the yard from the north wind.  I am on the hunt for some free raspberry canes and would love  to try and start my own fruit trees from cuttings from trees known to produce.

So lots of work coming very soon but so exciting for me to be even this far in my new garden plan. 

First comes a shopping trip to the lumber mill for some lumber for the beds.   My hopes are for a long fall, so we can get the beds built and ready before the snow flies... 

But first - I have some ripe tomatoes that need to be washed and frozen today, and a little boy emptied my cookie jar last night - so that needs filling!

Have a Great Day, Everyone!