New Raised Garden Box
My garden keeps growing… pun intended.
I was given a new raised garden box for my birthday in February 2013. Now, my garden is three and a half times as big as when I started four years ago.
New Raised Garden Box
Sons Matt and Adam hatched the new box plan. Adam, his father-in-law and 3-year old grandson Graham built and delivered it.
Building Box
Only Herbs
Since the box was fairly shallow (just eight inches deep), I decided to use it solely for herbs. It was a good idea. The herbs have been thriving in it. The box contains basil, cilantro, marjoram, arugula, parsley, sage, thyme, oregano and tarragon. In another area of the garden, there is rosemary, salad Burnett and fennel… lots of herbs!
Herb Box
Way Too Many Herbs
An issue with the herb garden that I had not anticipated is that most herbs grow like weeds!
I don’t have enough friends and relatives to use the amount of herbs produced in a 4-foot by 8-foot box. Just to keep the herbs under control, I have had to thin them regularly. I hated to do it, because, most often, the cuttings went into the compost pile.
What to Do? What to Do?
What can you do when you have so many herbs, you don’t know what to do? Give them away, of course!
Gardening partner Bill (Jacqie) Jackson sings in several local restaurants that serve fabulous food. He let the chefs know that there were fresh herbs available regularly from an organic garden, and the over-production problem was solved.
Cut, Wrap, Deliver
Transporting the herbs in good condition is not as difficult as it may seem. Bunches of herbs are cut an hour or so before they are delivered. They are washed and laid on a thick, absorbent towel to dry.
Cut Herbs
Once dried, each bunch of herbs is laid on a dry paper towel. To keep them neatly bunched, the sides and bottom of the paper towel are folded around the herbs… sort of diapering-style… and the bunch is tied loosely with string.
Securing Cut Herbs
The herbs are placed in a container… a large bowl or a roomy grocery bag… so they can be transported without having them move around too much. That’s it.
Bundled Herbs
Best part of all… put your face very close to the bag opening and inhale deeply. I guarantee, the scent of fresh herbs is better than any perfume you have ever smelled.
If this problem presents itself with your garden, get to know your local chefs and share the abundance. They will thank you.
Tags: above ground garden · arugula · Basil · Cilantro · fennel · herbs · marjoram · oregano · parsley · Raised Garden · rosemary · sage · salad Burnett · tarragon · thyme4 Comments
Does the IRS know about this? You are probably making Million$ off of fresh herbs!
I wish I had a hidden millions problem. Ha!. Just this morning, I had a friend in the food business tell me she sure hoped I was charging for them.
I probably should, but I don’t have the desire or the energy it would take to make a business out of it. I’d be happy if one of the chefs cooked supper for me one night. The fillet of sole I had at one place not long ago was the best fish I think I have ever eaten… and that was before I started sharing my herbs with him.
Hi Lila! I’m a brand new follower of you blog (i’m from argentina)
I was just wondering why those beautiful garden box has wood at the bottom.. shouldn’t they be just wood walls? Why to isolate your raised soil?
and btw.. what type of wood are they made of??
cheers from southern lands! 😀
Augusto,
These boxes do, indeed, have a wood bottoms. The bottom has holes drilled in it, and there is a weed barrier to keep the soil in and let the water out. The first boxes I had sat directly on the ground with only a weed barrier between the ground and the garden.
However, along the coast in Florida, the soil is mostly sand and is plagued by nematodes. The next blog entry will explain the problem: http://www.watchmyfoodgrow.com/backyard-garden/i-hit-the-garden-lottery-oh-crap/.
To keep the nematodes out of the garden, it cannot sit directly on the soil. This blog entry will explain the solution and the wood bottom in the boxes: http://www.watchmyfoodgrow.com/backyard-garden/raised-garden-from-scratch-part-two/.
Hope this answers your questions. If not, please contact me again.