Cattle Trough Gardening?

[Rockporter]

This is the year I installed most of my beds, before installing the walkway. The 3 beds in the center of the photos each have a tomato plant, 4 pepper plants, herbs and Alyssum.

June 15, 2020:
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July 13, 2020, same view less than 1 month later:
P1070026.JPG

I love your garden, very nice way to set it up.

Thanks so much, @Rockporter. I was leaning toward making long rectangular beds from cinderblocks but didn't have the ability (health issue) to build them and kept putting it off. Then my husband saw an ad on Craigslist for the stock tanks and suggested them. At first I said "no" but then decided to go for it since they would be easier and faster to install. It took a while to come up with a layout that I liked using round beds but I'm very happy with it and am still amazed (1) that I was able to install this garden and (2) that it looks better than I imagined. Putting gardening space on the ground between the beds for flowers to attract beneficial insects ties the beds together visually, too.

I'm so glad I went with these stock tanks. I like the height (taller than what I had planned with the cinder blocks) but wouldn't mid if they were a little taller because bending forward to direct sow seeds and transplant plants is hard on me. But normal maintenance, weeding (though very little is needed), watering, harvesting is all very easy in tall beds. If I didn't have tall raised beds, I'd have to give up gardening completely because I can't do the repeated bending, kneeling, etc. that is needed for in-ground beds anymore.

I know what you mean about all the bending, and kneeling, I can't do it either. I do have a stool I sit on when I am seeding the containers I am using. That makes it so much easier. Even while tying things us from the low sections I sit to do it. It is much better on my back and knees.

[AKgardener]

I’m so glad I saw this !! My hubby was gonna rip apart the garden and move it to another location so we could drain the yard better but we figured out how to do it without moving the main bed of brick!! He suggested trofs for more beds since we tore down the fence around the garden but I have dogs and well why I put the fence up to begin with.. soooo my hubby got me 3 raised beds from amazon galvanized steel.6x3x2ft. To replace one of my raised beds since we’re making the main one higher how are they ? Are you happy with them is it alot to maintain?? Haha I’m so excited to have more room to grow stuff it’s over whelming now haha

[WoodSprite]

Congratulations on your new raised beds, @AKgardener. My raised beds are less maintenance than in-ground beds and lower raised beds that I had at my former house. I think with them being higher, it reduces weed seeds getting in. I also mulch well with pine shavings from Tractor Supply Company.

I'd love to hear updates from everyone else, too.

I'm still loving mine. This was April 15, 2023, so you can see the beds well.

IMG_7209 - 04-15-23 (2).jpg

And this was August 1, 2023:

P1090522 - 08-01-23 KEEP (2).jpg

[AKgardener]

Thanks @WoodSprite i love your lay out i cannot wait to put them together we have snow in some areas but I think I still have time to at least put them together..

[WoodSprite]

Thanks, @AKgardener. Let us know how it goes.