Your raised bed garden comes with the 5X10' frame, soil mixture and seeds or in some cases plants. We will be starting some tomatoes and peppers from seed soon, which should be big enough to plant in outdoor beds at time of delivery.
If you are familiar with the "slow food" "Taste of the Ark" we can offer several of those garden varieties. For those with short growing seasons we may have some hybrid seed that matures a little faster. Choose from a variety of vegetables - some suggestions: Beans, carrots, beets, broccoli, cabbage, sweet corn or popcorn, cucumbers, eggplant, gourds (decorative, edible or birdhouse), leeks, lettuce, melons, okra, onions, peas, radish, pepper (sweet or hot), spinach, swiss chard, turnips, squash, tomatoes. We can interplant basil or nasturtiums. This is included in your basic package.
Additional cost options -
Pest cage - do you have birds or 'critters' getting in to your garden? Consider a metal netting cover that fits over the raised bed. Easily removed for tending the garden, but stops anything bigger than one inch from getting through.
Extended season cover - Make the season last longer with early spring or late fall lettuce and greens. Help insure spring tomatoes are protected from late cold snaps. 5x10 cover has frame and plastic to hold in heat from the raised bed.
Extra space - two hanging baskets and plain hangers on the corners planted with mint or flowers to attract bees, increasing productivity of your garden. Because mint can be an invasive plant this is a way to have extra space in a small area.
Extra window box - get two extra 'window box' type planters to further expand growing area.
Compost bin - Want to make use of kitchen and yard waste? Recycling in a new way? Consider a two can compost bin. Add grass, leaves, vegetable waste, even paper and cardboard pieces...work on one side to "cook" simply layering, occasionally mixing.
Recapture water - drain water from your roof into a barrel, then use that to provide irrigation as needed for your raised bed.
Chickens - if you are interested in taking it one step forward consider keeping 3-4 hens in a small back yard coop. There are several options available for housing...from using or adapting what you have to all new. We provide home raised egg layers that are expected to begin laying this summer. They can be grown and delivered a few weeks after the garden set up to insure health and adaptation to being outside. A small amount of feed can produce your own home raised eggs, and any manure is added to the compost bin. It takes just minutes per day to care for them and collect eggs. These are all pullets (females) - you do not need crowing roosters to provide eating eggs. We can also accommodate up to a dozen for larger families, for those baking who want more eggs or others who have a higher demand for eggs. Remember 3-4 eggs per day is 3 dozen per week! Most families will find this plenty for standard cooking, baking and plenty to hard boil for a healthier snack than candy.
