Raised Bed & Container Gardening with Succulent Care

Tammy Cole, Guest Author

Hi! I’m Tammy Cole, and I’m so thrilled to be creating a post for my friend Tammy Kate’s blog. I’m a wife and a mother. I’m a homebody, who enjoys homemaking and home decor. My family and friends are everything to me! I’ve been married to Carter for over 22 years, and we have a blended family of six grown kids, three daughters-in-law, six grandlittles and two orange cats. I met Tammy Kate on social media, where we soon became good friends. Later I met her hubby, Carson, and knew our hubbies would be fast friends too. I wasn’t wrong!
Let me preface this blog entry with the fact I’m no gardening or writing expert. Like not at all. But gardening and writing are passions of mine, so I am excited to share with you. Writing has been a part of my life since I was a small child. I’ve kept a journal most of my life. Gardening is a new hobby, but one that is super rewarding as the empty nest days are quickly approaching.

Living in a city in a small home with a small yard is a choice we made a few years ago to cut down on living expenses and make our lives more convenient. Living small has its perks, but space for growing a lot of food isn’t one of them. (Neither can I have chickens and fresh eggs, but that’s a blog post for another day!) Trying to eat healthier and grow plants has been a priority for a couple years now. And my Pinterest boards will show evidence that I’ve scoured the internet thoroughly for ideas on how to grow a variety of plants in such a small space.
One resource has been my inspiration above all. It’s a book published by Penguin Random House DK​ Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet.​ It’s available on Amazon, which is linked in my Amazon store via my IG bio. This book provides a plan for what things to grow in what kind of container or raised bed. I found I actually have a lot more space than I thought to grow plants and food. Going vertical in the yard like the home can give you space you never imagined. The book gives the reader creative information for growing and harvesting from seeds and plants in all kinds of small spaces.

I’ve had the most success with growing succulents, basil and tomatoes. I try a few new things each season. I’d say I still have so much to learn, but I’m having a great time learning. I take my Instagram followers along almost daily for a plant tour. It’s not unheard of for me to squeal in delight…and also jump up and down with excitement over a tiny sprout or a perfectly, perfect radish. I’m truly like a kid discovering a new wonder every single day. I never want to lose my childlike awe over God’s creations. I may be a tiny bit sentimental, but I’m truly amazed a dry seed in a packet can become an edible delight or a beautiful flower given water, soil, and light. One of the best things about this new hobby is glimpsing God’s handiwork in things I used to know nothing about other than they appeared on my plate or in the grocery store.

Along with some containers, I have three raised beds for growing. I dumped garden soil right from the big box store to fill them. I use fertilizer per package directions for specific plants…sometimes. I’m not a fussy person about most things in life, so I don’t get fussy with the gardens either. My opinion is “good enough” is usually good enough!

In one raised bed I grow herbs, because I love to cook with them. My favorite herb and the one I use the most is basil. The parsley and dill come in handy too.

In another, I have a variety of vegetables. One is full of squash, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes. I bought plants at a local nursery and popped them in the soil. We’ve had a cooler spring this year, so I have not had my first harvest from any of these yet.
The garden bed I’m most proud of this spring is the one I grew from seeds. I planted carrots, radishes, and different lettuces a few weeks ago. They have done so well, which was a total surprise since I didn’t have success from any seeds last year. I think my two orange fur balls may have helped the seedlings meet their demise. This year Hubby placed inexpensive chicken wire over the raised bed with the seeds, and now I have harvested radishes and lettuce!

The plants I grow in containers that are the least challenging for me are succulents. I have succulents for days. I don’t do anything special to them, even though I’ve read up on all the tricks. For some reason these succulents given to me as a gift must have special survival mojo. My succulent techniques are to leave them outside even in winter to maximize sun exposure and to barely water them except in the spring when they are multiplying and growing. My favorite succulents are Hen and Chicks, which isn’t the correct term, but we’ve already established I’m not fussy, and I’ll add fancy either.

Many folks garden to save money. I don’t think I’ve had enough success to save any money at all. In fact, I’m sure I’ve spent more than what I’d have paid at the farmer’s market for the very small yield of veggies from last year and this one. I keep reminding myself that practice makes less failure, and gardening is a worthy hobby…and I actually may save myself money one day. One thing is for sure, I know where the food I grow comes from. For now, I am content with the knowledge I’m gaining, and the joy I’m finding in the trials and errors of this hobby.
Xoxo Tammy