Garden Box for Herbs & Vegetables

We recently cleaned up our backyard planters and I have always wanted to do a vegetable and herb garden. Our dirt is tough and strewn with nearby tree roots, so I made a raised planter box.

First I had to measure the size garden box I wanted for my limited space and determine exact location. Next I had to consider the water source for this area. We have an existing drip system, so I added some drip lines that would exclusively water this garden box.

Materials needed:

• Wood planks, cut to size (5'x20" was my box area size)
• L-shape hardware brackets (8 - 2 each x 4 corners)
• Screw driver (electric tool makes it easy)

Redwood is the preferable wood for outdoor garden boxes. Redwood can be more expensive but the box frame will endure, lasting much longer by withstanding the outdoor elements better over time. However, my local lumber store did not have 12" wide redwood strips in stock at the time.  I wanted a taller box out of one width of wood, plus I wanted to purchase materials and build my garden box the same day, so I settled for using pine wood to achieve my 12" garden box height.  Please note that pine will erode over time, but I only need this garden for one or two summer seasons, as we will eventually re-landscape the back yard.  So pine will suffice for my short-term gardening project. 

 

Home Depot cut the wood to my desired length at no charge (such a deal), resulting in two 12" wide strips of both 20" and 5' lengths.  This will give me a 20"W x 5'L x 12"H finished box.

You will need 8 braces total to secure the garden box corners with 2 braces per corner.  I purchased 2 packages of L-shape corner braces (4 per bracket).  You can use wider braces, but I do not need this box to endure more than 1-2 summer seasons, so I went the cheap route. Any width brace will work, depending on how long you want your garden box to last.

Secure the brace on the end of one plank by screwing it approximately 3" from the edge of your wood's width.  Repeat approximately 3" from the opposite width's end, so there are two braces on the end as pictured below.  Repeat this on both interior ends of each 5' plank. Note: once you fill the finished planter box with dirt, these braces will be covered by the dirt.

Next you need to connect the 5' piece to the 20" end by drilling screws into existing L-shape brace onto the 20" end.  Make sure to connect so that ends are even, but they still look good if they're not perfect.

Repeat on all inside corners until you have created your 4-sided box.

Here is the end view.

Next you're ready to put the garden box in your yard.

Make sure to place the drip lines under the box, so the lines will be hidden in the soil and not drape over the garden box exterior.

Fill the garden box with soil and compost and you're ready to plant your herbs and vegetables.

I added the the ends of my drip line once my herbs were planted, to specifically direct water spray to each plant.  I also planted some seeds amidst the started herbs, so my garden will bloom in stages over the summer.

 

Looking forward to cooking with these herbs and vegetables all summer.

Autumn in Chicago

For our One-Year Anniversary, my wonderful husband took me to Chicago.  I had never been to Chi-town and have always heard how fabulous it was. 

 

Everyone was right... it is such a cool town, especially this time of year.  One of the things that stood out was the abundantly creative fall plantscape throughout downtown. 

 

 

From small pumpkins and cabbage plants in black topiary urns in the Gold Coast section on Walton Street...

To uniquely tall and grandiose fall decorated containers at the base of the John Hancock Center.  This is the 4th tallest building in Chicago at 1,127 feet and the plantscape art was a compliment to it's height. 

 

 

These planters made you look up to the incredible building heights

 

In front of The Art Institute of Chicago, the large pots welcomed you to the season.

  

And on Michigan Avenue, each block had different chrysanthemum arrangements, but this was my favorite with custom iron angled trellis woven with autumn branches.

Not only does this city exude architectural wonders, but the restaurants were culinary adventures and a Chicago Bears game at Soldier field topped it off (what's fall without football?)! 

Unfortunately the Bears lost to the Saints, but it was a perfect fall day for football.

And I'll be returning to Chi-town any chance I can get.... such a fun city.

Olive Tapenade

This is such a yummy recipe ... especially for someone who does not really care much for olives in anything!  I actually remove olives on pizzas by hand before eating!!

I discovered this original recipe from Former Chef after searching Google for a tapenade recipe (blog also gives instructions to roast a pepper).  This is great as an appetizer on toasted crostini, crackers or any fresh bread.  I rub freshly cut garlic cloves and a little olive oil on cut crostini and bake for 20 minutes at 250, turning bread once.

OLIVE TAPENADE
(I slightly varied the recipe, but you can pretty much use quantities you have on hand)

• 1 C Kalamata olives, pitted
• 1.5 - 2 C Green olives, pitted (I LOVE canned Graber Olives)
• 1 Red bell pepper; roasted & peeled
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1-2 Tbl fresh Italian parsley
• 1-2 Tbl fresh basil
• Juice of half a lemon (or whole lemon, depending on size)
• 3-4 Tbl good olive oil
• Salt to taste

Finely chop all ingredients (food processor works great), stir in lemon juice and olive oil.  Salt to taste & serve.  Keep refrigerated up to one week in air tight container.


I grew up on Graber Olives, as their 1894 business started in Ontario, California and both my sisters worked at the Graber Olive House during high school.  I always keep some cans on hand and also just enjoy them plain out of the can.

Olive tapenade also makes a great hostess gift.  When we're going to a friend's for dinner, I bring it wrapped in an 8-oz mason jar, so we don't arrive empty handed.

Enjoy! 

Appetizer - Zucchini Boat

   
It's true what the more experienced gardeners have said ... zucchini grows easily and large!  There are so many recipes to enjoy, but I wanted to utilize the massive size of this vegetable with my dinner guests. This garden-inspired crudite appetizer boat is perfect for H.U.G.E. zucchini's.

(On a side note, these grew over a foot in length in only a couple days, so I've learned to harvest these early at a reasonable size).

Cut the top third off the length of these big boys and scoop out the zucchini's flesh with an ice cream scoop or melon baller.  Leave enough zucchini flesh in tact to keep the shape, since the dark green skin is not strong.

Slice the top third of the zucchini into thin slices and add to the vegetable crudite boat along with celery, carrots & peppers. 

 If you cut off the bottom of the celery stalk, it makes a natural green 'flower' to use as garnish on the platter. 

Add some hummus to the heart of butter lettuce and it's time for appetizers!

Growing a Vegetable Garden, Part VIII - First Harvest, week #6

Two days before Mother's Day, I received a text with the following picture.

Mom's text message read ... "Your 1st picked crop"

My mother had picked these first four vegetables from our garden and I am SO EXCITED!!!!  In only six weeks, 2" zucchini plants are producing 6"-8" zucchinis and a tiny seed produced a radish.

The journey ...

6-pack of zucchini sprouts from Armstrong's 3.31.12

Zucchini blossoms with plant as big as a car tire 5.3.12

The zucchini almost ready to be harvested

Homemade zucchini bread for Mother's Day.  The piste de resistance!!
VOILA!

Growing a Vegetable Garden, Part VII - Growth, week #5

It's true that with time, water and sunshine, plants do GROW.  The tomatoes have recently busted out in volume.

As of 3.31.12

Mom had something eatting her tomatoes last summer, so we are being cautious this year and have added the screen to keep unwanted eaters OUT.

As of 4.14.12

From left to right, I planted the following tomatoe varieties: Heirloom, Champagne, Beef Master & Cherry (I added the cherry tomatoe plant more recently).
I'm so excited to see these tiny plants become the size of shrubs with lots of blossoms!

As of 5.5.12

The entire garden view shows the same 5-week growth overall below:
BEFORE...on 3.31.12

Initial Garden view before anything was planted 3.31.12

and NOW, after six weeks...last weekend on 5.5.12

Garden view as of 5.5.12

Mom inherited the two grapevines on a trellis to the right of the garden and they are growing from the water drip system, as well.
Gardening lesson I'm learning: under the grapevines along the right wall I planted corn in the far corner, cucumbers under the wooden stakes and sunflowers behind the small zucchini plant.  I didn't realize this area is 100% shade, so these plants are barely growing without any sun.  These plants need the sun, so I will have to replant or start fresh in a sunny area of the garden.

Growing a Vegetable Garden, Part VI - Rainstorm

Then the rain came ..........

While rain is usually a welcome provider, my sunflower seeds took the brunt of the heavy downpour.

These healthy, fast growing sprouts, were transplanted in the soil and the rain came later that week.

 After two days of fairly heavy rain, the young sprouts were pummeled and beheaded...

While this may not be a gardening term, but it was sad to see the fruits (or flowers) of my labor

have this heavy set back.

I tried to salvage what I could, and also planted a few new sunflower seeds in between the damaged sprouts, but time will tell whether we'll actually see any yellow blooms.  This is such a minor example, but I can't begin to imagine how devastating some unwanted weather could be on the early pioneers' large crops after days of toil to plant and grow.  It's a true lesson that we can't control everything and that God has the ultimate control of our labors.

Growing a Vegetable Garden, Part V - Transplanting (Week #4)

With the drip system in, we are beginning week #4,

so I completed planting the sprouts that had begun to grow from seed.

Green beans

Corn

I also planted some vegetables starter plants I bought from the nursery

Tomato - four varieties

Cucumbers

Zucchinis
I had a 6-pack to plant, but my Mom said these grow so large, I only planted 3.

Lastly, I transplanted more thin sprouts I had started as seeds, together with additional new seeds planting directly in the soil and not a hot house tray...

am interested to see the results from seeds in this starter environment.

Carrots, Cilantro, Dill, Lettuce, Italian Parsley and Scallions in the foreground

I'm truly excited to see what thrives or struggles and what I will actually be able to eat.