Peppers in a Grow Box

We grow lots of veggies in our two side-yard raised beds.  The beds are relatively small, but since the soil is rich, we use succession planting, and we plant our veggies intensively, we're able to get a lot out of those beds even though they each get only part sun.

We extend our veggie-growing space using containers.  This year we're trying out Grow Bags and Grow Boxes, compliments of the companies that make them.  I'll show you what we did with the Grow Bags in a future post.

Last May, we were lucky enough to attend Garden2Blog 2012, hosted by P. Allen Smith and sponsored by a number of garden industry companies he partners with.  After the event several of those partners shipped us free products to trial.  The Grow Box, along with Black Gold organic soil we received from event sponsors were used to grow these peppers.  

For the second year, our peppers are growing in our front foundation landscape where we actually have full sun.  We've grown peppers successfully in our part-sun veggie beds, but they ripen quicker and are more productive out in front.  

We had a bumper crop of all sorts of colorful peppers in individual pots last year.  The downsides of individual pots were how much time it took to water them, how much water it took, and the amount of space needed for all those pots.  All the downsides are solved with the Grow Box.  

As unbelievable as it seems, there are eight pepper plants jammed into this planter, and they are easily as productive, if not more so, than they were last year in individual pots.  Thanks to the unique design of the Grow Box with it's very efficient use of water, they've needed a lot less water a lot less often.

today's harvest

After trialing our Grow Box with peppers this year. I'm sold.  They're a fantastic option for small-space veggie gardeners.  They'd also be great for gardening with children, an easy-care option for patio and balcony gardeners, and wonderful for older folks who find traditional vegetable gardening too physically taxing.  For me, they add precious space to our veggie-growing real estate and are attractive enough to plunk down amidst the flowers growing in full sun in our front foundation landscape.

Our veggies are grown organically, so naturally we use organic soil in containers.  I've been pleased with the quality and performance of Black Gold.  I love that Grow Boxes offer organic fertilizer as an option for their kits.  New fertilizer and organic jute covers can be ordered separately, and the box and soil can be re-used in future gardening years.  

Many thanks to the nice folks at Black Gold for the soil, and Garden Patch who makes the Grow Box for letting us test their products.

Garden2Blog12 - The Garden Home Retreat

This spring I was honored to be invited to attend P. Allen Smith's Garden 2 Blog 2012, when a couple dozen garden bloggers gathered in Little Rock, Arkansas for a rollicking good time that included a day at his Garden Home Retreat.  

It was wonderful being able to visit the farm for a second time, in a different season.  Last fall after being one of three winners of a photo contest sponsored by Garden Safe, the Lawn Man and I were treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to the farm for an event called A Tale of Two Farms.  Like this time, I did a slideshow of the event so I could cram as many pictures as possible into one post.  If you missed it, you can see the slideshow from last fall here.  

This isn't a wordy post, and without further ado, hope you enjoy this photo visit to the Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain.

Attendees at Garden2Blog 2012 received transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals at no cost. Event sponsors provided samples and product giveaways with no cost or obligation.  All opinions in this post are mine.

Garden2Blog - The City Garden Home: Container Inspiration

After lunch and an information-packed presentation by Jay Baer, social media guru, day one of Garden2Blog continued with a tour of the gardens at The City Garden Home, P. Allen Smith's original Garden Home.

Some of the cool things about the City Garden Home were its story (bought for $1.00 and moved from its original location,) its modest size, practical inspiration for both simple. and extravagant gardening and hardscape projects, the raised veggie beds, and the container plantings.

Containers at the Little Rock Garden Home, and at the Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm, were surprisingly simple - often containing just one or two plant varieties.  Pots were clustered in groups, used as focal points, and placed right into the gardens.

They defied the 'thriller, spiller, filler'  convention to great effect, don't you think?

These simple container designs could easily be duplicated by anyone, including newbie gardeners.

This is a great time of year in the Chicago area and all around the Midwest to be inspired  by container plantings.

Nurseries have their biggest, and best selections right now,

and even someone who's intimidated by the idea of planting an ornamental container garden on a patio, deck, path, porch,  or anywhere,

can take comfort and find inspiration in these simple, beautiful, effective designs.

And while you're at it, consider planting a few herbs, too!  Herbs are fantastic in containers, look pretty, smell wonderful, and will inspire and flavor your meals all season long.

Attendees at Garden2Blog 2012 received transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals at no cost. Event sponsors provided samples and product giveaways with no cost or obligation.  All opinions in this post are mine.

Garden2Blog - Marlsgate Plantation Tour

It was a thrill last week being part of P. Allen Smith's second annual Garden2Blog event, when 23 garden bloggers from around the country descended on Little Rock, Arkansas for two days of garden tours, socializing, design competitions, and gardening products demonstrations.

The event kicked off with a tour of the opulent Marlsgate Plantation home and gardens located in Scott, Arkansas, about 15 miles southeast of Little Rock.  The  home was built in 1904, and over the years had fallen into disrepair.  It was restored by David P. Garner, Jr., a long-time friend of Allen's, and is listed on National Register of Historic Places.

Visitors are greeted by a pair of these large-scale urns on the front porch.

The cherubs reminded me of our baby granddaughters back at home.

David Garner, the hilarious, flamboyant owner of Marlsgate was a wonderful host.  

We were allowed to wander at will through the house and gardens.  The Greek Revival home is filled with eye candy for antique lovers.

The dining room table was set with refreshments, including petits fours and meringues.

At 5' 8" even I would need a ladder to climb into this bed!  These gals are standing, (NOT kneeling) on the floor.

All that crystal was starting to make me a little nervous.  It was time to head outdoors and visit the gardens, which hopefully would be a lot less fragile.

The gardens are designed as a series of "rooms."  Some of the borders are informal,  like this one.

Meandering paths run throughout the gardens.

There was lots of interesting statuary like this,

and several formal garden rooms, like this classic boxwood garden,

and this one with its lovely arbor entrance.

Another of many examples of fine sculpture.

The solarium is a gardener's fantasy. 

As we headed down the long front walk back to our bus, I was startled by the largest, most beautiful,  most fragrant magnolias I've ever seen.  As over-the-top as Marlsgate is, the first and last things I saw - the cherubs, and the magnolias, were among the most memorable (not counting David, of course, who could never be forgotten!) 

Attendees at Garden2Blog 2012 received transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals at no cost. Event sponsors provided samples and product giveaways with no cost or obligation.  All opinions in this post are mine.