Thanks to everyone for your kind words. DW being pleased is its own reward but it sure is nice to hear approvals from fellow gardeners.
Salix - I do have a scale drawing I drew up on the PC. It was actually made before I started putting in the beds.
Barbee - The garden tractor was a gift from DW. She thought I/we might need a spot to rest from time to time as we worked. I haven't had too much chance to use it yet.
Mark - The beds along the fences are my favorite part as well. By doing them that way I got 25% more total growing space than if I had put in all 4x4 beds.
Livinonfaith - the stacked box was a combination of ideas from DW and myself. It is planted with strawberries. Eventually I will bore holes in the sides of the boxes and add plants through the holes. I need to revisit it this fall though and put bottoms on the top two levels changing about 1/2 the soil mix for a lighter potting mix. The way it is there is a little too much settiling going on.
Zabby - The trellises are done with 1/2" thinwall electrical conduit, 3/4" PVC electrical conduit corners and nylon trellis netting. I've been experimenting with the trellis netting for a few years and found 1) there is polyester stuff out there that you want to avoid, 2) cheap nylon stuff in little 5 x 15 ft packages that you want to avoid. I found one really good version so far. It is from Burpee in their 5 ft x 60 ft package. The stuff is really strong and UV stabilized. I have some that has been in use for what will now (counting this season) be four years. I am sure there are other sources for the good stuff but I don't know where. (Note: The shorter lengths Burpee sells is junk too. Only 5 x 60 has been any good but it is only $20 for the 60 ft). I cut it to one square less than the 4 ft width, tie one side to one pole and use braided nylon masons cord I got from Lowes (also UV stabilized) to tie the other side and the top edge to the frame. The trellisses extend just over 6 feet high above the beds. Any taller and I think the 1/2 inch thinwall would be too thin.
This is the first time I have tried tomatoes on them but all seems fine and I expect it to work out OK. So far tying tomato vines up to it has been easy. They also grow in and out through the netting some. If the vines get real tall/long the plan is to tie some cord across the top frames from one trellis to another and let them grow over the top.
Thanks so much again to everyone for all your kind words. It has been a lot of work but well worth it thus far. Right now I am trying intstall drip irrigation. Over the weekend I put it in for the tomato beds so there will be NO OVERHEAD WATERING THIS YEAR (YAY!). I will update again later as things progress with the Toms.
George
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