Victory Gardens: How Do You Grow?

 Hey Friends!

Today on the blog, I'll be chatting about different styles of gardening we've tried over the years.

We started our Farm in 2017 but never had a steady, producing garden until 2020. We've done it all; Raised Beds, In-Ground and Container.

In this post, I'll be going in depth on the advantages and disadvantages we've experienced with each one. What I would like gardeners to take away from this post is no matter which garden method you choose, all require hard work and dedication.

 

Clipart credit: Clipart Dreamscape on Etsy

Raised Bed Gardening

Raised Bed Gardening has been our preferred method twice over the years. Mainly because it's incredible weed control. We have so many projects on the farm, weeds are the last thing I want overwhelming us. 

Advantages:

There are many advantages with Raised Bed Gardening. 

Less Weeds

As I mentioned above, Raised Beds produce a lot less weeds. However, one thing to remember, it's not completely weed free. Birds can fly by and drop grass seed or plant seeds from other plants. You will have stragglers here and there.

More Esthetically Pleasing

There's no doubt Raised Bed Gardens look amazing. Everyone has a different style & setup, which makes each of our gardens unique. We're still in the process of adding decor to ours.

Disadvantages:

Nutrient Deficiencies

 Raised Bed Gardens require soil testing and amending with the correct nutrients plants need to thrive. We've recently soil tested our brand new, first year soil and it was lacking everything but the PH. So, we're in the process of amending with different, organic fertilizers so we can have a successful garden this year.

Attracts Ants

Ya'll!!! Where do I even begin with this topic? If there's any pest, ever, that we've dealt with having Raised Beds, it's ants. It's a fight for us every year. We do use organic pest control but as soon as it rains, they're back with vengeance. The moral of the story is, it's a never-ending battle. LOL

In-Ground Gardening

In-Ground Gardening, in terms of growth, survival and nutrients, is by far, my favorite method of gardening. Especially where we live, our land used to be a sugar cane field years ago.

Advantages:

Best Soil Ever

Honestly, you can't get better than soil from the earth. While many areas have different types of soil, our dark, sandy soil has been the best at growing our food. Earth soil contains so many minerals and nutrients that's beneficial for your plants.

Retains Water Well

Earth soil, at least in our area, tends to retain water the best. When it rains, depending on the amount, our ground can store water for our plants up to a week. Not having to water is a chore taken off your to-do list when it comes to maintaining a garden. Every little bit of extra help counts.

Disadvantages:

Incredible Weeds

While in-ground gardens have many benefits, weeds are probably the biggest problem. Our in-ground garden had never looked better, but by June and July, the weeds were unbearable. The next time we have an in-ground garden, I already have some tools in mind to assist with weed control.

Container Gardening 

Container Gardening is a very versatile method of growing food. Many people have container gardens for different reasons; cost and space being the most common.

Advantages:

Cost Effective

Container Gardens are cost effective in many different ways. Whether you're using grow bags, buckets or homemade wooden boxes, you can customize the cost based on your needs and financial situation.

Mobile

One of the best advantages of Container Gardening is being able to move them around your area, as needed. Whether your plants need full sun or partial shade, this method makes it easy for you to maintain the health of your plants.

Disadvantages:

Dries Out Easily

The main issue we've had with past Container Gardens was regulating the amount of water needed. Container gardening requires you to water more often to ensure your plants are getting their proper hydration.

These methods of gardening all have the potential to succeed if you learn the ways to properly maintain them. We've dabbled into all three methods. How do you grow your Victory Garden?

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