An Interview With A Raised Bed Gardener

A short while ago I did a blog on raised bed gardening.  One of my readers (who happens to also be a friend) read the blog and told me I just HAD to talk to her mother-in-law!  After making our connections, I learned that Bonnie (said gardener) has an amazing raised bed garden.  After seeing some pictures, I asked her if I could do a short email interview with her.  She was happy to oblige!  Following are the handful of questions I asked her and her responses.  I hope you all enjoy!

1. When and why did you first start gardening?

My first exposure to gardening was as my grandfather’s “apprentice”. Growing up, I lived next door to my grandfather who was an avid gardener and, as a little girl, I spent many hours watching him care for his gardens. I remember helping him plant the seeds in his basement in the spring and setting them under the grow lights. We’d check them daily and raise the lights as the plants grew.

In our area, Memorial Day was the time to plant. The anticipation of planting day was felt weeks before. When the “frost free” day finally arrived, he would show me how to plant the seeds and set in the seedling after hardening them off. He would always put a paper ring around the tomatoes to protect them from the cutworms.

He would have me weed (my least favorite garden chore!) for him. And he would pay me 10 cents a piece for every “cabbage moth” I could catch…..I didn’t make a whole lot of money, they are not easy to catch in flight! I think it was his way of getting me out from under foot! And as the summer months progressed, he would ask me to sit with him in lawn chairs just outside the gardens edge to “watch the garden grow” with him. The memory of how good the vegetables tasted, still warm from the sun, has always driven my desire to grow my own.

I have been gardening with perennials for many years but it wasn’t till 2003, that my husband and I decided to try our luck with a vegetable garden. We started off small the first few years and slowly expanded our garden to about 30 ft by 40 ft. We wanted fresh, organic produce rather than the tasteless produce that’s found in most grocery stores today. We also added a flock of laying hens to our family 4 years ago. You can’t imagine how nice it is to wake up in the morning, walk over to the garden, pick some fresh veggies, gather a few eggs and make an omelet…..it doesn’t get any better! A true slice of Heaven on earth.

2. Why did you decide to use raised beds to garden?

I’ve wanted to build raised beds for years. My first exposure to them was back in the 70’s. A good friend built some and convinced me that it was the way to go.

It had been difficult to keep up with the weeding (even with mulching between the rows) in our large garden. And I have to admit that for several years, the weeds won! We also had a few years of squash bug and cucumber beetle infestations. Very frustrating and disappointing!

After struggling with gardening in a big open plot for a few years, it became clear to me that it was time to build some beds. It took some convincing on the part of my husband. He loves his rototiller and was reluctant to give up the spring ritual.

In March of this year, we constructed 10 boxes. We put down landscaping screen between the rows and topped it off with about 3 inches of pea stone. No more tracking garden mud into the house! Now that the beds are complete and the garden is thriving, he’s a raised bed convert!

3. What is something you’ve learned about gardening because of using raised beds?

I think the best thing I’ve learned is that gardening doesn’t have to be a tedious chore. It has actually become a pleasurable thing to do. Even the weeding has become an almost Zen-like experience. I look forward to walking out to the garden just as the sun comes up with a cup of coffee in hand and the birds singing their morning songs. It has become peaceful place to be.

4. Do you find that you use more, less, or the same amount of fertilizer with raised beds?

Without a doubt, less fertilizer. This year, I’ve used Neptune’s Harvest with great success. I also find that it takes less water. I am able to water each individual box rather the the whole plot.

5. What is one of your favorite vegetables to grow in your garden?

Well, that’s a difficult question. They all have something to offer. This year, I would have to say it’s tomatoes. I found a wonderful greenhouse in my area that offers heirloom plants. They had 50 different varieties of tomatoes this year! For our garden, I chose 14 different varieties to put in and have enjoyed watching the fruit develop into really cool shapes and shades. I am looking forward to taste testing them!

6. Do you have a favorite recipe to prepare with vegetables grown in your garden?

Another difficult question! My husband loves my stuffed zucchini and it’s a good way to use up zucchini that has gotten a little too big.  I slice a zucchini length-wise and remove the seeds. Then I place it, cut side down, on a paper towel in the microwave and nuke until it’s just starting to get tender. Not too long because you will finish cooking it in the oven.

While that’s cooking, I chop up what ever I have around the house, usually a small onion, some mushrooms, celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and sauté them in olive oil til just tender. Then I toss the veggies in a bowl with some grated Parmesan cheese and some bread crumbs and a little salt and pepper and maybe some fresh basil and oregano. Sometimes I might add some browned sausage which makes it a meal in itself.

After it’s blended, stuff the two halves of the squash and sprinkle with some additional cheese and bake in and oven at 350 for about ½ hour. I usually turn the broiler on at the end of cooking to brown up the top.

7. Do you have any regrets/would you do anything different if you could do it all over again?

I actually have no regrets as yet. The only thing I would do differently (IF I were rich!) would be to use cedar rather that hemlock for the beds. But that was just financially out of reach for us. Hemlock was the next best thing.

8. What is your top piece of advice for any new gardener using raised beds?

I would suggest a few things. When constructing the beds, make sure you leave enough space between them to maneuver a small wheel barrel and make sure that they are not too wide. Ours are 4 feet wide allowing us to reach the middle from both sides. Make sure the soil you use to fill your beds has plenty of organic matter.

When we constructed our beds, we attached a piece of 1 inch pvc piping to the inside of the box every couple of feet equally on either side. Then we insert a length of ½ pvc pipe from one side to the other forming arches all along the length of the box. It can be used to drape plastic or shade cloth to form a row cover. It worked like a charm this spring as we were able to protect our tomatoes from a couple of killing frosts!

I hope you all enjoyed this interview!  I know I did.  Bonnie Keaveny is a Certified Licensed Massage Therapist and Reiki Practitioner who lives and works in Gardner, Massachusetts (Couldn’t be more perfect, right?!)  Her office is at Fitness Concepts Health Club, 696 West Broadway in Gardner, MA 01440.  If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and see her!  Until next time, take care and happy gardening!