Spring has sprung here in Texas (and then winter came back for a second, but now spring is back…pretty typical…), and that means we are getting our spring garden going! This year we decided to change things up and try some raised/container beds because we just felt they would be easiest to maintain.  Last year, we converted an old water trough into a little pepper garden and it worked better than we could even hope…so we are crossing our fingers that it wasn’t just beginner’s luck!

My husband got creative and, using stuff around the house (yes, we seem to have endless amounts of “stuff” laying around the house), created some really cool beds out of old culvert pipes.  He used some metal pipe fence we had removed when building the wood shed to make stands and put them at a very comfortable height so that we aren’t bending over to weed, water and pick.  They turned out so great!  My mom is using empty molasses tubs this year for her tomatoes and okra, and she also built a few container out of old pallets for her green beans and strawberries.  It just goes to show you that if you get creative, just about anything can be turned into a garden!

One big thing we added this year that we hope will produce for years and years to come, were six blackberry bushes. When we got them in the mail, they looked a little…well…dead.  But, I’m happy to report that all of the plants have new growth now and seem to be adjusting to their new home very well!

So far we have planted tomatoes, mammoth jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, strawberries and cucumbers.  We will also be planting some banana peppers and bell peppers soon. There is really nothing more satisfying that watching something you planted and cultivated grow into something that you can then feed your family!  And working in the garden always makes me think of my grandparents. My mom’s parents always had a big garden when I was growing up, and every time we were over there we would end up working in the garden: picking veggies, shelling peas or shucking corn.  So many awesome memories!  I didn’t always love it…the okra always made me itchy and I was slightly terrified of walking between the rows of corn because I was certain that’s where snakes lived…but I learned so much!

We don’t have a huge garden at our house by any means, but we enjoy working out there and the kids love to get their hands dirty and help us .  It is really great family time and I hope we are giving our kids some great memories along the way!

Happy Gardening!