Raised Beds

April, 18 2026

For years, we have had some sort of summer garden with the “go-to” southern favorites of tomatoes and peppers. Occasionally, in our younger days, we would add cucumbers, eggplant, or yellow (crookneck) squash, planting everything directly in the ground.

However, when we moved, full-sun spaces were far less abundant in our new yard. As such, we pivoted to planting in pots, which was usually successful for peppers, but did not hold true for tomatoes.

So, this year we decided to try our hand at raised beds. We started by laying a layer of pea gravel, followed by dried leaves, “green” kitchen scraps, cow manure, topsoil, and finally potting soil.

I cannot say enough about the local Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale, where I found several heirloom varieties, including Cherokee Purple, Orange Peach, Black Cherry, and German Johnson.

In the past, we have sacrificed countless young tomatoes to the whims of snacking squirrels and birds. To thwart their hungry appetites, we are going to cover our plants with nets, so I am very interested to see the outcome.

I remember growing up, my grandmother and her friends always planted marigolds alongside their vegetables to keep pests like whiteflies at bay. I have missed this tradition when planting in pots and am excited to welcome these beautiful orange bombshells back.

Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to capture photos at every step of the process. Here, you’ll find images featuring the pea gravel, along with one that includes both the pea gravel and the leaf layers.

Earlier, we assembled the bed, which was not overly difficult but did take some time. After that, we added the layers I mentioned before, finally installing the plants.

Other varietals not previously mentioned included cowhorn, jalapeno, banana, and poblano peppers, and better boy plus tomatoes.