Help in the Garden

While in West Virginia this past week visiting family, I was so happy to spend time in my brother and sister-in-law's greenhouse and garden.

 They have a very pretty pick-your-own blueberry farm in Renick, W. Va., White Oak Farm.

 It's a lovely greenhouse, brought from a state college by another brother for them to use on the farm. They just set it up late last spring, so this was their first full year to use it. There are plant tables all around with raised beds beneath.

There's a raised bed down the center also:

Anne ha a simple work table set on two drums. Max puts water in the drums for storage for the greenhouse, plus the moisture keeps the place cool/warm depending on the season.

 I really like that she can hang plants on the metal rails around the edge. And see her raised beds outside too? She has some lettuces there and spinach.

Okay, now this is one tip Anne gave me that I'm excited about: planting seedlings in simple containers from the kitchen. Why didn't this occur to me? What a great re-using!

 And this one I love: starting seedling in those plastic produce containers from the grocery. They have drainage already, and built-in lids for humidity. Good depth. Considering how AWFUL those brown paper pots were for us this spring, I'm eager to use these. I've been saving them up, wonderful what good they'd be. Now I know!

Here's another grand idea: making a plastic cloche for tender cool weather plants with milk jugs. Cut the bottom off the jug and remove the cap. Place over broccoli and such plants in the garden bed. Here Anne used it in the greenhouse too, for added protection in winter.

They had some beautiful greens growing.

Spinach too, and cabbages and kale.

Here you see the wire they place above all the drums and on all the plant tables. Gives a good surface for watering everything, and the drums make it a perfect height.

If you want to see more pics of their beautiful farm, click here to hop over to my other blog.