Garden Deck with GS Containers

9 years ago

This qualifies as garden junk as all of my containers came from garage sales. :o) I planted a deck garden! So much easier to have my garden right outside the dining room on the deck. Easier to water and no deer or gophers! LOL I planted it late (in June) but things are thriving! The pictures show only part of the garden. I planted zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, lettuce, spinach, beans, peas, cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes, melons... Picked my first zucchini today! Had to share! Will have to get some photos of the other parts of the deck and "gardens". Bear Hugs! Kirk

Okay, this isn't a garage sale find...bought the Topsy Turvy containers from Collections, Etc. I read mostly negative reviews about the Topsy Turvy idea but mine are doing well! (I must be doing something wrong! LOL) The plants are loaded with tomatoes! :o)

Comments (9)

rock_oak_deer
That's a fantastic deck garden, love that most of your planters are wood so they "coordinate."

Those are the best pictures of Topsy Turvy planters I've ever seen. Congrats on that. The light must be reflected up to them instead of from the top down.
9 years ago
excessfroufrou
Wow, that's a great garden, deck or no deck. Everything is healthy looking. I'm not going to show my DH the pix of the topsy turvy tomatoes, he wanted some and I talked him out of them. His tomatoes are in the ground and about to burn up.
Frou
9 years ago
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I can give you ideas of what species work well - you will need to contact your local nursery to source them. The best bamboos for you would be the Phyllostachys species - this includes the nigra (black stemmed bamboo - stunning); spectabilis (crooked stems); aurea sucalta (green/yellow stripes). The bissetti is great for a privacy and doesn't end up growing tall. If you cut bamboo, it will not grow back - it will produce shoots in spring and fall and this will grow instead. There is one exception Semiarundinaria (fastuosa) which is a species you can cut and then the leaves will thicken. These all need good sunshine (about 5 hours per day) and if they don't need to be overwatered. Good drainage is necessary. You will need to check with your local nursery about these plants for your area: phyllostachys can grow VERY tall and you don't want to have to lug these out of their planters when they get too big. So start with smallish sizes and keep them low and remove old culms (stems) every spring to make room for the new shoots. One other word of warning. bamboos shed leaves a lot- so if you keep your hot tub covered that is fine. But you will find a lot of leaf drop all year round. Have fun - I love bamboo and currently have about 300 specimens and 25 species in my garden
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William, I love your design, and I agree that looking from your house to the lake, it is really gorgeous. I feel sad that someone criticized your project - I think it's wonderful. I think I see what you mean that the deck is very prominent when you look back at it from the lake. I feel similarly when I see a painted house with a new deck that is unfinished - sometimes it doesn't match the style of the house and it sticks out somewhat. I can't find exactly what I had in mind in a photo, but if you white washed the benches and stained the deck a very light stain so that it was darker than the benches you could still see the nice grain of the wood, but it would maybe match the paint job on your house more. The only photo I can find is not white wash and stain, but it shows having the floor just slightly darker and warmer than the house . The good thing about white wash and stain (as opposed to paint) is that you can do translucent layers until you have the tints opaque enough to go with the paint job on your house.
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There are many perennials that are suited for container life. Even many shrubs and dwarf trees. Larger planters will be required to help with winter hardiness. Remember drainage will need to be considered in the container size. for your area, for a tree I would recommend nothing smaller than a 15 gal container. For perennials, other than a groundcover sedum, nothing smaller than a 5 gallon container. Overall they will need more monitoring with water and fertility. Invest in better product at the start so you have the best chance for success. one last tidbit, put planters on feret to allow drying beneath planter on your deck boards, and larger the planter may need to be placed over footers to handle weight of pot.
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jeannespines
WOW! I love the zucchini plant in the whiskey barrell...that worked out wonderfully! I like the "no varmits" part of this garden! Except little ground squirrels around here would still be able to raise havoc! LOL! How 'bout the watering part? Do you have to do that daily as I do my potted plants (if no rain). And I see your bird sculpture junk pc sitting there on the deck with your wood planters...very rustic looking veggie garden! TFS! Jeanne S.
9 years ago
kirkus
Thanks for the nice comments!

Jeanne, I do water "my garden" daily... I have my morning Diet Pepsi (me bad) and then wander out onto the deck to water things. I have the kids involved too as they love Daddy's garden. :o) This garden is "spoiled" by love! LOL

I bought another bird sculpture...it's on the other side of "the garden". :o) The bear was a gift from a student.

I've had so much fun with this. I also bought a composter and will be adding stuff to the soil! Kids are involved with that too. Carol just goes with the flow! LOL FUN!

Bear Hugs! Kirk
9 years ago
tasymo
Very cool, Kirkus! I love experimenting with veggies. You should try sweet potatoes next Spring! They are VERY easy to grow in large containers and you can start dozens of plants from one large sweet potato in a glass of water on your window sill. (a great project to try with your kids) Are you allowed to have back yard chickens at your new place? I'll bet you'd love 'em!
9 years ago
laurastheme
My husband had a topsy turvy tomato container last year. Didn't do worth a darn. I really like the idea of a container garden.
9 years ago
sorie6 zone 6b
Very healthy looking garden. and best tomato container I've seen too. Keep up the good work.
9 years ago
sunnyca_gw
Wonderful garden & everything really seems to like the wood planters. Do you use dirt or potting soil like Miracle-Gro? mom got a topsy-turvy thing but it is still sitting there. I got a 6 pk of Early Girl tomatoes & planted 3 at their house & 3 at mine. We are giving neighbors some too as we don't have time to do anything with them but
I sure would like to make some tomato jam, it's my favorite! Jan
9 years ago
Marlene Kindred
MMMMmmmmm! Those look like are going to produce some yummy veggies Kirk!
9 years ago

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Garden Deck with GS Containers

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