Alabama Garden Tour #2

Below you will see just a taste of the bountiful harvest from Garden Tour #2!  This garden is located in the sunny southern state of Alabama.  Take a look and be encouraged learning that even a small garden can produce many tasty vegetables.

Eggplant, Red Peppers, Tomatoes and Basil

I was encouraging a family member to start a garden at their home in Alabama.  However, there were several challenges.  First, the yard was very small and didn't have space for a typical raised bed.  Second,  they needed a bed that was easy to assemble and something that could be disassembled easily if they had any future relocation.   Then most important of all it needed to be attractive so that it was accepted by the homeowners association.   I found this incredible solution at Gardener's Supply. It's called the 4 in 1 Modular Raised Bed and can be arranged in 4 different ways to fit your space. 

This Modular raised bed fits into the landscaping.

I passed along my new found knowledge companion planting to help guide her selection of plants.  She choose (2) Eggplants, (2) Peppers, (2) Tomatoes, Basil & (1) Zucchini.   She also added a drip irrigation hose to water the plants.   The plants were planted at the end of May, because that is when she received the raised bed.  However, next year she can start planting earlier because of the longer growing season in Alabama.

Drip irrigation hose on far right

Below you can see a picture of the bed in August.

Happy Happy Tomatoes!

 She also experimented by growing a Zucchini and a Tomato plant in pots on her deck.  These plants received more sun in this location and their leaves started to show signs of distress.  I researched this problem and found out that plants can get sunburn!  They can get yellow spots on their leaves and fruit and then the plant tissue is affected. 

Zucchini plant in pot

To remedy this she moved the plants on the deck to an area that was in the sun during the morning and shaded in the afternoon.  In the raised bed she then added a lightweight white fabric covering over the Zucchini plant. 

Banana Tree

Banana Trees

This garden also has (4) Banana trees!  At first you may think that these plants could only grow in the south, but I have discovered that you can grow a  Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree if you live in zones 4-11.  Our garden is in zone 6 so we would make the cut.  In order for it to work for us we would have to keep the plant in a large pot and then bring it into the house during the late fall & winter.  (For the fruit to ripen it needs a frost free environment). This variety is dwarf-sized maturing to 8-10 feet in height.
  

You too can make your garden fit the yard that you have whether it is small or large!  There are even solutions if you have no yard at all!  You can use a planter, an elevated bed, pots and you can even grow vegetables and fruit on your apartment balcony.   Get creative and enjoy!