Grow Your Own – Son Of The Return Of Bed 5
by John Weckerle
Return of the Son of Bed 5.
Growing season is upon us once again! Those who have been following New Mexico Central’s experimental gardening exploits have watched as we moved from four foot-square raised beds to the 12 x 24 foot extravaganza that is Bed 5, including its rise, fall, rise, and so on. Initially intended to provide a good rooting depth (24 to 30 inches through most of it) and protection from the elements and the herbivores (except, of course, us), the bed has served us well but needed improvement. Recent developments include replacement of the rabbit fencing and bird netting with poultry fencing, which is more durable than the bird netting. The latter simply did not stand up well to our local wind. The “hill and trough” configuration watered with soaker hose has been replaced with raised beds watered by drip irrigation, which should greatly reduce the water needed to produce the produce, as it were. We appear to have substantially more growing area, as well. Currently in the ground are tomatoes (Roma, Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Black Krim, and Black Cherry), Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, chard, bell peppers (green, gold, and orange), chiles (Chimayo and New Mexico 6), zucchini, and yellow squash. Still to be planted are cauliflower, eggplant, tomatillos, dill, and basil.
A word about drip irrigation and the installation thereof. At some point in the distant past, your editor became somehow convinced that this was a very difficult and complicated thing. It is not; installing drip irrigation is about as uncomplicated as it gets. Bed 5 was the first foray into this arena, and we have since installed a total of 500 feet of supply line and a multitude of emitters. This ends the tedious hand-watering of trees and shrubs that were looking much worse for the wear, but are now looking much better. Of course, the wildlife have noticed this, and some of our trees and shrubs are now looking a little chewed up by deer that have jumped the fence.