I have been growing a garden for about 14 years now. It started when we lived at our old house even before the kids were born. I started with a small 10×10 fenced in area. I grew a small amount of cucumbers and tomoatoes and just messed around with different stuff. When we moved to our current house I put in a garden on the right 
side of our garage. It was fairly small and I had a fence built across from the garage to the big fence to seperate it from the yard. The tomatoes didnt grow very well because there was always too much shade. I had success with eggplant and peppers. So what I did in the last couple years was extend the garden past the garage and all the way down to the back of the fence. It is now a pretty big area. I also built another fence all the way back to the end of the back yard. I tilled up as much as I could last year until the tiller burnt up and planted all my plants. I had some tires that I planted tomatoes in and they worked great. It was messy but very productive with okra, peppers, and tomatoes. The cucumbers did pretty well but they were a little taken up by weeds. The eggplants thrived late in the year as well as a couple pepper plants. I had trouble with the weeds and the mud next to the house.
All in all it worked out good though 
and I also had a good success with my cantaloupe. I had never grown them before and learned alot about keeping them from getting mushy. My okra went crazy and I was able to freeze a bunch of it and the peppers and eggplant. Well this year I tried to fix it all up and make it nice. I made a walkway down the side with crushed granite and steps. I also had a guy come in and clean out all the weeds and grass and put in two yards of dirt. I also moved one of my sections of cyclone fence so the cucumbers could grow up the side. Before I go on I did plant a winter garden for the first time last year as well. I planted, collard greens and lettuce,cabbage and brocolli and cualiflower. The brocolli and cauflower didn’t produce as good but the greens I love. The lettuce was hard because it was hard to keep it from getting mushy but the cabbage did good and I am still pulling off collard green leaves and eating them. Brad loves them as well. Anyway, this year it is better organized. I have nice rows and I even tr
ied to seperate the cantaloupe from the other stuff. I read that it likes shade better so I but it in the front. The stuff I planted in the tires works better so I may start trying to get as many tires as I can. The tomatoes in there now are huge. I also got some tomatoes from Stephen Harrell’s dad. He grows them from seed so that is exciting to have some Livingston grown tomatoes. My peppers don’t look as good right now but I am hoping they will come on strong. I planted a yellow squash that looks great. Ofcourse the okra is going good but like I said the peppers are what bother me. Just not growing as fast as I want. The wee
ds are coming in alot also I think I want to get a small tiller and till inbetween the rows to help out. I lined the outside with landscape timbers to try and help. I also put in some solar lights , haha, it looks cool but I don’t know how productive it will be.It is very relaxing and frustrating at the same time. I love getting it going but hate the weeds. I do have a great deal of pride when I am able to pull a large bucket full of produce. For example on nights we eat deer meat or fish or sausage and cook up some greens or okra and tomatoes everything we eat is from the garden. Except the cold beer!!!! Well I am looking forward to alot of produce and can’t wait to fill the freezer.
Ya’ll be safe out there!!
