Wonderful photos.  

I want to be you when I grow up.

We had a long dry spell here last month. Now we're wet, though not drowning like some folks, so I cannot complain and am thankful.

Feast or famine though, as far as the weather in most years.

Neat double squash.  How many plants dd those straight necks come from?

Ratling, is there a post in your thread that talks about the construction of your raised beds?

After a few years, mine have disintegrated.  I've got to do something more permanent next year.

If you say yes, I will start from the beginning and read through.

Kitties

AWESOME write up!

So....in the photos where you have stuff growing in the original beds as you're building your new ones--did you just transplant that? Or wait for it to finish the season and fill the following year?  Your new beds are much deeper than your original ones, so did you just dump the new fill in on top of the old beds?

Nothing lasts as long in high humidity and plenty of rain. You have more of that than I do, and gosh, lay a board on the ground here and in three years you'll have to look close to tell what it was.

Since you keep a record of what does well in your space, can you give advice on the kind of system you use for that? Spreadsheet?  Garden journal?  scribbles in a notebook?  

And I would love to see your findings on the varietals you've tried if you ever feel like posting them up.  

As an aside..I'm really surprised that you're not WAY too hot for any type of lettuce crop at this point.   I don't know SC climate, but I just assumed you are considerably hotter than we are up here.  (Kentucky)

I like your philosophy a lot.

I have questions..

1-Had you gardened before "in-ground"?

If so, do you see significant changes that need to be made when a gardener switches to raised beds?

(I have to say, if I were rendering any kind of guess from afar, without seeing your operation first hand, I'd guess that the concrete block structure, even specifically the concrete/air space/concrete structure that the blocks create, quite likely acts as a significant insulating buffer to ANY temperature variation in any direction, creating a very consistent environment both for the growing medium and a "softening" of the temp variation in the air surrounding your beds, and that's brilliantly evident in your results. I want very much to try this next year in a bed or two.)

2-It looks like you are using soaker hose for irrigation. (I saw some kind of hose-like thing wrapping under the wood chip mulch). How often and at what times are you watering?

3-Are you using any kind of fertilizer?  Any liquid feed via the irrigation?

Brilliant thread all around.  Thank you so much for sharing it here.

Bet that orange mint would make a bitchin' mint julep.

I have worked out what I consider the best "Regular Joe" recipe for the KY Derby mint julep, if the need comes up.

Just sayin'.  

First time I've shared this on Arfcom.

Here you go..

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep ala Kitties



Equipment:

*Julep cup (I use a rocks glass, which is very close—only a tad smaller--because I don’t have julep cups. But it should ABSOLUTELY be pre-chilled if you can manage it.  You can imagine that the metal julep cups hold that chill much better than any glass.)

*bar straws—you need these.  (or you can cut regular drinking straws in half. :0) Gotta have a straw to enjoy this drink.

Ingredients:

Hint: Have extra ingredients. Once your friends taste these, they will want more. You will be making them all night long, or until the ingredients run out.


*Fresh Mint—Have a couple of good bunches on hand. If necessary, you can buy this in little packages from the grocery. Don’t even THINK about buying some kind of bottled mint flavoring. If you’re going to do that, use some kind of cheap whisky. Don’t ruin the good Bourbon with that crap. And don’t use my name or mention the Kentucky Derby when you’re serving it. Angry gods may descend upon you  if that happens.

*Sugar in the Raw (no white sugar. Don’t do it.)

*Fiji bottled water (this is the best-tasting water I’ve ever used.  Use any other decent quality bottled spring water, but don’t even think about using tap water, and if you use bottled “purified” water, that’s just filtered tap water, so you might as well just drink swill.  Don’t waste your good Bourbon. This is a special occasion. Suck it up and get some decent water.  SPRING water because it has minerals in it (Kentucky water is the best water on the planet—limestone filtered-- but going for taste, Fiji is the next best).

*Crushed Ice—Per Arfcom/Kitties tradition, this should be chunk ice that has been put in a gallon baggie and beaten with the butt of an AR-15 until it’s “crushed” to the perfect consistency.  There is a story—and tradition—behind this part.  For strict adherence to the recipe, several Arfcom members should be in attendance and help with buttstroking the ice.  For even stricter adherence, said Arfcom members should have put a lot of lead downrange during the hours before this ice crushing.

*Woodford Reserve—this is the expensive part. Don’t even try to put in a substitute. There isn’t one.

*powdered sugar for sprinkling--optional

Here is the recipe:

Ahead of time, you make the Simple Syrup

1:1 Raw sugar/Fiji water—

*Mix 1 cup Fiji water and 1 cup Raw sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil.  Hold at a boil for at least five minutes, or longer if necessary so that sugar is completely dissolved.  

*Remove from heat and toss in a few mint sprigs—maybe four or five (I squeeze the mint very gently to get it to release the aromas as I toss it in)

*Let cool and pour into a jar to use for mixing drinks.  You can store this in the fridge for 24 hours, but I never have. I think the mint would be too strong at that point.  I use it 3-4 hours later, but it should be chilled.


To mix:

*Toss a couple of mint leaves into the bottom of the chilled glass.  Lightly muddle the leaves (barely press them against the side of the glass with a bar spoon).  

*Pour ½ oz (you can use a tablespoonful if you don’t have a jigger) of Simple syrup into the bottom of the glass.   (Can use up to ¾ oz if the drinker likes a sweeter drink--a lot of girls like it sweeter)

*Pack glass with crushed ice.

*Pour 1 ½ oz Bourbon over the ice.

*Insert straw

****optional extra step—At this point, you can sprinkle the ice with a small bit of powdered sugar if you wish. This makes it an extra special drink, but can be adjusted for taste of the drinker.


*Stick a mint sprig next to the straw (This is important—The scent of the fresh mint combines with the taste of the drink as you sip, to make the whole thing amazing). Plus, it looks nice.

*Serve. :0)

*Get ready to make more