I just moved into a home with raised bed planters. The lower tier is 11'x2' and the top tier is 11'x1' the planter is fully in the sun and the soil is 2' deep. I would love to plant vegetables (tomatoes, beans, peppers) but I'm not sure if a tiered garden against a fence would support that. Any ideas on the veggies that would thrive in this planter or if I should stick to flowers? Thanks!
That would be a wonderful garden!
A few pointers:
Every time you step on the soil you are compacting it. Put something there for access and a step so you can get to the upper planter without standing on the soil in the lower planter.
Plants for along the fence:
Vining or climbing peas, beans, squash, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes (Indeterminate) and any other vegetable that tends to ramble.
I would add some wire mesh to the fence, perhaps the 6" x 6" welded wire mesh used for concrete. Tie the vining plants to the mesh as needed- Tomatoes will need the plants to be tied, but can support their own fruit. Squash, melons, cucumbers and pumpkins may need some help to climb, and the larger types cannot support their own fruit- make a sling with nylon stockings.
In between these, when they are young (small) you can get a crop of lettuce, spinach, carrots, radish, beet and many other small, fast things.
In the lower bed you can put the bush forms of the plants listed above, and MANY other vegetables: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, garlic, peppers, eggplant, most herbs, strawberries and more. Even one sunflower. (They get big, but are really impressive for kids)
Avoid crops that take up a lot of room or give you poor returns for the space:
Corn is probably the big one to avoid for this reason.
Specialty potatoes might be worth space for a plant or two, but there are other ways of growing them that would not take up space in the boxes.
Full sun, deep soil, great drainage - it looks perfect!
Maybe paint the fence flat white, to increase the light level.
I agree that the fence needs a little help to be a good trellis.
6" square welded wire ("remesh" or concrete-reinforcing mesh) like Dianna suggested would be ideal. Any wire fencing ought to be OK since you don't to reach THROUGH it.
Or, it looks like that wooden fence would allow you to staple strings to it, or maybe nail on a few 1x2 slats horizontally and then zig-zig strings by stapling them at top and bottom.
I also agree that never stepping on the soil is great for the roots and aeration. Could you lay a board on top of the lower wall and somehow attach it to the upper wall or some pillar that does not compress soil, so you can stand on that board?
Nice garden!
