Hey there fellow green thumbs!

As I embark on my fifth year of raised bed gardening atop the picturesque Plymouth ridge, I can’t help but reflect on the journey that brought me here – quite literally, considering my beds are perched 18 feet above ground!

You see, my gardening escapades have seen quite the evolution since my pre-Plymouth days. Back then, battling birds for my prized tomatoes was practically an Olympic sport! But here in Plymouth, perched high above Cape Cod Bay, it seems those feathery fiends haven’t found their way up to my elevated oasis. Knock on wood, of course.

Now, as I gear up for another season of planting, pruning, and harvesting, I find myself contemplating the mysteries of tomato density. From cramming eight plants into a single bed to the audacious experiment of dedicating a whole bed to just one hearty tomato vine, my journey through square foot gardening has been nothing short of enlightening.

This year, my grand experiment continues as I tinker with the nutrient balance in my beds, blending the old with the new to challenge my tomatoes to reach new heights – quite literally! With Sunchocola tomatoes destined for the raised beds and Early Girls poised to flourish in containers, the stage is set for a bountiful showdown.

And let’s not forget the unexpected additions to this year’s lineup including a Cherokee Purple that mysteriously found its way into my cart during an innocent shopping spree at Burpee. Oh, the joys of gardening surprises!

But amidst the excitement of new plantings and ambitious experiments, I find solace in the wisdom imparted by my son Ryan, a horticultural maestro who recently penned a guidebook on raised bed gardening. As I pore over its pages for the umpteenth time, I’m reminded that the journey of a gardener is one of perpetual learning and growth – both for the plants and the person wielding the trowel.

So here’s to another season of dirt-stained hands, sun-kissed tomatoes, and the simple joy of watching life bloom in unexpected places. In the meantime, please check out Ryan’s Raised Bed Gardening in America GuideBook.

Happy gardening, my friends, and may your harvests be as abundant as your heart desires!