We installed an organic fruit and vegetable garden at this Ashfield home. The project also included the planting and pruning of trees on the property and the installation of an orchard that yields six different fruits.
These pictures will focus on the fruit and vegetable garden. Previous to the vegetable garden there was an overgrown field with rocks, stumps, and depressions in the ground. The garden is approximately 25′ X 50′ and contains 8 framed raised beds. Each bed contains a mix of vegetables and herbs, with cutting flowers at the end. The garden also contains fruits: early and late season raspberries, seedless grapes, and early, mid, and late season blueberries. The site needed a few trees removed to increase the sun exposure and a swale at its perimeter to redirect water coming off a hillside. Fifteen yards of compost were needed to increase fertility and 50 yards of woodchips were used to permanently mulch the paths. A small greenhouse was also built to extend the season in the spring and fall, The vegetable garden has been deer- and dog-proofed with an eight foot fence.
One hundred feet away from this they planted a six fruit tree orchard. There are two varieties of apples, pears, and peaches. The specific varieties were chosen because of their disease and insect resistance, zone hardiness, vigor, and their ability to be harvested over a longer period.
Before: The site before the organic garden was installed was wet, partly shaded, had an excessively low ph level, and was only of moderate fertility. A small backhoe tractor was needed to prep the site.
After (3 Months Later): The beds contains a mix of vegetables, herbs, cut flowers and fruits. In the foreground you can see brussels sprout and daylilies, oregano, basil, asparagus and iris. Behind these, the greenhouse has early tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. In the back are raspberries, blueberries, and grapes.
In the foreground the wire trellis can be seen over the newly planted raspberries. The paths have a woodchip mulch, the beds are raised and framed in with native rot resistance locust. The soil was amended with organic fertilizer and compost. These steps, along with others, contribute to a low maintenance garden. This wire trellis is used to help protect newly planted raspberries.
