Building a Sunken Container Vegetable Garden: Part Two

I liked the two sunken containers I built. You can see I planted one them already. I figured two containers are nice but more is even better. This is wasted space if you ask me. Just grass to cut. I framed the space out with bamboo support poles to get an idea of size. I placed containers in there to visualize my idea. Like I have said before, I tend to create versus plan. But I typically have a good solid idea in mind.

Created a Frame and Placed Containers for an Idea

Here is the Other Angle. Framed and Containers Placed.

The two views above gave me an idea of what the finished sunken container garden might look like.  And I liked it. By the way that is my spinach from my transplant tray,  I blogged about last month. It was delicious. Along with that are beets, lettuce, endive, and peppers.  The raised bed in the middle of the containers held my Sarah's Galapagos tomato last year. As luck would have it, seedlings are coming up from fallen tomatoes. I will be using them somewhere!

Trace the Bamboo Frame with Dirt or Peat Moss

Sink the Containers and Dig the Edge/Frame

I ended up adding five containers. They were prepared the same ways as the large containers from part one. The only thing I did not do for the smaller ones was put the grass back in the on the bottom. I didn't think they were deep enough to smother the grass. Holes were cut in the bottoms of the containers. The holes I sank the containers into where turned and amended. That is a pepper and two cucumbers in the containers.

I edged the garden by digging a good size trench. This is to keep the mulch from drifting out onto the grass.

The Finished Sunken Container Garden

I finished it off by mulching. I use shredded hardwood because the shredded bits lock together nicely. When you use pine bark it is more nugget like and it will float away in heavy rain. You can click the pictures to enlarge them. I planted melons, cucumbers, flowers, and the empty space will get a store bought tomato of a unique variety when I find it.

Remember the key to the sunken container garden is opening up holes in the bottom of the containers. This will allow the vegetables roots to work their way into the earth. This helps you with watering. I hope you found this interesting and useful. Time to expand your garden!