Edible crops thriving - again - in my Eco Garden

The snap pea pods towered above me. They have been protected from garden pests. They haven't experienced any fluctuations in watering.

I couldn't wait.

I began eating them before they even made it inside the house.

When I sowed those pea seeds back on March 31, I put faith in knowing that I would eventually get to this moment.

‘Spring Blush’ snap pea from Pinetree Garden Seeds. 

In typical New England fashion, spring started out on the chillier side. I was able to sow my spring crops in the Eco Garden System earlier than in my raised beds along the driveway because the soil inside the Eco Garden System had warmed up faster. That's because the Eco Garden System is elevated off the ground.

The growth of the plants was steady throughout the spring. I recently traveled to Colorado for the Garden Bloggers Fling and when I returned, I was astounded at how much my edibles in the Eco Garden System had grown. I came home to a bountiful crop of snap peas, and the carrots and beets have doubled in size, too. The lettuce is growing in the shade of the taller snap peas, and the fernleaf dill is also doing well.

‘Little Crunch’ snap pea from Renee's Garden Seeds.

Setting gardeners up for success 

I've had the Eco Garden System set up in my driveway for three years now, and it has really changed my edible gardening for the better.

The first year I grew edibles in the Eco Garden System, I was happy to see how well the plants performed. I love that I can use this portion of my driveway to grow plants. (Urban settings, perhaps only with only a small patio to work with, can also benefit from the Eco Garden System.)

Because it has a built-in water reservoir at the bottom of the unit, it encourages plants to grow deep roots to reach it. On hot days, I rarely need to worry about watering the plants or coming home and finding them wilting. In this way, the Eco Garden System continually sets me up for success.

The Eco Garden System also keeps pests like groundhogs away from my plants. Recently an insatiable groundhog has been making his way through my garden. He helped himself to my grow bags and the flat of zinnia seedlings I started hardening off outside. But all the vegetables in the Eco Garden were safe from his path of destruction, because this raised garden is 39 inches off the ground.

Eco Garden System 1; Groundhog 0.

Next up: summer crops

As you know, I've already started harvesting my snap peas. I'm eagerly awaiting for the carrots and beets to be ready as well. Most of these crops will finish in the next few weeks and then it will be on to summer crops. I'll be starting those seeds under my grow lights so that way I can pop them into the Eco Garden System when it's time. (Hint: it will be an AAS Winner.)

I was provided an Eco Garden System in 2017 to try out in my Zone 6b garden. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you are interested in purchasing your own Eco Garden System, click here to use my discount code.