Latest overview photo: September 12, 2026
Raised bed layout, current photos, AeroGarden starts, grow lights, and progress through the growing season.
A view of the garden, with earlier photos below.
September 12, 2026
This season has included peas, calendula, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, chives, onions, carrots, and AeroGarden lettuce. The peas were removed on July 25; the cucumbers in Bed 2 and lettuce in Bed 5 are now finished. Carrots are still growing, Bed 7’s lettuce is doing well, and the basil in Beds 3 and 4 struggled but is flowering.
Original planting layout for the season. See the bed notes below for crop changes and corrected plant identifications.
Current layout, planting notes, individual plant details, and photo progress for each raised bed.
The peas were removed on July 25. They previously climbed the back wire fence alongside the calendula. The pea crop is now finished for the season.
September 12, 2026
These peas have absolutely scaled the back wire fence, utilizing the existing hardscaping as a perfect small-space vertical support system. They are currently one of the strongest, most vigorous performers in the entire layout—loaded with lush green vines, open white blossoms, and a massive, continuous flush of crisp, plump pods ready for harvesting. Positioned right next to a thick hedge of bright orange and yellow volunteer calendula flowers, this side of Bed 1 has become a massive pollinator anchor and a highly productive garden favorite.
July 9, 2026
This gorgeous patch of calendula chose its own home this season, volunteering beautifully on the left side of Bed 1. It has exploded into a thick hedge of bright orange and gold blossoms that instantly gives the space a classic, romantic cottage-garden aesthetic. Beyond its good looks, this hard-working annual serves as a critical pollinator magnet and a natural companion plant, drawing in beneficial insects that help protect the climbing fence peas growing right alongside it.
July 9, 2026
The cucumber plants are finished and the bed is now empty. The two plants used the 6-foot EMT frame and string trellis during the season. An updated photo of the empty bed is coming.
September 12, 2026
This powerhouse producer followed a careful journey: starting indoors in the AeroGarden, potting up into soil under garage grow lights to build strong roots, and finally moving out to Bed 2. Sitting on the left side, it has completely exploded up its custom overhead EMT vertical twine frame. It is already showing off heavy side-vine growth, a brilliant flush of bright yellow blossoms, and has successfully set its first two distinct young cucumbers. Its aggressive tendrils have tightly locked onto the vertical string line, creating an incredible vertical green wall.
July 11, 2026
Sharing the exact same indoor-to-outdoor origin story as its twin on the left, this cucumber plant was started as a sprout in the AeroGarden before graduating to soil under garage grow lights to establish a strong, resilient root system. Now anchored on the right side of Bed 2, it is climbing with incredible vigor up its dedicated vertical twine line on the custom EMT framework. While it hasn't officially set fruit yet, it is pushing out lush green foliage and is heavily loaded with bright yellow blossoms, indicating it is just days away from catching up to its neighbor and producing its first cucumbers.
July 28, 2026
All of the tomatoes in this bed turned out to be cherry tomatoes, rather than the beefsteaks originally expected. The basil did not do very well, but it is still in the bed and flowering.
September 12, 2026
Following a careful hardening pipeline—starting indoors in the kitchen AeroGarden, graduating to soil potting under garage grow lights, and finally settling into the garden—these heirloom tomatoes have become a true layout highlight. There are two plants in Bed 3, meticulously pruned to a single leader and trained vertically up a streamlined single-string trellis system. They have developed incredibly stocky, thick main stems, and both plants have officially made the leap from flower to fruit, with young green beefsteaks successfully beginning to swell on the vines.
July 19, 2026
Sharing the exact same indoor-to-outdoor pipeline as your tomatoes and cucumbers, this basil was sprouted indoors in the AeroGarden before being potted up into soil under your garage grow lights to establish a strong root network. Now settled into Bed 3, it is running in an intentional, alternating sequence with your 'Beefsteak' tomatoes. Looking completely pristine, deeply green, and perfectly happy, these plants thrive in the partial shade provided by the tall tomato canopy. They maximize your space by cleanly filling out the lower understory of the bed while acting as a classic aromatic companion.
July 9, 2026
One plant is a known cherry tomato, and another appears to be a Roma, though that identification is not confirmed. The remaining tomato plant produced unusually shaped fruit; its variety and the reason for the odd shapes are still unclear. As in Bed 3, the basil did not do very well but is still there and flowering.
September 12, 2026
Sharing the exact same indoor-to-outdoor nursery pipeline as the rest of your robust nightshade crop, these two Roma tomato plants were sprouted indoors in the AeroGarden before moving out to soil potting under garage grow lights to establish a thick, stocky root zone. Standing strong as the core paste tomato producers in Bed 4, they are trained to a tidy vertical path using your streamlined single-string trellis frames. They are developing excellent, dark green top growth and have officially transitioned from flower to fruit, with young green paste tomatoes actively swelling on the vines.
August 17, 2026
Sharing the exact same seed-to-soil hardening pipeline as the rest of your robust tomato crop, this cherry tomato vine was sprouted indoors in the AeroGarden before graduating to soil potting under your garage grow lights to build up a highly resilient root system. Now anchored on the left side of Bed 4 alongside the Roma tomatoes, it is trained to a clean single leader up your vertical string trellis system. Pushing out strong, stocky stem growth and its first clusters of open yellow flowers, this vine is well on its way to adding a heavy-producing, fresh snacking tomato option to the bed.
July 9, 2026
Following the exact same seed-to-soil hardening pipeline, this basil was sprouted indoors in the AeroGarden before moving out to soil potting under garage grow lights to build up a resilient root system. Now established in Bed 4, it serves as a companion herb planted intentionally between your Roma tomatoes. It does a fantastic job of filling out the lower understory space of the bed, thriving in the filtered shade of the tomato canopy, and adding a highly aromatic, productive culinary herb to your tomato section.
July 9, 2026
The first lettuce crop is finished. This was the bed planted with AeroGarden lettuce transplants alongside chives and onions. An updated photo is coming.
September 12, 2026
The chives form a thick, established border through Bed 5 and continue to grow strongly around the lettuce. They provide a reliable perennial herb crop, fill the lower edges of the bed, and help give the planting area a mature, productive look.
July 9, 2026
This vibrant, high-density salad bar represents your first major outdoor success story using the direct hydroponic-to-soil pipeline. Transplanted straight from the indoor AeroGarden into the right side of Bed 5, all 7 heads have completely thrived, filling out the space with a stunning ruffled canopy of deep reds and glossy greens. Managed under a highly productive "cut-and-come-again" harvesting style, mature outer leaves are gathered frequently for fresh salads, while the central crowns continue to push out crisp, new growth for an ongoing, sustainable kitchen supply.
July 11, 2026
The carrots are still growing. There may also be chamomile in the bed, but that identification is not yet confirmed.
September 12, 2026
Following a full reset on May 18 to correct initial planting depth issues, this bed has completely turned around. This sweet, coreless heirloom variety has successfully pushed past the delicate seedling stage and is actively filling out the space with a beautiful canopy of fluffy, feathery greens. Because developing root crops hate underground competition, this bed requires careful ongoing monitoring and gentle precision weeding to keep invasive clover and grass runners completely away from the carrot roots. They are well on their way to producing a crisp, clean harvest!
July 19, 2026
The lettuce in Bed 7 is doing well. This bed was planted with 20 AeroGarden starts, including red lettuce, green lettuce, and Matchless lettuce, as the second lettuce wave of the season.
September 12, 2026
Twenty lettuce starts were moved from the AeroGarden into Bed 7. This planting includes red lettuce, green lettuce, and Matchless lettuce, making Bed 7 the main second lettuce wave of the season.
July 13, 2026
Freshly cleared and reset after removing the early-bolting broccoli and cauliflower. The bed has been weeded and top-dressed with sphagnum peat moss and potting soil, making it ready for a future planting wave.
July 5, 2026
Indoor starts, lettuce pipeline, and garage grow-light setup feeding the outdoor beds.
Two older model AeroGarden Harvest units are used for indoor growing and starting plants before they move into the raised beds.
Two original model AeroGarden Sprout units add extra growing capacity for small starts, lettuce, herbs, and backup planting experiments.
The garage setup includes the AeroGarden seed starting light and two grow panels, giving extra space for seedlings before they move outside.
AeroGarden progress in photos
July 11, 2026
Main indoor growing units used for lettuce starts and plant experiments before moving selected plants outside.
July 11, 2026
Smaller AeroGarden units used for extra starts, small herbs, lettuce, and backup planting space.
July 3, 2026
AeroGarden seed starting light used for seedlings before they are hardened off or moved under the garage grow panels.
Two garage grow panels add extra space for seedlings and plants waiting to move outside.
Quick notes on what is working, what failed, and what to try next.
The lettuce in Bed 7 is doing well, and the carrots in Bed 6 are still growing. The basil in Beds 3 and 4 struggled but remains in place and is flowering.
Bed 5’s first lettuce crop is finished. Bed 7’s second wave is doing well, with red, green, and Matchless lettuce originally started in the AeroGarden.
Add updated photos of the empty Bed 2 and the finished lettuce crop in Bed 5. Confirm the possible chamomile in Bed 6 and the uncertain tomato varieties in Bed 4.
