sustainable – Luluisthatgirl

Hi everyone!

Gardening is more than a hobby for me—it’s my way of staying connected to nature and my roots. I grew up in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where my grandfather had an incredible garden. During school vacations, we’d help him grow about 90% of the food we ate. He lived into his mid-90s and even baked his own bread! Since moving to the States, I’ve noticed my body doesn’t process food the same way it used to. I’m trying to reset by growing clean, chemical-free food for my family and myself.

Making the Most of My Space
I don’t have a big yard. I’m maximizing the use of the space I have. Recently, I added two more raised beds. This helps me get closer to my goal of growing most of our food. My next big project is building a privacy fence—not just for looks, but also to protect the garden. Hiring a contractor isn’t in the budget, so I’m doing it myself. I’ve already bought 10 fence panels and have been slowly collecting the rest of the materials. YouTube tutorials have been my best friend during this process!

What’s Growing Now
This year, I started with:

Broccoli, kale, and spinach (spinach didn’t make it 😔)
Cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, and jalapeño peppers
Okra, white potatoes, sweet potatoes
Cabbage, onions, and cantaloupe
Sweet corn alongside an apple tree
Goji berry tree & Elderberry tree
Bush beans & strawberries (the strawberries didn’t survive either)

From this, I’ve harvested potatoes, cherry tomatoes, okra, sweet potato leaves, sweet corn, and cantaloupes.

On my deck, I keep herbs for easy access while cooking. I have sage, basil, and oregano. I also have a small trial run of lettuce and green beans.

Future Planting Goals
I’m hoping to add soybeans, bell peppers, garlic, beets, watermelons, and leeks. I also want to plant radish, squash, cucumbers, peanuts, and more corn. Furthermore, I plan to grow strawberries, plums, cherries, and more apple trees.

Challenges I’m Facing
The biggest headache? Stray cats. They keep using parts of my garden as a litter box, which completely ruined my spinach this year. This is one of the main reasons I’m pushing to get the fence installed. If anyone has safe, cat-deterring ideas, I’d love to hear them!

Looking for Your Advice
I’d really appreciate tips on:

How to safely keep cats out of my garden.
How to organize my space better to maximize yield.

I’ll post some pictures of my current layout soon. The new raised beds will not be included. This way you can see what I’m working with. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome—thank you in advance! 🌿