And it begins... Round 2, I think 2012 is going to be a great year
(even though I won't be at home during the plant's flowering
). I'm still contemplating where to dig my raised beds to best keep the plants still hidden out of sight but to get way more direct sun than mine got last year
Have you considered a ScroG to keep them low and even below 6 feet but away from the plastic so you won't have to worry about mold/mildew/air flow as much? I think I'm going to copy Porky B's style of raised bed growing, but with the canopy a little higher and with less wide raised beds so it's easier to maintain
https://www.rollitup.org/outdoor-growing/458995-porkys-pig-pen-hog-heaven-2.html post #18.
As for the gophers we don't have a problem with them in our yard, we have 4 cats and just got a puppy hunting dog so they won't be a problem in the future either
. I'm still going to take some precautions when making my raised beds by lining the holes I dig with a few layers of chicken wire. I've also read that you can place your smart pots on thick burlap or chicken wire to prevent them from coming up through the bottoms, so I assume you could do it all around them if they're in a hole for the same effect? Here's the source for the burlap, don't remember which post though, really good read!
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=159846&highlight=tomhill
Sorry for posting so much, I've just been super excited for this season to get underway
I have a feeling this year will be very bountiful