planters from Home Depot

So, I got these raised beds from Home Depot, cedar, and super attractive. Shockingly, they were only $40 and I was stunned at how easy they were to put together. They are part of the eco-options collection and the cedar is FSC (forest stewardship council) certified wood. So, the wood was grown in a sustainable manner. The item was packaged beautifully, maybe even too good for a green product. They were thoughtfully designed for good looks and easy assembly. The pre-drilled holes were clean, the instructions were easy to follow, they even have cross bracing. I couldn't have asked for more and I couldn't have built them at that price. Great job Home Depot!
The seedlings are putting on their second set of leaves and we will be getting a cold spell this weekend, so I will be able to harvest the compost in cool weather and plant the garden on Sunday. Things are looking up for some very local produce!

seed sprouting success

Finally, I have seeds sprouting in each tray. I think it had to do with leaving the heating pad on under them for about 6 hours. Whoops! It was on low and their lids were on, so they didn't loose any water, but the temp was up to 85 degrees when I realized what I had done. It reminded me of the section of Animal Vegetable Miracle, when they needed the sprouts to sprout for Barbara's birthday party. They wrapped the jar in a heating pad for a few hours and the seeds sprung open. I think I accidentally did the same thing! They have also had the chance to spend time outside on the patio each day for the past three days. It's been sunny and the temps were around 65-70 degrees. Or maybe it was something like Murphy's law of seeds, I had just bought some tomato plants assuming the sprouting wasn't going to work and they sprouted by the following morning.
Now that there are seed sprouts, I have opened the covers and the lights are on them. The days are very sunny right now, so they will be going out in the sun from 9:00 in the morning to about 3:00 in the afternoon then under the lights until 11:00 at night. I am hoping that will give them enough light and heat to grow strong and not mold. I've had mold problems many times in the past trying to sprout seeds in those peat pots that expand in water.
Tomorrow will be my shopping experience for the raised beds!

Germinating Peppers... and some Celery

As cheap as I am, I have spent the past few months trying to figure out the cheapest way to start my garden. Growing from seeds, is the cheapest way to get plants, but how to germinate. I've been looking at the clear egg carton each week knowing there has got to be another use for it besides the recycle can, and then I put the two together- an egg carton seed germinator. It sort of looks like the ones in the catalog, so I modified it to work. I cut off the inner part and cut holes in the bottom, the inner egg holder can now serve as the "saucer" and the clear plastic top holds the heat and moisture.
The heating mat- I didn't want to buy a heating mat, but I had a heating pad. So the kit was about complete, all I needed to add was some soil, lights, a place to set up and a couple of racks to keep the seed germinators off the direct heat. As luck would have it, I just got an order from Amazon in a nice sized box. In went the rack, heating pad, another rack, seed germinators, and some lighting from the top. And, the box went under the dining table, who's way would it be in there? And, then there is the question of how hot. I checked my Local extension office in Alabama and they have a chart for all vegetables. Prefect!
So, in my seed germinators are Pepper Giant Thai Hot, Pepper jackpot hybrid (both from Park Seed), Jalapeno M  Pepper from Ferry-Morse and Tall Utah 5270 Improved Celery also from Ferry-Morse. Some of these I have started a bit late for my area, but I'm hoping shade tents will keep the worst of the Alabama Summer Sun off of them.
In the pots outside I have a Radish mix and some Simpson Black Lettuce that I am picking from each day and I direct sowed some "Renagade" Spinach about a week ago. I have one spinach seedling up. And, we are expecting sleet ot snow on Monday. Looks like the lettuce will be needing a hat! if all this grows and fruits, I'll be finishing the Summer with my favorite canning recipes and drying methods. I should only be so lucky!

inspired by Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingslover

I have dabbled in gardening, off and on, for most of my life. As I child, my sister and I helped, and I say this without air quotes because I think we were a help more than a hinderance, with my grandmother and great grandmothers garden. As a young teen, I decided to turn a garbage can that was ready to make it's final pick-up into a composter. As a adult, I have made small gardens or gardens in large flower pots. This is the year that I will be truely inspired to change the word garden from a noun to a verb in all caps. Not just some tomatoes in a pot, an herb bed and some space saving cukes, but an honest feed the family type of garden. I'll be recording my journey here,  beginning today.
I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle about a year ago. Well, I don't really "read" books, I listen to them on my ipod. And, I decided to revisit this book as I am planning my garden for some organic food living. I had fogotten how much I like this book. I enjoy books that you learn from, an though this is a great story, it's full of good information, especially if you don't know much about where food comes from.
My garden will be as organic as my wallet allows. I still have some old fertilizer that I will be using, if the plants look a little peeky, because I hate to waste things by throwing them out. I'd rather use them up. And, I will be using seeds that I realized after I bought them that some of them could be from a Monsanto seed mill. But, as I'm not a waster, I'll still be using them.
I hope yu enjoy my journey, and maybeyou will be inspired too!