How to Start

When it is time to start putting in your vegetable starts or seeds, it is too late to turn your lawn into gardening soil-- at least for this season. So here are a few links on how to garden anyway:

Start a Quick and Easy Food Garden
How to Make Instant No-dig Garden Beds

Rain Barrel Construction

This will be our next craft day project, but in the mean time here is what I have for inspiration:

Paul James, the Gardner Guy
Better Idea
So Simple A Child Could Do It
Aquabarrel Video
Aquabarrel Instructions
Old Guy with Nifty Tools

I have already found blue food grade barrels, ($10 at Willam's Brothers BBQ) and just need to decided on and price out whatever hardware we decide to go with.

Initial Hardware List:
blue barrels
4 inch vent guard
cement blocks
3/4 inch bit
3 inch bit
plumbers tape
spigot
3/4 inch PVC pipe
pvc cement/primer
sump pump kit?!


Also to appease the neighborhood association I will be painting my barrels some color other than obnoxious blue.

Sweet Corn Organic Nursery

I am excited about this company, I am eager to see how the seeds from here do this year. They had my favorite tomato, Mr. Stripey, among other wonderful things plus free shipping. I am hoping to use these for few successive years.

My order 2010:

Pineapple Tomato - Certified Organic & Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Mr. Stripey (Tigerella) Tomato - Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Green Zebra Tomato - Certified Organic & Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Toma Verde Tomatillo Tomato - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Basil (Large Leaf) Herb - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Cilantro (Coriander) Herb - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Anaheim Pepper - Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Long Island Brussel Sprouts - Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Oregon Giant Snow Pea - Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Zucchini Black Beauty Squash - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Zucchini Green Round Squash - Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
Waltham Butternut Squash - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Fengyuan Eggplant - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Rosa Bianca Eggplant - Certified Organic/Heirloom
Cocozelle Italian Zucchini - Certified Organic Heirloom/Open-Pollinated
World Beater (Ruby Giant) Bell Pepper - Certified Organic/Heirloom

The snow peas need to planted ASAP, but that most likely won't get done until later this week. The brussell sprouts won't be planted until the fall, most likely. The tomatoes/tomatillos, peppers, and basil need to be started indoors ASAP, but that also probably won't happen until later this week. I need to finish the seed starter setup first! Everything else will be direct sown. I am hoping that a combination of diatomaceous earth and nasturtiums will help keep the vine borers in check this year. They seem to find my plants even when I crop rotate.