Build a Garden pt.1

One of my favorite things about the spring and summer is eating fresh vegetables.  And, surprisingly my children actually like vegetables and fruit.  I spend at least $20 per week on produce and definitely more when the warm months roll around.  I have always loved the idea of having a garden but have always been too scared to try.  I decided to get over my fear this year and start planting.  First, I put out a request (via Facebook) for tips and some nice friends of mine came through.  I ended up having a lot of people tell me that they would also like to start a garden so I thought I should just put everything here so I can share what I learn and more importantly what I do wrong.  I can't wait to see what my garden produces and please keep sending me any helpful tips!  Here is what we have done so far:


1.  Tilled up the dirt in a 12 x 5 ft. rectangle
*I kept an eye on my yard for a day or two to see where the sun hit a majority of the day.  I chose a spot with at least 6+ hours of full sun


2.  Sprayed Round-Up to kill any weeds and grass in the area
*I was told to wait a week before planting so the Round-Up didn't kill our plants but we didn't bc we are too impatient.  This could be major mistake #1


3.  My husband built a cedar boarder to contain the garden
*With a friend's help it was built in an hour.  The guys at Lowes can help you get all the supplies you need.


4.  Began with a layer of mulch.  Mixed in 4 bags cow manure compost, 4 bags mushroom compost, 10 bags topsoil, and 1 bag peat moss.


5.  We went ahead and planted some things that can withstand the colder weather right now: iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, cilantro, strawberries, and onions.  There were a lot of other herbs and leafy vegetables that are ok to plant right now as well.


6.  I am watering twice a day (actually my son is doing this part and loves it!)

Next up...


1.  Plant tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and jalapenos.  I will also plant some marigolds because I heard they keep away insects and pests.  I am also going to plant zinnias because they are good cutting flowers.  Now I will have my own fruits, veggies, and flowers!


We won't begin the next phase for a couple of weeks to let the temperature warm up a little more.  


My sweet little gardeners...