If you want to watch this video in better HD quality, click here. In this video you can see that the hard work is paying off. I finally have a garden bed to finally sow my seeds and seedlings. And I’m still at only $7.00 spent at the time this video was shot. But since this was three weeks ago, I’ve purchased twine and two large tomato plants. So if you read my last post, you know I’m fourteen bucks and change into my budget with at least two months to go.
The ongoing battle is with the clouds and rain. As I write this, it occurs to me that I should have been tracking the total rainfall onto my garden. But I haven’t. All I know is that it’s been a lot! From the two plus inches I collected overnight in this video, to the numerous times I’ve poured out an inch or more from my rain gauge. Even as I type this post on Memorial Day, it is raining outside and the five-day forecast is just more of the same.
On a more upbeat note, at least I’m saving money and time on the watering and the plants are coming along fairly well, all things considered. In the next video, I’ll show you the plants going into the bed as well as the bamboo I harvested to make my pole bean tee pee and critter fence.
Current Expense Count:
Seed starting Mix: 2 bags….$7.00
Twine for bamboo………….$2.27
Two tomato plants…………$5.28
Total……………………….$14.55
Available……………………$10.45
See you back here in a few days.
JL
p.s. Although this video features my using all the wood from the torn down barn, a friend told me about an even better free source of wood the next day. Unfortunately I didn't have my video camera with me when she told me about the source. Since it was close by, I went straight over and nabbed a few (discarded) pices of long boards from their scrap pile. This wood is also very old and untreated. The company (Tobacco Pine) salvages choice wood from old tobacco barns and converts it into hardwood flooring, etc. So the long pices you see in the front of the bed are from there. I still used the old barn wood for the sides.
About Joe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
Sound advice as always, Joe. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on container vs. in-ground gardening over at WHG.
I live in an English basement here in DC. I have a front yard (kinda) and a driveway out back, which gets more sun I believe.
Initially I was planning to work with the small plot in the front portion of the house, but my landlord covered the ground with plastic supposedly to keep the weeds away (we still have weeds). It was gonna be a pretty intensive project.
Since this is my first gardening attempt, I decided to start smaller, so I’ve opted for containers all the way. Actually, for now most of my sprouts are in the Jiffy greenhouse; they’re all about 2 inches high. I’m a little nervous about the transition to containers because I’ve already killed my first batch.
Perhaps you could share your thoughts some time on how best to transplant sprouts to containers and flower beds?
Talk soon!
Nikki
Hi Nikki and that was a great question you raised. I also love the post on your blog from the link in your comment. I’ve left my two cents there as well. In answer to your question, no dobut, containers are a great way to have a garden no matter where you live. However, given the option, I’ll still take an in-ground bed as my first choice. Excessive rain shouldn’t be a problem IF the soil is properly amended and you have sufficient sunlight. Although my garden is suffering right now, the rain has been extreme. Yet in spite of so much water, the soil is still managing to drain, although I can tell I have some more amending to do. It’s all the pounding that’s taking place at the surface that is currently taking a toll on the small seedlings. Thanks for commenting.
Hi Joe, long time no speak! I hope you’re well. Sorry to hear your garden has been drowning in all the rain. (I mentioned your trials in a recent blog post 😉
Do you have an opinion on container versus in-ground gardening? With all the rain we’ve had, I’m wondering if containers are the better route because you can move your sprouts inside.
http://www.whgmag.com/1101-container-versus-in-ground-gardening
That would be the perfectionist, Type A, obsessive-compulsive “Joe” coming out in the design. I drive people crazy when I’m designing a public garden or one for the TV show on DIY. I’m trying to let go but I think it’s too late. I should probably do more of what you suggest. Thanks for the comment, I think!
you are doing an awesome job. You are all so neat and tidy! golly i would have just shoved them in the ground without all the bricks and raised bedding…. maybe that is why I didn’t have much luck in the past. lol
Hey Ginger. Thanks very much but don’t get discouraged out there in California. That wood you need is out there. My freecycle post did come just in the nick of time but as soon as I started asking around, the first person I asked directed me straight to the wood you see in the video for the front side. Just keep those eyes open and maybe snoop around a bit if you can. I had a backup plan too. When I was at a garden center in town, I went behind the greenhouse and saw a big pile of what appeared to be discarded 6×6 timbers. I’m sure I could have been given those. Keep the faith and let me know what you come up with.
Great job, it looks so pretty. Free wood is hard to come by here, I have been waiting for some to come up on free-cycle or the free section in Craiglist but nothing yet. So your pretty lucky to have free wood from two different sources. All I can say about the rain is I wish we could have some of your rain, we need it so bad here in CA.
Keep up the great work.
Ginger
Mother Nature has decided to mess with us both this year, Joe. What did we did we do?!?!? lol!
Love the old lumber!
Nice going Joe! I like the design and your use of recycled material. I know it takes lots of time to prepare the garden beds, and the fact that you didn’t “skirt” around the fact that veggie garden can be “work.” A lot of times, viewers only see us fresh and smiling talking about how great it is to have a veggie garden.
Okay, I’m keeping tabs on your expenses. Great so far.
Shirley
nice looking! Love the way you did bricks between the areas.
Thanks Shawna. Yes, I’ve been tracking your videos and admiring your paths. Nice going on recycling those stones.
I’ll see what I can do about sending some rain your way. Lord knows, we have more than enough for now.
Man you’re not kidding – the rain has been nuts! Our garden is taking off. Lettuce and broccoli look great. Good luck!
Great job Joe! I built my paths out of leftover stone from my fireplace, so we’re both on the same page. All the veggies are in the ground now – hoping they start growing soon – we need rain while you’re drowning in it.
Keep up the good work!
Best,
Shawna Coronado
http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com