It was a fun and busy weekend for me with this twenty-five dollar victory garden project! On Saturday, I checked my mail and just as I had hoped, it included lots of envelopes containing a bounty of seeds from friends across the country that I’ve never met in person. It was truly an amazing sight and feeling. I even received my hand-painted plant markers from my new best friend @EmilyofTexas, as we know here on Twitter.
So, for most of Saturday and Sunday, I sorted and sowed many of my new free seeds, into my new free boxes and cake toppers recently obtained while stalking grocery store stock boys and birthday parties. For the record, this isn’t as weird as it sounds. But I will say, I’m finding a lot more reasons to grocery shop these days and my excitement to chaperone children’s birthday parties is at an all time high. I’m pretty sure I’ve become obsessed with this challenge as I constantly ponder more ways to find free things I’ll need to fill the gap of conventional gardening supplies I won’t have the money to buy.
But at least for now, just about everything I needed to plant ahead of time is finished. And yet, much of what we’ll eat this summer will be sown directly into the garden in a few more weeks. My budget is still holding at seven dollars but I’m out of seed starting mix and I need more shop lights. I’m counting on Freecycle or garage sales for that. Other concerns will be how to keep the rabbits out of my garden once everything is planted. Currently they’re munching on my irises that share the same location as my future Victory Garden. So, I’ll be looking for fencing and something to build up the beds too. Other thoughts may be homemade rabbit repellent. Any thoughts anyone?
JL
p.s… With new video camera now in hand, I am documenting this journey visually as I take you along for these special moments. I hope to have these ready to include in my blog posts starting around Wednesday. So stay tuned as they say and I’ll see you back here soon.
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
I have heard human hair cloppings repel deer, but no idea if that works on “wascally wabbits”. Good Luck!!!
Hi Nikki. Good luck with your project too and hang in there! Glad you mentioned the cherry blossoms in bloom and I’ll head over to your site to check it out.
Hey Joe,
Glad you’re making some headway on your gardening project. I started several veggie varieties from seed at the beginning of March. …
Then last week, my power was out for 3 days! (Sort of a long story.) I was so distracted that I kinda forgot about my sprouts, so I may end up starting over again.
I put a plastic lid back over the sprouts. Hopefully some of them survive. …
Also, have you seen the beautiful cherry blossom blooms in DC? I’ve got some photos up on my blog.
Talk soon,
Nikki
Hi Theresa. Thanks for the suggestion. At this point I realize I have to throw all pride to the wind if I’m going to pull this off for under $25! So, I am not beyond digging through trash. Actually, it will make for some fun, or funny video. I’ll keep you posted and maybe you’ll get to see me on video, embarrassing my kids!
yeah, I think by the time I buy extra soil to bump up my plants before going into the ground, I’ll spend another 7 bucks, easy. From there, I’ll need to resort to friends, neighbors and creative ways to come up with what I need. I may be broke by then but I refuse to blow through my $25 budget. I’m a pretty tenacious guy when I have a challenge before me so it’ll happen, one way or the other, while keeping it on the up and up!
JL
Joe – I know you are still looking for fencing to keep out the rabbits. This may sound odd, but have you driven around your neighborhood on trash day? In my area, I see people throwing out fencing sometimes. I find stuff all the time as I drive my kids to school on trash day. And in my area, we have “Backyard Cleanup Week” where people can throw out larger items on trash day for pick up. Every morning that week, we are all driving around digging through the trash finding the best stuff (much to my kid’s horror!).
You just reminded me that I need to check the viability of a few of my shop lights … er, I mean grow lights.
Keep it clean Joe! (Still betting you’ll be broke before harvest.) ;~)
Nice! And it is great to see all the attention you and this topic are getting. It’s high time people got on the backyard gardening bandwagon and quit settling for grody grocery store tomatoes.
I mean, yes, there’s more to this than tomatoes, but that’s where my heart truly lies.
Hi Theresa. It was like Christmas morning all over again. It really was exciting and especially so by all the personal notes and letters like yours. I feel extra responsible to know so many people have taken the time to lend a hand and it is very motivating to make sure I do the best that I can for everyone that has a stake it this game.
Yes, I have a slew of short videos already recorded so I’ll be pulling a couple out to upload very soon. Thanks for checking in.
JL
Hey Joe – Glad the seeds made it safe and sound. I can see my name on some of those seedlings too. So glad you are already planting them.
What fun it must be to open your mail box and find all these treasures. It is like Christmas! I can’t wait to see the videos of your project. You are doing great!