Reap What You Sow... Hopefully!!

I've always wanted a garden- not that I have a particularly green thumb, nor do I really enjoy getting dirt in my fingernails or worms. But the thought of growing our own fruits and vegetables, and then cooking and eating them, seems like it would be so satisfying! So Pop recommended this book- Square Foot Gardening (Mel Bartholomew).... let the fun begin!

Since we had no clue what we were doing, we just followed it religiously!!! Here are some pictures of the adventure thus far:

Casey building the boxes for the garden- the whole premise is that you don't even need to plant in the ground. In fact, it's better if you don't. The soil is not as good as "Mel's Mix." The book also lays everything out for you in terms of "square feet"- so you know how many per square foot of something that you can plant.

Starting our compost! We've got a little more than this now; but it's going to be a good while before it's usable, I think.

"Mel's Mix"- the "soil" for the garden consisting of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite. (This is pre-mixing, so all you can see is the vermiculite. Which we searched all day and all over Houston for on Saturday! It was not cheap; but what Mel says goes!)

The first transplant! This is romaine lettuce. Other things already planted are: peas, broccoli, parsley, oregano, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, onions, and a jalapeno (so random). Things planted, but not in the garden yet because we'll bring them in at night are: bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and basil. Things not yet planted, but will be eventually: squash, carrots, and hopefully sweet potatoes, but I can't find them anywhere! We're also going to plant an avacado and lemon tree in the next few weekends.

My little gardener beginning her own garden on the patio...

Obsessed with the red bell pepper sprout. When I planted it in its pot (it's too early to leave it outside at night), she was not a happy girl.

I love this little Garden Girl!